How to: Use the Attached Properties of Canvas to Position Child Elements

This example shows how to use the attached properties of Canvas to position child elements.

Example

The following example adds four Button elements as child elements of a parent Canvas. Each child element represents a distinct attached property of Canvas: Bottom, Left, Right, and Top. Each Button is positioned relative to the parent Canvas and according to its assigned property value.

WindowTitle = "Attached Properties Sample"
' Add a Border
Dim myBorder As New Border()
myBorder.HorizontalAlignment = Windows.HorizontalAlignment.Left
myBorder.VerticalAlignment = Windows.VerticalAlignment.Top
myBorder.BorderBrush = Brushes.Black
myBorder.BorderThickness = New Thickness(2)

' Create a Canvas as the root Panel
Dim myCanvas As New Canvas()
myCanvas.Background = Brushes.LightBlue
myCanvas.Width = 400
myCanvas.Height = 400

' Create the child Button elements
Dim myButton1 As New Button()
Dim myButton2 As New Button()
Dim myButton3 As New Button()
Dim myButton4 As New Button()

' Set Positioning attached properties on Button elements
Canvas.SetTop(myButton1, 50)
myButton1.Content = "Canvas.Top=50"
Canvas.SetBottom(myButton2, 50)
myButton2.Content = "Canvas.Bottom=50"
Canvas.SetLeft(myButton3, 50)
myButton3.Content = "Canvas.Left=50"
Canvas.SetRight(myButton4, 50)
myButton4.Content = "Canvas.Right=50"

' Add Buttons to the Canvas' Children collection
myCanvas.Children.Add(myButton1)
myCanvas.Children.Add(myButton2)
myCanvas.Children.Add(myButton3)
myCanvas.Children.Add(myButton4)

' Add the Canvas as the lone Child of the Border
myBorder.Child = myCanvas
Me.Content = myBorder

            // Create the application's main window
            mainWindow = new Window ();
            mainWindow.Title = "Canvas Attached Properties Sample";

            // Add a Border
            Border myBorder = new Border();
            myBorder.HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Left;
            myBorder.VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Top;
            myBorder.BorderBrush = Brushes.Black;
            myBorder.BorderThickness = new Thickness(2);

            // Create the Canvas
            Canvas myCanvas = new Canvas();
            myCanvas.Background = Brushes.LightBlue;
            myCanvas.Width = 400;
            myCanvas.Height = 400;

            // Create the child Button elements
            Button myButton1 = new Button();
            Button myButton2 = new Button();
            Button myButton3 = new Button();
            Button myButton4 = new Button();

            // Set Positioning attached properties on Button elements
            Canvas.SetTop(myButton1, 50);
            myButton1.Content = "Canvas.Top=50";
            Canvas.SetBottom(myButton2, 50);
            myButton2.Content = "Canvas.Bottom=50";
            Canvas.SetLeft(myButton3, 50);
            myButton3.Content = "Canvas.Left=50";
            Canvas.SetRight(myButton4, 50);
            myButton4.Content = "Canvas.Right=50";

            // Add Buttons to the Canvas' Children collection
            myCanvas.Children.Add(myButton1);
            myCanvas.Children.Add(myButton2);
            myCanvas.Children.Add(myButton3);
            myCanvas.Children.Add(myButton4);

            // Add the Canvas as the lone Child of the Border
            myBorder.Child = myCanvas;

            // Add the Border as the Content of the Parent Window Object
            mainWindow.Content = myBorder;
            mainWindow.Show ();


         // Create the application's main window
         mainWindow = gcnew System::Windows::Window();
         mainWindow->Title = "Canvas Attached Properties Sample";

         // Add a Border
         Border^ myBorder = gcnew Border();
         myBorder->HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment::Left;
         myBorder->VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment::Top;
         myBorder->BorderBrush = Brushes::Black;
         myBorder->BorderThickness = System::Windows::Thickness(2);

         // Create the Canvas
         Canvas^ myCanvas = gcnew Canvas();
         myCanvas->Background = Brushes::LightBlue;
         myCanvas->Width = 400;
         myCanvas->Height = 400;

         // Create the child Button elements
         Button^ myButton1 = gcnew Button();
         Button^ myButton2 = gcnew Button();
         Button^ myButton3 = gcnew Button();
         Button^ myButton4 = gcnew Button();

         // Set Positioning attached properties on Button elements
         Canvas::SetTop(myButton1, 50);
         myButton1->Content = "Canvas.Top=50";
         Canvas::SetBottom(myButton2, 50);
         myButton2->Content = "Canvas.Bottom=50";
         Canvas::SetLeft(myButton3, 50);
         myButton3->Content = "Canvas.Left=50";
         Canvas::SetRight(myButton4, 50);
         myButton4->Content = "Canvas.Right=50";

         // Add Buttons to the Canvas' Children collection
         myCanvas->Children->Add(myButton1);
         myCanvas->Children->Add(myButton2);
         myCanvas->Children->Add(myButton3);
         myCanvas->Children->Add(myButton4);

         // Add the Canvas as the lone Child of the Border
         myBorder->Child = myCanvas;

         // Add the Border as the Content of the Parent Window Object
         mainWindow->Content = myBorder;
         mainWindow->Show();

<Page xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation" WindowTitle="Canvas Attached Properties Sample">
  <Border HorizontalAlignment="Left" VerticalAlignment="Top" BorderBrush="Black" BorderThickness="2">
    <Canvas Background="LightBlue" Width="400" Height="400">
      <Button Canvas.Top="50">Canvas.Top="50"</Button>
      <Button Canvas.Bottom="50">Canvas.Bottom="50"</Button>
      <Button Canvas.Left="50">Canvas.Left="50"</Button>
      <Button Canvas.Right="50">Canvas.Right="50"</Button>
    </Canvas>
  </Border>    
</Page>

See Also

Reference

Canvas

Bottom

Left

Right

Top

Button

Concepts

Panels Overview

Attached Properties Overview

Other Resources

Canvas How-to Topics