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How to: Paint an Area with a Visual

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This example shows how to use the VisualBrush class to paint an area with a Visual.

In the following example, several controls and a panel are used as the background of a rectangle.

Example

<Rectangle Width="150" Height="150" Stroke="Black" Margin="5,0,5,0">
  <Rectangle.Fill>
    <VisualBrush>
      <VisualBrush.Visual>
        <StackPanel Background="White">
          <Rectangle Width="25" Height="25" Fill="Red" Margin="2" />
          <TextBlock FontSize="10pt" Margin="2">Hello, World!</TextBlock>
          <Button Margin="2">A Button</Button>
        </StackPanel>
      </VisualBrush.Visual>
    </VisualBrush>
  </Rectangle.Fill>
</Rectangle>

VisualBrush myVisualBrush = new VisualBrush();

// Create the visual brush's contents.
StackPanel myStackPanel = new StackPanel();
myStackPanel.Background = Brushes.White;

Rectangle redRectangle = new Rectangle();
redRectangle.Width = 25;
redRectangle.Height =25;
redRectangle.Fill = Brushes.Red;
redRectangle.Margin = new Thickness(2);
myStackPanel.Children.Add(redRectangle);

TextBlock someText = new TextBlock();
FontSizeConverter myFontSizeConverter = new FontSizeConverter();
someText.FontSize = (double)myFontSizeConverter.ConvertFrom("10pt");
someText.Text = "Hello, World!";
someText.Margin = new Thickness(2);
myStackPanel.Children.Add(someText);

Button aButton = new Button();
aButton.Content = "A Button";
aButton.Margin = new Thickness(2);
myStackPanel.Children.Add(aButton);

// Use myStackPanel as myVisualBrush's content.
myVisualBrush.Visual = myStackPanel;

// Create a rectangle to paint.
Rectangle myRectangle = new Rectangle();
myRectangle.Width = 150;
myRectangle.Height = 150;
myRectangle.Stroke = Brushes.Black;
myRectangle.Margin = new Thickness(5,0,5,0);

// Use myVisualBrush to paint myRectangle.
myRectangle.Fill = myVisualBrush;


Dim myVisualBrush As New VisualBrush()

' Create the visual brush's contents.
Dim myStackPanel As New StackPanel()
myStackPanel.Background = Brushes.White

Dim redRectangle As New Rectangle()
With redRectangle
    .Width = 25
    .Height = 25
    .Fill = Brushes.Red
    .Margin = New Thickness(2)
End With
myStackPanel.Children.Add(redRectangle)

Dim someText As New TextBlock()
Dim myFontSizeConverter As New FontSizeConverter()
someText.FontSize = CDbl(myFontSizeConverter.ConvertFrom("10pt"))
someText.Text = "Hello, World!"
someText.Margin = New Thickness(2)
myStackPanel.Children.Add(someText)

Dim aButton As New Button()
aButton.Content = "A Button"
aButton.Margin = New Thickness(2)
myStackPanel.Children.Add(aButton)

' Use myStackPanel as myVisualBrush's content.
myVisualBrush.Visual = myStackPanel

' Create a rectangle to paint.
Dim myRectangle As New Rectangle()
With myRectangle
    .Width = 150
    .Height = 150
    .Stroke = Brushes.Black
    .Margin = New Thickness(5, 0, 5, 0)
End With

' Use myVisualBrush to paint myRectangle.
myRectangle.Fill = myVisualBrush

For more information about VisualBrush and additional examples, see the Painting with Images, Drawings, and Visuals overview.

This code example is part of a larger example provided for the VisualBrush class. For the complete sample, see the VisualBrush Sample.

See also