VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups attached property

Gets the collection of VisualStateGroup elements that are defined by a root element of a template definition. A control typically defines this as part of its template.

<templateRoot>
  <VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
    oneOrMoreVisualStateGroups
  </VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
</templateRoot>

XAML Values

templateRoot

The root UIElement as defined within a control template (a ControlTemplate object element).

oneOrMoreVisualStateGroups

One or more VisualStateGroup elements. Each such VisualStateGroup is expected to have a unique x:Name within its definition scope. Each VisualStateGroup typically contains at least one VisualState definition.

Remarks

VisualStateManager supports two important features for control authors, and for app developers who are applying a custom template to a control:

• Control authors or app developers add VisualStateGroup object elements to the root element of a control template definition in XAML, using the VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups attached property. Within a VisualStateGroup element, each VisualState represents a discrete visual state of a control. Each VisualState has a name that is representative of a UI state that can be changed by the user, or changed by control logic. A VisualState consists mainly of a Storyboard. This Storyboard targets individual dependency property value changes that should be applied whenever the control is in that visual state.
• Control authors or app developers transition between these states by calling the static GoToState method of VisualStateManager. Control authors do this whenever the control logic handles events that indicate a change of state, or control logic initiates a state change by itself. It's more common for control definition code to do this rather than app code, so that all the possible visual states and their transitions and trigger conditions are there by default for app code.

Most developers will use just two of the VisualStateManager APIs: VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups, and GoToState, as described above.

VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups is an attached property, which supports a XAML usage. When getting this property in code, use GetVisualStateGroups. This returns a collection object, which you can add items to. This parallels the XAML processing behavior of any child elements of a <VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups> property element usage. Because there is no public dependency property identifier for this particular attached property, you cannot use GetValue to get this attached property value, you always have to use GetVisualStateGroups.

A VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups value is not interpreted by any tangible VisualStateManager object that is part of the same visual tree. Instead, the property provides a generalized container property that can be used on any possible UIElement that serves as the root element of a template definition.

Requirements (Windows 10 device family)

Requirements (Windows 8.x and Windows Phone 8.x)

See also

VisualStateManager

VisualStateGroup

VisualState

Storyboard

Quickstart: Control templates

Attached properties overview