How can I make a WPF Expander Stretch?
Asked Answered
T

8

33

The Expander control in WPF does not stretch to fill all the available space. Is there any solutions in XAML for this?

Thromboplastin answered 25/3, 2009 at 7:4 Comment(0)
T
49

All you need to do is this:

<Expander>
  <Expander.Header>
    <TextBlock
      Text="I am header text..."
      Background="Blue"
      Width="{Binding
        RelativeSource={RelativeSource
          Mode=FindAncestor,
          AncestorType={x:Type Expander}},
        Path=ActualWidth}"
      />
  </Expander.Header>
  <TextBlock Background="Red">
    I am some content...
  </TextBlock>
</Expander>

http://joshsmithonwpf.wordpress.com/2007/02/24/stretching-content-in-an-expander-header/

Trifoliate answered 25/3, 2009 at 7:10 Comment(7)
How do I do this in code? I realized that I have to account for some space for a buttonThromboplastin
TextBlock bx = new TextBlock(); bx.Text = "I am header text..."; Binding wdBind = new Binding("ActualWidth"); wdBind.RelativeSource = new RelativeSource(RelativeSourceMode.FindAncestor, typeof(Expander), 1); bx.SetBinding(TextBlock.TextProperty, wdBind);Brent
bx.Background = Colors.Blue; Expander ex = new Expander(); ex.Header = bx;Brent
TextBlock contBx = new TextBlock(); contBx.Background = Colors.Red; contBx.Text = "I am some content..."; ex.Content = contBx;Brent
Josh, you can always put this code in your own answer. That way it's more visible and can be voted on and marked as the answer.Trifoliate
Just a note that this solution will expand the header a little too wide, as it doesn't account for the header's expansion indicator. So if you are trying to right-align the text you may need to add a right-margin to the TextBlock so that the text doesn't go outside of the Expander control.Infraction
@Infraction check out most recent answer by Johan.Fitzger
W
12

Non stretchable Expanders is usually the problem of non stretchable parent controls.. Perhaps one of the parent controls has defined a HorizontalAlignment or VerticalAlignment property?

If you can post some sample code, we can give you a better answer.

Wolter answered 25/3, 2009 at 10:19 Comment(1)
I can confirm that changing this property on the parent control will fix the issue. So much easier than any other optionEligibility
U
7

This solution is a lot simpler and does not effect other expander controls you may using in your application.

  <Expander ExpandDirection="Right" Grid.Column="0" Name="topOfB"> 
    <Expander.Header>
        <Grid HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" Width="{Binding Path=ActualWidth, ElementName=topOfB}">
            <!-- control content goes here -->

Unaccountable answered 15/12, 2010 at 18:55 Comment(0)
P
4

The accepted answer draws outside the control because the header content is in one column and the expander button is in the first. Might be good enough for some cases.

If you want a clean solution you have to change the template of the expander.

Another way is an attached property:

using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.Windows.Media;
public static class ParentContentPresenter
{
    public static readonly System.Windows.DependencyProperty HorizontalAlignmentProperty = System.Windows.DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached(
        "HorizontalAlignment",
        typeof(HorizontalAlignment),
        typeof(ParentContentPresenter),
        new PropertyMetadata(default(HorizontalAlignment), OnHorizontalAlignmentChanged));

    public static void SetHorizontalAlignment(this UIElement element, HorizontalAlignment value)
    {
        element.SetValue(HorizontalAlignmentProperty, value);
    }

    [AttachedPropertyBrowsableForChildren(IncludeDescendants = false)]
    [AttachedPropertyBrowsableForType(typeof(UIElement))]
    public static HorizontalAlignment GetHorizontalAlignment(this UIElement element)
    {
        return (HorizontalAlignment)element.GetValue(HorizontalAlignmentProperty);
    }

    private static void OnHorizontalAlignmentChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        var presenter = d.Parents().OfType<ContentPresenter>().FirstOrDefault();
        if (presenter != null)
        {
            presenter.HorizontalAlignment = (HorizontalAlignment) e.NewValue;
        }
    }

    private static IEnumerable<DependencyObject> Parents(this DependencyObject child)
    {
        var parent = VisualTreeHelper.GetParent(child);
        while (parent != null)
        {
            yield return parent;
            child = parent;
            parent = VisualTreeHelper.GetParent(child);
        }
    }
}

It lets you do:

<Expander Header="{Binding ...}">
    <Expander.HeaderTemplate>
        <DataTemplate>
            <!--Using a border here to show how width changes-->
            <Border BorderBrush="Red" BorderThickness="1"
                    local:ParentContentPresenter.HorizontalAlignment="Stretch">
                ...    
            </Border>
        </DataTemplate>
    </Expander.HeaderTemplate>
</Expander>

Note that the use of the attached property is somewhat fragile as it assumes that there is a ContentPresenter in the template.

Perithecium answered 28/10, 2015 at 20:55 Comment(1)
I dunno why but this doesn't work for me. VisualTreeHelper.GetParent(child) always returns null.Toxicity
P
4

I am pretty surprised nobody has mentioned to just edit the control template, all the other solutions have some pretty serious drawbacks weather its not calculating width properly, not redrawing, render time etc...

This control template will modify the header's contentpresenter horizontal alignment to match the actual expanders (meaning it will stretch)

    <ControlTemplate x:Key="ExpanderControlTemplate1" TargetType="{x:Type Expander}">
        <Border BorderBrush="{TemplateBinding BorderBrush}" BorderThickness="{TemplateBinding BorderThickness}" Background="{TemplateBinding Background}" CornerRadius="3" SnapsToDevicePixels="True">
            <DockPanel>
                <ToggleButton x:Name="HeaderSite" ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding HeaderTemplate}" Content="{TemplateBinding Header}" DockPanel.Dock="Top" Foreground="{TemplateBinding Foreground}" FontWeight="{TemplateBinding FontWeight}" FontStyle="{TemplateBinding FontStyle}" FontStretch="{TemplateBinding FontStretch}" FontSize="{TemplateBinding FontSize}" FontFamily="{TemplateBinding FontFamily}" HorizontalContentAlignment="{TemplateBinding HorizontalContentAlignment}" IsChecked="{Binding IsExpanded, Mode=TwoWay, RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent}}" Margin="1" MinWidth="0" MinHeight="0" Padding="{TemplateBinding Padding}" VerticalContentAlignment="{TemplateBinding VerticalContentAlignment}">
                    <ToggleButton.FocusVisualStyle>
                        <Style>
                            <Setter Property="Control.Template">
                                <Setter.Value>
                                    <ControlTemplate>
                                        <Border>
                                            <Rectangle Margin="0" SnapsToDevicePixels="True" Stroke="Black" StrokeThickness="1" StrokeDashArray="1 2"/>
                                        </Border>
                                    </ControlTemplate>
                                </Setter.Value>
                            </Setter>
                        </Style>
                    </ToggleButton.FocusVisualStyle>
                    <ToggleButton.Style>
                        <Style TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
                            <Setter Property="Template">
                                <Setter.Value>
                                    <ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
                                        <Border Padding="{TemplateBinding Padding}">
                                            <Grid Background="Transparent" SnapsToDevicePixels="False">
                                                <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                                                    <ColumnDefinition Width="19"/>
                                                    <ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>
                                                </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                                                <Ellipse x:Name="circle" Fill="White" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Height="19" Stroke="#FF333333" VerticalAlignment="Center" Width="19"/>
                                                <Path x:Name="arrow" Data="M1,1.5L4.5,5 8,1.5" HorizontalAlignment="Center" SnapsToDevicePixels="False" Stroke="#FF333333" StrokeThickness="2" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
                                                <ContentPresenter ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding ContentTemplate}" Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" Grid.Column="1" ContentStringFormat="{TemplateBinding ContentStringFormat}" HorizontalAlignment="{TemplateBinding HorizontalContentAlignment}" Margin="4,0,0,0" RecognizesAccessKey="True" SnapsToDevicePixels="True" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
                                            </Grid>
                                        </Border>
                                        <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsChecked" Value="True">
                                                <Setter Property="Data" TargetName="arrow" Value="M1,4.5L4.5,1 8,4.5"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsMouseOver" Value="True">
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF5593FF"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFF3F9FF"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsPressed" Value="True">
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF3C77DD"/>
                                                <Setter Property="StrokeThickness" TargetName="circle" Value="1.5"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFD9ECFF"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="False">
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFBCBCBC"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFE6E6E6"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="#FF707070"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                        </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                                    </ControlTemplate>
                                </Setter.Value>
                            </Setter>
                        </Style>
                    </ToggleButton.Style>
                </ToggleButton>
                <ContentPresenter x:Name="ExpandSite" ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding ContentTemplate}" Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" ContentStringFormat="{TemplateBinding ContentStringFormat}" DockPanel.Dock="Bottom" Focusable="False" HorizontalAlignment="{TemplateBinding HorizontalContentAlignment}" Margin="{TemplateBinding Padding}" Visibility="Collapsed" VerticalAlignment="{TemplateBinding VerticalContentAlignment}"/>
            </DockPanel>
        </Border>
        <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
            <Trigger Property="IsExpanded" Value="True">
                <Setter Property="Visibility" TargetName="ExpandSite" Value="Visible"/>
            </Trigger>
            <Trigger Property="ExpandDirection" Value="Right">
                <Setter Property="DockPanel.Dock" TargetName="ExpandSite" Value="Right"/>
                <Setter Property="DockPanel.Dock" TargetName="HeaderSite" Value="Left"/>
                <Setter Property="Style" TargetName="HeaderSite">
                    <Setter.Value>
                        <Style TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
                            <Setter Property="Template">
                                <Setter.Value>
                                    <ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
                                        <Border Padding="{TemplateBinding Padding}">
                                            <Grid Background="Transparent" SnapsToDevicePixels="False">
                                                <Grid.RowDefinitions>
                                                    <RowDefinition Height="19"/>
                                                    <RowDefinition Height="*"/>
                                                </Grid.RowDefinitions>
                                                <Grid>
                                                    <Grid.LayoutTransform>
                                                        <TransformGroup>
                                                            <RotateTransform Angle="-90"/>
                                                        </TransformGroup>
                                                    </Grid.LayoutTransform>
                                                    <Ellipse x:Name="circle" Fill="White" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Height="19" Stroke="#FF333333" VerticalAlignment="Center" Width="19"/>
                                                    <Path x:Name="arrow" Data="M1,1.5L4.5,5 8,1.5" HorizontalAlignment="Center" SnapsToDevicePixels="False" Stroke="#FF333333" StrokeThickness="2" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
                                                </Grid>
                                                <ContentPresenter ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding ContentTemplate}" Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" ContentStringFormat="{TemplateBinding ContentStringFormat}" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,4,0,0" Grid.Row="1" RecognizesAccessKey="True" SnapsToDevicePixels="True" VerticalAlignment="Top"/>
                                            </Grid>
                                        </Border>
                                        <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsChecked" Value="True">
                                                <Setter Property="Data" TargetName="arrow" Value="M1,4.5L4.5,1 8,4.5"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsMouseOver" Value="True">
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF5593FF"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFF3F9FF"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsPressed" Value="True">
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF3C77DD"/>
                                                <Setter Property="StrokeThickness" TargetName="circle" Value="1.5"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFD9ECFF"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="False">
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFBCBCBC"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFE6E6E6"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="#FF707070"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                        </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                                    </ControlTemplate>
                                </Setter.Value>
                            </Setter>
                        </Style>
                    </Setter.Value>
                </Setter>
            </Trigger>
            <Trigger Property="ExpandDirection" Value="Up">
                <Setter Property="DockPanel.Dock" TargetName="ExpandSite" Value="Top"/>
                <Setter Property="DockPanel.Dock" TargetName="HeaderSite" Value="Bottom"/>
                <Setter Property="Style" TargetName="HeaderSite">
                    <Setter.Value>
                        <Style TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
                            <Setter Property="Template">
                                <Setter.Value>
                                    <ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
                                        <Border Padding="{TemplateBinding Padding}">
                                            <Grid Background="Transparent" SnapsToDevicePixels="False">
                                                <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                                                    <ColumnDefinition Width="19"/>
                                                    <ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>
                                                </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                                                <Grid>
                                                    <Grid.LayoutTransform>
                                                        <TransformGroup>
                                                            <RotateTransform Angle="180"/>
                                                        </TransformGroup>
                                                    </Grid.LayoutTransform>
                                                    <Ellipse x:Name="circle" Fill="White" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Height="19" Stroke="#FF333333" VerticalAlignment="Center" Width="19"/>
                                                    <Path x:Name="arrow" Data="M1,1.5L4.5,5 8,1.5" HorizontalAlignment="Center" SnapsToDevicePixels="False" Stroke="#FF333333" StrokeThickness="2" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
                                                </Grid>
                                                <ContentPresenter ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding ContentTemplate}" Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" Grid.Column="1" ContentStringFormat="{TemplateBinding ContentStringFormat}" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="4,0,0,0" RecognizesAccessKey="True" SnapsToDevicePixels="True" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
                                            </Grid>
                                        </Border>
                                        <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsChecked" Value="True">
                                                <Setter Property="Data" TargetName="arrow" Value="M1,4.5L4.5,1 8,4.5"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsMouseOver" Value="True">
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF5593FF"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFF3F9FF"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsPressed" Value="True">
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF3C77DD"/>
                                                <Setter Property="StrokeThickness" TargetName="circle" Value="1.5"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFD9ECFF"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="False">
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFBCBCBC"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFE6E6E6"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="#FF707070"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                        </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                                    </ControlTemplate>
                                </Setter.Value>
                            </Setter>
                        </Style>
                    </Setter.Value>
                </Setter>
            </Trigger>
            <Trigger Property="ExpandDirection" Value="Left">
                <Setter Property="DockPanel.Dock" TargetName="ExpandSite" Value="Left"/>
                <Setter Property="DockPanel.Dock" TargetName="HeaderSite" Value="Right"/>
                <Setter Property="Style" TargetName="HeaderSite">
                    <Setter.Value>
                        <Style TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
                            <Setter Property="Template">
                                <Setter.Value>
                                    <ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
                                        <Border Padding="{TemplateBinding Padding}">
                                            <Grid Background="Transparent" SnapsToDevicePixels="False">
                                                <Grid.RowDefinitions>
                                                    <RowDefinition Height="19"/>
                                                    <RowDefinition Height="*"/>
                                                </Grid.RowDefinitions>
                                                <Grid>
                                                    <Grid.LayoutTransform>
                                                        <TransformGroup>
                                                            <RotateTransform Angle="90"/>
                                                        </TransformGroup>
                                                    </Grid.LayoutTransform>
                                                    <Ellipse x:Name="circle" Fill="White" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Height="19" Stroke="#FF333333" VerticalAlignment="Center" Width="19"/>
                                                    <Path x:Name="arrow" Data="M1,1.5L4.5,5 8,1.5" HorizontalAlignment="Center" SnapsToDevicePixels="False" Stroke="#FF333333" StrokeThickness="2" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
                                                </Grid>
                                                <ContentPresenter ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding ContentTemplate}" Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" ContentStringFormat="{TemplateBinding ContentStringFormat}" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,4,0,0" Grid.Row="1" RecognizesAccessKey="True" SnapsToDevicePixels="True" VerticalAlignment="Top"/>
                                            </Grid>
                                        </Border>
                                        <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsChecked" Value="True">
                                                <Setter Property="Data" TargetName="arrow" Value="M1,4.5L4.5,1 8,4.5"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsMouseOver" Value="True">
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF5593FF"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFF3F9FF"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsPressed" Value="True">
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF3C77DD"/>
                                                <Setter Property="StrokeThickness" TargetName="circle" Value="1.5"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFD9ECFF"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                            <Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="False">
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFBCBCBC"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFE6E6E6"/>
                                                <Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="#FF707070"/>
                                            </Trigger>
                                        </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                                    </ControlTemplate>
                                </Setter.Value>
                            </Setter>
                        </Style>
                    </Setter.Value>
                </Setter>
            </Trigger>
            <Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="False">
                <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="{DynamicResource {x:Static SystemColors.GrayTextBrushKey}}"/>
            </Trigger>
        </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
    </ControlTemplate>
Pucka answered 10/3, 2016 at 12:20 Comment(0)
K
2
<Expander Name="EXPANDER_NAME">
    <Expander IsExpanded="True" Margin="0">
        <Expander.Header>
            <Grid Background="Red" Width="{Binding ElementName=EXPANDER_NAME, Path=ActualWidth}">
                <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                    <ColumnDefinition/>
                    <ColumnDefinition Width="30"/>
                </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                <TextBlock>          HEADER TEXT          <TextBlock>
            </Grid>
        </Expander.Header>
   </Expander>
Kalisz answered 5/11, 2012 at 4:53 Comment(0)
A
1

I Agree with HTH - check what sort of a container you're putting the Expander in... the StackPanel will always fold it's children down to the smallest size they can go to.

I'm using Expanders a lot in my project, and if you drop them into a Grid / DockPanel, then the expander will fill all available space (assuming it's Vertical & Horizontal orientations are set to Stretch).

Jonathan's suggestion of Binding the Expander's width to the container's width can get a bit tricky... I tried this technique a few weeks back and found that it can producte undesirable results in some cases, because it can inhibit the functioning of the layout system.

PS: As a general tip (and I'm sure I'm gonna get flamed for writing this), if you're unsure of what sort of layout-container to your controls in, then start off with a Grid. Using the Column & Row definitions allows you to very easily control whether child controls use minimum space ("Auto"), maximum space ("*") or an exact amount of space ("[number]").

Apennines answered 25/3, 2009 at 10:58 Comment(2)
Grid is definitely the most versatile and easy to use container. I've heard that it performs much worse than most containers also.Brent
@Mark, you mean you agree with Arcturus. HTH means Hope That Helps and is a common closing around here.Homecoming
T
0

The Silverlight Toolkit includes an Accordion control which acts like an expander that always stretches to the available space. I haven't tested it yet, but it might be functional for WPF too, like the Silverlight Chart controls.

Tynes answered 25/3, 2009 at 12:38 Comment(0)

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