Load WPF styles or other Static Resources from an external file or assembly

Question

I have a few WPF applications and I want all my styles to be in a shared assembly instead of declaring them in each application separately.

I am looking for a way so I don't have to change all my Style="{StaticResource BlahBlah}" in the existing applications; I just want to add the reference to this style assembly, and delete it from the current application, so it's taken from the assembly.

Is there any way?

Solution

Referencing an external ResourceDictionary (XAML File):

<Application.Resources>
    <ResourceDictionary Source="MyResources.xaml" />
</Application.Resources>

Referencing an external ResourceDictionary (DLL):

<Application.Resources>
    <ResourceDictionary Source="/MyExternalAssembly;component/MyResources.xaml" />
</Application.Resources>

Comments

[Amir Karimi]

But would you please say how we can override a style which exists in the Resources xaml file in other assembly? For Example: A style which has Foreground property set and it's a default style (which doesn't have any x:Key). Then I just want change Background property. So I used BaseOn, but it doesn't work. :(

[Shimmy Weitzhandler]

@amkh, once that style is imported to the scope you can then redeclare and override it creating a new style at a high scope level setting it's BasedOn to {StaticResource {x:Type TextBox}} (replacing TextBox with the appropriate type.

[Amir Karimi]

Thanks a lot. My mistake was that I was creating the Style in an incorrect location while I was using BasedOn.

[JoanComasFdz]

What about if a UserControl that will be using that resources is in a Class Library Project and there's no App.xaml?

[Shimmy Weitzhandler]

@JoanComasFdz You could reference that resource dictionary anywhere. You could even add it to that users control resources. But I think maybe you can reference it in Themes\Generic.xaml I didn't try it but it might work.

[JoanComasFdz]

@Shimmy Thanks for the answer, but I actually meant "how can I reference it in a WPF UserControl XAML code in a Class Library project where is no "Application.Resources" tag?"

[Shimmy Weitzhandler]

Refer to here - applies to Silverlight as well. Add your resources in Generic.xaml.

[AnjumSKhan]

Important thing is Build Action of your Resource file should be set to Resource, and not Embedded Resource. With Embedded Resource it doesn't work.

[Legends]

How to reference multiple resource files?

[Radinator]

is there a way to do this without a ResourceDictionary? just loading the external xaml file?