using resource dictionaries in Expression Blend to handle light/dark themes in WP

Question

I wrote a custom ResourceDictionary that implements theme support in the exact same way: by loading the appropriate theme dictionary depending on the light/dark theme.

 <ApplicationName:ThemeResourceDictionary.LightResources>
                <ResourceDictionary Source="/ApplicationName;component/Resources/Light.xaml"/>
</ApplicationName:ThemeResourceDictionary.LightResources>

<ApplicationName:ThemeResourceDictionary.DarkResources>
    <ResourceDictionary Source="/ApplicationName;component/Resources/Dark.xaml"/>
</ApplicationName:ThemeResourceDictionary.DarkResources>

Stylr file:

<ResourceDictionary  xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"       
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">    
<BitmapImage x:Key="Logo62"  UriSource="/ApplicationName;component/icon_62_dark.png" />

On my XAML page I use it like

<Image Source="{StaticResource Logo62}" Margin="0,4,10,0"/>

when I run the application all works well but in Expression Bland i have an error: "The resource "Logo62" could not be resolved" and I do not see this image. Could anybody help me how to fix this issue.

Deani Hansen Deani Hansen · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-20T09:12:58

Try changing your resource dictionary to this:

<ResourceDictionary  xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"       
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">    
<BitmapImage x:Key="Logo62"  UriSource="/icon_62_dark.png" />

Note that I removed the /ApplicationName;component/

Otherwise you'll have to change the image build action in Visual Studio to Resource instead of Content, otherwise the file won't be build and included in the project correctly.

using resource dictionaries in Expression Blend to handle light/dark themes in WP

1 Answers