Scaling complex SVG paths in WPF XAML

Question

I have here a set of inordinately complex scalable vector graphic icons which were created using Illustrator, and imported into my WPF app using the Expression Blend and Inkscape hack:

Convert SVG to XAML

I tried various method of importing the original icons, this is above approach is the only way they would import correctly in my app.

So now I need to make my app work on a new smaller resolution, and even when in a ViewBox these icons will not scale.

If I remove the width/height attributes it ruins the SVG and the icon essentially disappears.

  <Style x:Key="BenefitsIconFlexBox" TargetType="{x:Type Viewbox}">
    <Setter Property="MaxHeight" Value="240"/>
    <Setter Property="Height" Value="201"/>
    <Setter Property="Margin" Value="10,0,0,10"/>
</Style>

...

        <Viewbox Style="{StaticResource BenefitsIconFlexBox}">
            <Canvas Width="213.333" Height="213.333" Clip="F1 M 0,0L 213.333,0L 213.333,213.333L 0,213.333L 0,0" UseLayoutRounding="False">
                <Path Canvas.Left="0" Canvas.Top="3.05176e-005" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FFEDEDED" Data="F1 M 213.333,106.667C 213.333,165.579 165.579,213.333 106.667,213.333C 47.7547,213.333 0,165.579 0,106.667C 0,47.7547 47.7547,3.05176e-005 106.667,3.05176e-005C 165.579,3.05176e-005 213.333,47.7547 213.333,106.667 Z "/>
                <Canvas Canvas.Left="60.588" Canvas.Top="46.828">
                    <Path Canvas.Left="17.276" Canvas.Top="0" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FF424242" Data="F1 M 46.0787,0C 30.1827,0 17.276,13.0107 17.276,28.7973L 17.276,40.3173L 28.7973,40.3173L 28.7973,28.7973C 28.7973,19.308 36.584,11.5213 46.0787,11.5213C 55.5733,11.5213 63.36,19.308 63.36,28.7973L 63.36,40.3173L 74.8813,40.3173L 74.8813,28.7973C 74.8813,13.0107 61.9747,0 46.0787,0 Z "/>
                </Canvas>
                <Path Canvas.Left="60.588" Canvas.Top="87.1454" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FFFB8C00" Data="F1 M 141.229,162.136L 72.104,162.136C 65.812,162.136 60.588,156.907 60.588,150.615L 60.588,98.6667C 60.588,92.3747 65.812,87.1454 72.104,87.1454L 141.333,87.1454C 147.625,87.1454 152.855,92.3747 152.855,98.6667L 152.855,150.505C 152.745,156.907 147.625,162.136 141.229,162.136 Z "/>
                <Path Canvas.Left="98.0267" Canvas.Top="116.052" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FFC76E00" Data="F1 M 115.307,124.693C 115.307,129.495 111.469,133.333 106.667,133.333C 101.864,133.333 98.0267,129.495 98.0267,124.693C 98.0267,119.896 101.864,116.052 106.667,116.052C 111.469,116.052 115.307,119.896 115.307,124.693 Z "/>
            </Canvas>
        </Viewbox>

I am open to using transforms or some c# logic to do the resolution math and scaling, but would prefer to use scaling with the view box.

I am not sure why the SVG goes gonzo when the dimensional data is removed, but surely this is the problem. I feel like if I can get rid of the height and width attributes this would scale.

Any suggestions are welcomed! Thank you.

I just tested this, it works fine with how you have it. The default Stretch enumeration is Uniform and as I changed the Height Value it works just as expected. Oh, I removed the SVG tag since WPF uses Path Markup Syntax which is real close to SVG, but not quite. — Chris W.
Oh and PS, I'd suggest (since you're using Illustrator for starters anyway) to instead use Mike Swanson's AI to XAML plugin instead of that other method you have listed. Side note: export to WPF for it, export to Silverlight XAML for anything else like UWP, WP, etc. — Chris W.
Yes, if I manually change the height property in code it will scale, but in a viewbox it will not auto scale like other WPF elements do. In order to do that, I will need to remove the HEIGHT and WIDTH from the canvas container (<Canvas Width="213.333" Height="213.333" ) which breaks the SVG. — Shawn J. Molloy
Ah ok, you're missing the whole point of ViewBox brother. It doesn't care what sizes you have set to the elements inside it. Remove your Height/MaxHeight setter's on your style template for ViewBox and it will size itself to whatever it's parent container allows. — Chris W.

Chris W. Chris W. · Accepted Answer · 2016-04-07T18:49:53

ViewBox has no concern of it's children's preset sizing attributes. Those are only used as the base but ViewBox is what does the scaling accordingly. So if I say remove the Height/MaxHeight setter's from your associated style template and do the following, notice each ViewBox has a different Height. You could also make a style of the whole thing and avoid the repetitive code but for the sake of a quickie dirty concept example;

<StackPanel>

    <Viewbox Height="20" Margin="5">
        <Canvas Width="213.333" Height="213.333" Clip="F1 M 0,0L 213.333,0L 213.333,213.333L 0,213.333L 0,0" UseLayoutRounding="False">
            <Canvas Canvas.Left="0" Canvas.Top="0">
                <Path Width="213.333" Height="213.333" Canvas.Left="0" Canvas.Top="3.05176e-005" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FFEDEDED" Data="F1 M 213.333,106.667C 213.333,165.579 165.579,213.333 106.667,213.333C 47.7547,213.333 0,165.579 0,106.667C 0,47.7547 47.7547,3.05176e-005 106.667,3.05176e-005C 165.579,3.05176e-005 213.333,47.7547 213.333,106.667 Z "/>
                <Canvas Width="92.2653" Height="115.307" Canvas.Left="60.588" Canvas.Top="46.828">
                    <Path Width="57.6053" Height="40.3173" Canvas.Left="17.276" Canvas.Top="0" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FF424242" Data="F1 M 46.0787,0C 30.1827,0 17.276,13.0107 17.276,28.7973L 17.276,40.3173L 28.7973,40.3173L 28.7973,28.7973C 28.7973,19.308 36.584,11.5213 46.0787,11.5213C 55.5733,11.5213 63.36,19.308 63.36,28.7973L 63.36,40.3173L 74.8813,40.3173L 74.8813,28.7973C 74.8813,13.0107 61.9747,0 46.0787,0 Z "/>
                </Canvas>
                <Path Width="92.2667" Height="74.9907" Canvas.Left="60.588" Canvas.Top="87.1454" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FFFB8C00" Data="F1 M 141.229,162.136L 72.104,162.136C 65.812,162.136 60.588,156.907 60.588,150.615L 60.588,98.6667C 60.588,92.3747 65.812,87.1454 72.104,87.1454L 141.333,87.1454C 147.625,87.1454 152.855,92.3747 152.855,98.6667L 152.855,150.505C 152.745,156.907 147.625,162.136 141.229,162.136 Z "/>
                <Path Width="17.28" Height="17.2813" Canvas.Left="98.0267" Canvas.Top="116.052" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FFC76E00" Data="F1 M 115.307,124.693C 115.307,129.495 111.469,133.333 106.667,133.333C 101.864,133.333 98.0267,129.495 98.0267,124.693C 98.0267,119.896 101.864,116.052 106.667,116.052C 111.469,116.052 115.307,119.896 115.307,124.693 Z "/>
            </Canvas>
        </Canvas>
    </Viewbox>

    <Viewbox Height="50" Margin="5">
        <Canvas Width="213.333" Height="213.333" Clip="F1 M 0,0L 213.333,0L 213.333,213.333L 0,213.333L 0,0" UseLayoutRounding="False">
            <Canvas Canvas.Left="0" Canvas.Top="0">
                <Path Width="213.333" Height="213.333" Canvas.Left="0" Canvas.Top="3.05176e-005" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FFEDEDED" Data="F1 M 213.333,106.667C 213.333,165.579 165.579,213.333 106.667,213.333C 47.7547,213.333 0,165.579 0,106.667C 0,47.7547 47.7547,3.05176e-005 106.667,3.05176e-005C 165.579,3.05176e-005 213.333,47.7547 213.333,106.667 Z "/>
                <Canvas Width="92.2653" Height="115.307" Canvas.Left="60.588" Canvas.Top="46.828">
                    <Path Width="57.6053" Height="40.3173" Canvas.Left="17.276" Canvas.Top="0" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FF424242" Data="F1 M 46.0787,0C 30.1827,0 17.276,13.0107 17.276,28.7973L 17.276,40.3173L 28.7973,40.3173L 28.7973,28.7973C 28.7973,19.308 36.584,11.5213 46.0787,11.5213C 55.5733,11.5213 63.36,19.308 63.36,28.7973L 63.36,40.3173L 74.8813,40.3173L 74.8813,28.7973C 74.8813,13.0107 61.9747,0 46.0787,0 Z "/>
                </Canvas>
                <Path Width="92.2667" Height="74.9907" Canvas.Left="60.588" Canvas.Top="87.1454" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FFFB8C00" Data="F1 M 141.229,162.136L 72.104,162.136C 65.812,162.136 60.588,156.907 60.588,150.615L 60.588,98.6667C 60.588,92.3747 65.812,87.1454 72.104,87.1454L 141.333,87.1454C 147.625,87.1454 152.855,92.3747 152.855,98.6667L 152.855,150.505C 152.745,156.907 147.625,162.136 141.229,162.136 Z "/>
                <Path Width="17.28" Height="17.2813" Canvas.Left="98.0267" Canvas.Top="116.052" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FFC76E00" Data="F1 M 115.307,124.693C 115.307,129.495 111.469,133.333 106.667,133.333C 101.864,133.333 98.0267,129.495 98.0267,124.693C 98.0267,119.896 101.864,116.052 106.667,116.052C 111.469,116.052 115.307,119.896 115.307,124.693 Z "/>
            </Canvas>
        </Canvas>
    </Viewbox>

    <Viewbox Height="100" Margin="5">
        <Canvas Width="213.333" Height="213.333" Clip="F1 M 0,0L 213.333,0L 213.333,213.333L 0,213.333L 0,0" UseLayoutRounding="False">
            <Canvas Canvas.Left="0" Canvas.Top="0">
                <Path Width="213.333" Height="213.333" Canvas.Left="0" Canvas.Top="3.05176e-005" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FFEDEDED" Data="F1 M 213.333,106.667C 213.333,165.579 165.579,213.333 106.667,213.333C 47.7547,213.333 0,165.579 0,106.667C 0,47.7547 47.7547,3.05176e-005 106.667,3.05176e-005C 165.579,3.05176e-005 213.333,47.7547 213.333,106.667 Z "/>
                <Canvas Width="92.2653" Height="115.307" Canvas.Left="60.588" Canvas.Top="46.828">
                    <Path Width="57.6053" Height="40.3173" Canvas.Left="17.276" Canvas.Top="0" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FF424242" Data="F1 M 46.0787,0C 30.1827,0 17.276,13.0107 17.276,28.7973L 17.276,40.3173L 28.7973,40.3173L 28.7973,28.7973C 28.7973,19.308 36.584,11.5213 46.0787,11.5213C 55.5733,11.5213 63.36,19.308 63.36,28.7973L 63.36,40.3173L 74.8813,40.3173L 74.8813,28.7973C 74.8813,13.0107 61.9747,0 46.0787,0 Z "/>
                </Canvas>
                <Path Width="92.2667" Height="74.9907" Canvas.Left="60.588" Canvas.Top="87.1454" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FFFB8C00" Data="F1 M 141.229,162.136L 72.104,162.136C 65.812,162.136 60.588,156.907 60.588,150.615L 60.588,98.6667C 60.588,92.3747 65.812,87.1454 72.104,87.1454L 141.333,87.1454C 147.625,87.1454 152.855,92.3747 152.855,98.6667L 152.855,150.505C 152.745,156.907 147.625,162.136 141.229,162.136 Z "/>
                <Path Width="17.28" Height="17.2813" Canvas.Left="98.0267" Canvas.Top="116.052" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FFC76E00" Data="F1 M 115.307,124.693C 115.307,129.495 111.469,133.333 106.667,133.333C 101.864,133.333 98.0267,129.495 98.0267,124.693C 98.0267,119.896 101.864,116.052 106.667,116.052C 111.469,116.052 115.307,119.896 115.307,124.693 Z "/>
            </Canvas>
        </Canvas>
    </Viewbox>

</StackPanel>

Now say you have that ViewBox placed in say a Grid cell with * sizing on the column/row and you DON'T set a Height/Width value on the ViewBox. Then it will fill whatever space is allowed to it. As the viewing medium (large screen, medium screen, little screen, doesn't matter) changes, it will size itself accordingly using the measurements of it's parent as it's boundary.

Scaling complex SVG paths in WPF XAML

1 Answers