My suggestion is NOT to do it. This is not needed in WPF.
Simply change the Window template and you'll get what you ask.
Edit: Here is an example.
<ResourceDictionary
x:Class="MyNamespace.StyleWindow"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
<LinearGradientBrush x:Key="BackgroundBrush" StartPoint="0.5,1" EndPoint="0.5,0">
<GradientStop Color="#FFEBECEE" Offset="1"/>
<GradientStop Color="#FFC2C7CD" Offset="0"/>
</LinearGradientBrush>
<Style TargetType="{x:Type Border}" x:Key = "MainBorder">
<Setter Property="Background" Value="#CACDD6" />
<Setter Property="BorderBrush" Value="#395984" />
<Setter Property="BorderThickness" Value="0.25" />
<!--<Setter Property="CornerRadius" Value="10"/>-->
<Setter Property="Padding" Value="0" />
</Style>
<Style TargetType="{x:Type Button}" x:Key="TitleWindowButton">
<Setter Property="Background" Value="{StaticResource BackgroundBrush}" />
<Setter Property="BorderThickness" Value="0" />
<Setter Property="Height" Value="25" />
<Setter Property="Width" Value="25" />
</Style>
<Style x:Key="WindowStyle" TargetType="{x:Type Window}">
<Setter Property="AllowsTransparency" Value="False" />
<Setter Property="WindowStyle" Value="None" />
<Setter Property="Background" Value="Transparent" />
<Setter Property="ResizeMode" Value="CanResizeWithGrip" />
<Setter Property="Template">
<Setter.Value>
<ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type Window}">
<Grid>
<Border Width="Auto" Height="Auto" Style="{StaticResource MainBorder}" >
<DockPanel
HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" Background="Transparent" VerticalAlignment="Stretch">
<Border Height="28" Name="border2" BorderThickness="0,0,0,1" BorderBrush="DarkGray" Background="{StaticResource BackgroundBrush}"
MouseLeftButtonDown="OnMouseLeftButtonDown" DockPanel.Dock="Top">
<Grid Name="grid1">
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="22" />
<ColumnDefinition Width="176*" />
<ColumnDefinition Width="75" />
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<DockPanel HorizontalAlignment="Right" Grid.Column="2">
<Button Style="{StaticResource TitleWindowButton}" Name="m_btnMinimine" Click="m_btnMinimine_Click">
<Image Source="Images/min.png"></Image>
</Button>
<Button Style="{StaticResource TitleWindowButton}" Name="m_btnMaximine" Click="m_btnMaximine_Click">
<Image Source="Images/max.png"></Image>
</Button>
<Button Style="{StaticResource TitleWindowButton}" Name="m_btnClose" Click="m_btnClose_Click">
<Image Source="Images/close.png"></Image>
</Button>
</DockPanel>
<Image Source="{Binding Path=Icon, Mode=OneWay, RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent}}" />
<Label Grid.Column="1">
<ContentPresenter ContentSource="Title" RecognizesAccessKey="True" />
</Label>
</Grid>
</Border>
<AdornerDecorator>
<ContentPresenter />
</AdornerDecorator>
</DockPanel>
</Border>
<Line MouseDown="OnSizeNorth" Name="lnSizeNorth" Stroke="Transparent"
Cursor="SizeNS" X1="10" X2="{TemplateBinding ActualWidth}"
Y1="1" Y2="1" StrokeThickness="2" />
<Line MouseDown="OnSizeSouth" Name="lnSizeSouth" Stroke="Transparent" VerticalAlignment="Bottom"
Cursor="SizeNS" X1="1" X2="{TemplateBinding ActualWidth}"
Y1="{TemplateBinding ActualHeight}" Y2="{TemplateBinding ActualHeight}" StrokeThickness="2" />
<Line MouseDown="OnSizeWest" Name="lnSizeWest" Stroke="Transparent"
Cursor="SizeWE" X1="1" X2="1" Y1="1" Y2="{TemplateBinding ActualHeight}" StrokeThickness="2" />
<Line MouseDown="OnSizeEast" Name="lnSizeEast" Stroke="Transparent" HorizontalAlignment="Right"
Cursor="SizeWE" X1="{TemplateBinding ActualWidth}"
X2="{TemplateBinding ActualWidth}" Y1="1" Y2="{TemplateBinding ActualHeight}" StrokeThickness="2" />
<Rectangle MouseDown="OnSizeNorthWest" Name="rectSizeNorthWest" Cursor="SizeNWSE" Fill="Transparent" Width="5" Height="5" VerticalAlignment="Top" HorizontalAlignment="Left" />
<Rectangle MouseDown="OnSizeNorthEast" Name="rectSizeNorthEast" Cursor="SizeNESW" Fill="Transparent" Width="5" Height="5" VerticalAlignment="Top" HorizontalAlignment="Right" />
<Rectangle MouseDown="OnSizeSouthWest" Name="rectSizeSouthWest" Cursor="SizeNESW" Fill="Transparent" Width="5" Height="5" VerticalAlignment="Bottom" HorizontalAlignment="Left" />
<Rectangle MouseDown="OnSizeSouthEast" Name="rectSizeSouthEast" Cursor="SizeNWSE" Fill="Transparent" Width="5" Height="5" VerticalAlignment="Bottom" HorizontalAlignment="Right" />
</Grid>
</ControlTemplate>
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
</Style>
</ResourceDictionary>
You need the 3 images for the min / max / normal / close buttons (referenced in the images as Images/min.png, Images/max.png, Images/normal.png, Images/close.png).
Compiling the resource dictionary gives a MyNamespace.StyleWindow class which you can complement with event handlers:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Windows.Interop;
using System.Windows.Input;
using System.Windows.Media.Imaging;
using System.Windows.Controls;
namespace MyNamespace {
public partial class StyleWindow {
private void m_btnClose_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) {
Window window = ((FrameworkElement)sender).TemplatedParent as Window;
if (window != null)
{
window.Close();
}
}
private void m_btnMaximine_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) {
Window window = ((FrameworkElement)sender).TemplatedParent as Window;
if (window != null)
{
BitmapImage bitmap = new BitmapImage();
if (window.WindowState == WindowState.Maximized) {
window.WindowState = WindowState.Normal;
bitmap.BeginInit();
bitmap.UriSource = new Uri(@"Images/max.PNG", UriKind.Relative);
bitmap.EndInit();
((sender as Button).Content as Image).Source = bitmap;
} else {
window.WindowState = WindowState.Maximized;
bitmap.BeginInit();
bitmap.UriSource = new Uri(@"Images/normal.PNG", UriKind.Relative);
bitmap.EndInit();
((sender as Button).Content as Image).Source = bitmap;
}
}
}
private void m_btnMinimine_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) {
Window window = ((FrameworkElement)sender).TemplatedParent as Window;
if (window != null)
{
window.WindowState = WindowState.Minimized;
}
}
private void OnMouseLeftButtonDown(object sender, MouseButtonEventArgs e)
{
Window window = ((FrameworkElement)sender).TemplatedParent as Window;
if (window != null)
{
window.DragMove();
}
}
#region sizing event handlers
void OnSizeSouth(object sender, System.Windows.Input.MouseButtonEventArgs e) {
Window wnd = ((FrameworkElement) sender).TemplatedParent as Window;
if (wnd != null) {
WindowInteropHelper helper = new WindowInteropHelper(wnd);
DragSize(helper.Handle, SizingAction.South);
}
}
void OnSizeNorth(object sender, System.Windows.Input.MouseButtonEventArgs e) {
Window wnd = ((FrameworkElement) sender).TemplatedParent as Window;
if (wnd != null) {
WindowInteropHelper helper = new WindowInteropHelper(wnd);
DragSize(helper.Handle, SizingAction.North);
}
}
void OnSizeEast(object sender, System.Windows.Input.MouseButtonEventArgs e) {
Window wnd = ((FrameworkElement) sender).TemplatedParent as Window;
if (wnd != null) {
WindowInteropHelper helper = new WindowInteropHelper(wnd);
DragSize(helper.Handle, SizingAction.East);
}
}
void OnSizeWest(object sender, System.Windows.Input.MouseButtonEventArgs e) {
Window wnd = ((FrameworkElement) sender).TemplatedParent as Window;
if (wnd != null) {
WindowInteropHelper helper = new WindowInteropHelper(wnd);
DragSize(helper.Handle, SizingAction.West);
}
}
void OnSizeNorthWest(object sender, System.Windows.Input.MouseButtonEventArgs e) {
Window wnd = ((FrameworkElement) sender).TemplatedParent as Window;
if (wnd != null) {
WindowInteropHelper helper = new WindowInteropHelper(wnd);
DragSize(helper.Handle, SizingAction.NorthWest);
}
}
void OnSizeNorthEast(object sender, System.Windows.Input.MouseButtonEventArgs e) {
Window wnd = ((FrameworkElement) sender).TemplatedParent as Window;
if (wnd != null) {
WindowInteropHelper helper = new WindowInteropHelper(wnd);
DragSize(helper.Handle, SizingAction.NorthEast);
}
}
void OnSizeSouthEast(object sender, System.Windows.Input.MouseButtonEventArgs e) {
Window wnd = ((FrameworkElement) sender).TemplatedParent as Window;
if (wnd != null) {
WindowInteropHelper helper = new WindowInteropHelper(wnd);
DragSize(helper.Handle, SizingAction.SouthEast);
}
}
void OnSizeSouthWest(object sender, System.Windows.Input.MouseButtonEventArgs e) {
Window wnd = ((FrameworkElement) sender).TemplatedParent as Window;
if (wnd != null) {
WindowInteropHelper helper = new WindowInteropHelper(wnd);
DragSize(helper.Handle, SizingAction.SouthWest);
}
}
#endregion
#region P/Invoke and helper method
const int WM_SYSCOMMAND = 0x112;
const int SC_SIZE = 0xF000;
[DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
static extern IntPtr SendMessage(IntPtr hWnd, uint Msg, IntPtr wParam, IntPtr lParam);
void DragSize(IntPtr handle, SizingAction sizingAction) {
if (System.Windows.Input.Mouse.LeftButton == System.Windows.Input.MouseButtonState.Pressed) {
SendMessage(handle, WM_SYSCOMMAND, (IntPtr) (SC_SIZE + sizingAction), IntPtr.Zero);
SendMessage(handle, 514, IntPtr.Zero, IntPtr.Zero);
}
}
#endregion
#region helper enum
public enum SizingAction {
North = 3,
South = 6,
East = 2,
West = 1,
NorthEast = 5,
NorthWest = 4,
SouthEast = 8,
SouthWest = 7
}
}
#endregion
}
This resource should be globally available. You can reference it in XAML like this:
...
In my project, the designer tended to choke on this reference (maybe because it was a WinForms project with a main body made up of WPF elements). Because of this, we had to set the style programmatically, in the code-behind, in the window constructor:
Style = (Style) FindResource(Constants.DEFAULT_WINDOW_STYLE);
with a constant declaration with the value "WindowStyle".
Here is the result (I apologize for the empty content, but it is confidential):
I did not say it was pretty...
