There are indeed multiple ways to archive this result. I will try and explain the very basic/easiest way to get the result.
While this will not provide example in combination with Menu Control, I think it will help you to understand the concept
In your MainWindow you can split use Grid layout and split the space into 3 parts as you wanted. Your Main window Xaml should look something like this :
<Grid>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="50"/>
<RowDefinition Height="*"/>
<RowDefinition Height="50"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<ContentControl x:Name="Header"/>
<ContentControl x:Name="Content" Grid.Row="1/>
<ContentControl x:Name="Footer" Grid.Row="2"/>
</Grid>
In your content control you can insert your "UserControls" for the Header,Content,Footer. Now to the navigation part:
As mentioned there are many ways to archive this and I will describe what I do consider the easiest way (not the most flexible way however, so keep that in mind).
First I will suggest to make a navigation Model:
public class NavigationModel
{
public NavigationModel(string title, string description, Brush color)
{
Title = title;
Description = description;
Color = color;
}
public string Title { get; set; }
public string Description { get; set; }
public Brush Color { get; set; }
public override bool Equals(object obj)
{
return obj is NavigationModel model &&
Title == model.Title &&
Description == model.Description &&
Color == model.Color;
}
public override int GetHashCode()
{
return HashCode.Combine(Title, Description, Color);
}
}
We create a new class that will handle the navigation collection, lets call it navigation service.
public class NavigationService
{
public List<NavigationModel> NavigationOptions { get=>NavigationNameToUserControl.Keys.ToList(); }
public UserControl NavigateToModel(NavigationModel _navigationModel)
{
if (_navigationModel is null)
//Or throw exception
return null;
if (NavigationNameToUserControl.ContainsKey(_navigationModel))
{
return NavigationNameToUserControl[_navigationModel].Invoke();
}
//Ideally you should throw here Custom Exception
return null;
}
//Usage of the Func, provides each call new initialization of the view
//If you need initialized views, just remove the Func
//-------------------------------------------------------------------
//Readonly is used only for performance reasons
//Of course there is option to add the elements to the collection, if dynamic navigation mutation is needed
private readonly Dictionary<NavigationModel, Func<UserControl>> NavigationNameToUserControl = new Dictionary<NavigationModel, Func<UserControl>>
{
{ new NavigationModel("Navigate To A","This will navigate to the A View",Brushes.Aqua), ()=>{ return new View.ViewA(); } },
{ new NavigationModel("Navigate To B","This will navigate to the B View",Brushes.GreenYellow), ()=>{ return new View.ViewB(); } }
};
#region SingletonThreadSafe
private static readonly object Instancelock = new object();
private static NavigationService instance = null;
public static NavigationService GetInstance
{
get
{
if (instance == null)
{
lock (Instancelock)
{
if (instance == null)
{
instance = new NavigationService();
}
}
}
return instance;
}
}
#endregion
}
This service will provide us with action to receive desired UserControll (note that I am using UserControl instead of pages, since they provide more flexibility).
Not we create additional Converter, which we will bind into the xaml:
public class NavigationConverter : MarkupExtension, IValueConverter
{
private static NavigationConverter _converter = null;
public override object ProvideValue(IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
{
if (_converter is null)
{
_converter = new NavigationConverter();
}
return _converter;
}
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
NavigationModel navigateTo = (NavigationModel)value;
NavigationService navigation = NavigationService.GetInstance;
if (navigateTo is null)
return null;
return navigation.NavigateToModel(navigateTo);
}
public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
=> null;
}
In our MainWindows.xaml add reference to the Converter namespace over xmlns, for example :
xmlns:Converter="clr-namespace:SimpleNavigation.Converter"
and create insance of converter :
<Window.Resources>
<Converter:NavigationConverter x:Key="NavigationConverter"/>
</Window.Resources>
Note that your project name will have different namespace
And set the Add datacontext to the instance of our Navigation Service:
You can do it over MainWindow.Xaml.CS or create a ViewModel if you are using MVVM
MainWindow.Xaml.CS:
public partial class MainWindow : Window
{
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
DataContext = Service.NavigationService.GetInstance.NavigationOptions;
}
}
Now all is left to do is navigate. I do not know how about your UX, so I will just provide example from my github of the MainWindow.xaml. Hope you will manage to make the best of it :
<Grid>
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>
<ColumnDefinition />
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<StackPanel>
<ListView
x:Name="NavigationList"
ItemsSource="{Binding}">
<ListView.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<Border
Height="35"
BorderBrush="Gray"
Background="{Binding Color}"
ToolTip="{Binding Description}"
BorderThickness="2">
<TextBlock
VerticalAlignment="Center"
FontWeight="DemiBold"
Margin="10"
Text="{Binding Title}" />
</Border>
</DataTemplate>
</ListView.ItemTemplate>
</ListView>
</StackPanel>
<ContentControl
Grid.Column="1"
Content="{Binding ElementName=NavigationList,Path=SelectedItem,Converter={StaticResource NavigationConverter}}"/>
</Grid>
Just in case I will leave you a link to github, so it will be easier for you
https://github.com/6demon89/Tutorials/blob/master/SimpleNavigation/MainWindow.xaml
Using same principle to use Menu Navigation
<Window.DataContext>
<VM:MainViewModel/>
</Window.DataContext>
<Window.Resources>
<Converter:NavigationConverter x:Key="NavigationConverter"/>
</Window.Resources>
<Grid>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
<RowDefinition Height="*"/>
<RowDefinition Height="50"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<Menu>
<MenuItem Header="Navigaiton"
ItemsSource="{Binding NavigationOptions}">
<MenuItem.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<MenuItem
Command="{Binding DataContext.NavigateCommand, RelativeSource={RelativeSource AncestorType=Window}}"
CommandParameter="{Binding}"
Header="{Binding Title}"
Background="{Binding Color}"
ToolTip="{Binding Description}">
</MenuItem>
</DataTemplate>
</MenuItem.ItemTemplate>
</MenuItem>
</Menu>
<ContentControl
Grid.Row="1"
Background="Red"
BorderBrush="Gray"
BorderThickness="2"
Content="{Binding CurrentView,Converter={StaticResource NavigationConverter}}"/>
<Border Grid.Row="2" Background="{Binding CurrentView.Color}">
<TextBlock Text="{Binding CurrentView.Description}" HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
</Border>
</Grid>
And we have in VM List of the navigation Models, Current Model and the navigation command :
public class MainViewModel:INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public List<NavigationModel> NavigationOptions { get => NavigationService.GetInstance.NavigationOptions; }
private NavigationModel currentView;
public NavigationModel CurrentView
{
get { return currentView; }
set
{
currentView = value;
PropertyChanged?.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs("CurrentView"));
}
}
RelayCommand _saveCommand;
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
public ICommand NavigateCommand
{
get
{
if (_saveCommand == null)
{
_saveCommand = new RelayCommand(Navigate);
}
return _saveCommand;
}
}
private void Navigate(object param)
{
if(param is NavigationModel nav)
{
CurrentView = nav;
}
}
}
Sorry for long reply
