PaceHolder TextBox:
This technique uses the Background property to show / hide placeholder textbox.
Advantage is that Placeholder is shown event when Textbox has the focus
How it works:
When textbox has a value, background set to White to cover up PlaceHolder text.
When textbox is empty, background becomes Transparent to show PlaceHolder text.
Design Code:
<Grid>
<Grid.Resources>
<ux:NotEmptyConverter x:Key="NotEmptyConverter" />
<Style TargetType="{x:Type Control}" x:Key="DefaultStyle">
<Setter Property="FontSize" Value="20" />
<Setter Property="Margin" Value="10"/>
<Setter Property="VerticalAlignment" Value="Center"></Setter>
<Setter Property="VerticalContentAlignment" Value="Center"></Setter>
</Style>
<Style TargetType="{x:Type TextBox}" BasedOn="{StaticResource DefaultStyle}"></Style>
</Grid.Resources>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<TextBox Grid.Row="0" Text="Placeholder Text Is Here" Foreground="DarkGray" />
<TextBox Grid.Row="0" Name="TextBoxEdit"
Text="{Binding Path=FirstName, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}" >
<TextBox.Style>
<Style TargetType="{x:Type TextBox}" BasedOn="{StaticResource DefaultStyle}">
<Style.Triggers>
<DataTrigger Binding="{Binding Path=FirstName.Length, FallbackValue=0, TargetNullValue=0}" Value="0">
<Setter Property="Background" Value="Transparent"/>
</DataTrigger>
<DataTrigger Binding="{Binding Path=FirstName, FallbackValue=0, TargetNullValue=0, Converter={StaticResource NotEmptyConverter}}" Value="false">
<Setter Property="Background" Value="White"/>
</DataTrigger>
</Style.Triggers>
</Style>
</TextBox.Style>
</TextBox>
</Grid>
// Corresponding value converter to detect non-empty string
public class NotEmptyConverter : IValueConverter
{
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
{
var s = value as string;
return string.IsNullOrEmpty(s);
}
public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
{
return null;
}
}