Custom RadioButton

Learn creating a Custom RadioButton using Windows App SDK with this Tutorial

Custom RadioButton

Custom RadioButton shows how to create a Style for a RadioButton using Windows App SDK.

Step 1

Follow Setup and Start on how to get Setup and Install what you need for Visual Studio 2022 and Windows App SDK.

In Windows 11 choose Start and then find or search for Visual Studio 2022 and then select it.
Visual Studio 2022
Once Visual Studio 2022 has started select Create a new project.
Create a new project
Then choose the Blank App, Packages (WinUI in Desktop) and then select Next.
Blank App, Packages (WinUI in Desktop)
After that in Configure your new project type in the Project name as CustomRadioButton, then select a Location and then select Create to start a new Solution.
Configure project

Step 2

Then in Visual Studio within Solution Explorer for the Solution double-click on App.xaml to see the XAML for the Project.
Solution Explorer App.xaml

Step 3

In the XAML for App.xaml below the Comment of <!-- Other app resources here --> type in the following XAML:


<Style x:Key="CustomRadioButton" TargetType="RadioButton">
    <Setter Property="Background" Value="Transparent"/>
    <Setter Property="Foreground" 
    Value="{ThemeResource SystemControlForegroundBaseHighBrush}"/>
    <Setter Property="Padding" Value="5,5,0,0"/>
    <Setter Property="Margin" Value="5,5,5,5"/>
    <Setter Property="HorizontalAlignment" Value="Left"/>
    <Setter Property="VerticalAlignment" Value="Center"/>
    <Setter Property="HorizontalContentAlignment" Value="Left"/>
    <Setter Property="VerticalContentAlignment" Value="Top"/>
    <Setter Property="FontFamily" 
    Value="{ThemeResource ContentControlThemeFontFamily}"/>
    <Setter Property="FontSize" 
    Value="{ThemeResource ControlContentThemeFontSize}"/>
    <Setter Property="UseSystemFocusVisuals" Value="True"/>
    <Setter Property="Template">
        <Setter.Value>
            <ControlTemplate TargetType="RadioButton">
                <Grid BorderBrush="{TemplateBinding BorderBrush}"
                BorderThickness="{TemplateBinding BorderThickness}"
                Background="{TemplateBinding Background}">
                    <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                        <ColumnDefinition Width="30"/>
                        <ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>
                    </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                    <!-- Visual State Groups -->

                    <!-- Content -->

                </Grid>
            </ControlTemplate>
        </Setter.Value>
    </Setter>
</Style>
                                    

This XAML is part of a Style of CustomRadioButton that will be used to target a RadioButton which will contain some Visual State Groups and Content for the Custom Button.

Step 4

While still the XAML for App.xaml below the Comment of <!-- Visual State Groups --> type in the following XAML:


<VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
    <VisualStateGroup x:Name="CombinedStates">
        <VisualState x:Name="Checked">
            <Storyboard>
                <ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames 
                    Storyboard.TargetProperty="Opacity"
                    Storyboard.TargetName="InnerEllipse">
                    <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="1"/>
                </ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
            </Storyboard>
        </VisualState>
        <VisualState x:Name="Unchecked">
            <Storyboard>
                <ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames 
                    Storyboard.TargetProperty="Opacity"
                    Storyboard.TargetName="InnerEllipse">
                    <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="0"/>
                </ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
            </Storyboard>
        </VisualState>
    </VisualStateGroup>
</VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
                                    

This XAML is for the Visual State Groups that will represent the States for the RadioButton including how it will behave when Checked and when it is Unchecked for the Custom RadioButton.

Step 5

Then in the XAML for App.xaml below the Comment of <!-- Content --> type in the following XAML:


<Grid>
    <Ellipse x:Name="NormalEllipse" Height="30" Width="30"
    UseLayoutRounding="False" StrokeThickness="2" 
    Stroke="Salmon" Fill="LightSalmon"/>
    <Ellipse x:Name="InnerEllipse" Height="20" Width="20" 
    UseLayoutRounding="False" StrokeThickness="2" 
    Stroke="Goldenrod" Fill="Gold" Opacity="0" />
</Grid>
<ContentPresenter x:Name="ContentPresenter" Grid.Column="1"
AutomationProperties.AccessibilityView="Raw"
ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding ContentTemplate}"
ContentTransitions="{TemplateBinding ContentTransitions}"
Content="{TemplateBinding Content}"
HorizontalAlignment="{TemplateBinding HorizontalContentAlignment}"
Margin="{TemplateBinding Padding}" TextWrapping="Wrap"
VerticalAlignment="{TemplateBinding VerticalContentAlignment}"/>
                                    

This XAML is the Content for the layout of a RadioButton when the Style is applied for the Custom RadioButton.

Step 6

Within Solution Explorer for the Solution double-click on MainWindow.xaml to see the XAML for the Main Window.
Solution Explorer MainWindow.xaml

Step 7

In the XAML for MainWindow.xaml there will be some XAML for a StackPanel which should remain, and a Button> which should be Removed by removing the following:


<Button x:Name="myButton" Click="myButton_Click">Click Me</Button>
                                    

Step 8

While still in the XAML for MainWindow.xaml above </StackPanel>, type in the following XAML:

                            
<RadioButton Content="Yes" IsChecked="True"
Style="{StaticResource CustomRadioButton}" />
<RadioButton Content="No" 
Style="{StaticResource CustomRadioButton}"/>
                                    

This XAML contains two sets of RadioButton with Style set to the StaticResource of CustomRadioButton from App.xaml.

Step 9

Within Solution Explorer for the Solution select the arrow next to MainWindow.xaml then double-click on MainWindow.xaml.cs to see the Code for the Main Window.
Solution Explorer MainWindow.xaml.cs

Step 10

In the Code for MainWindow.xaml.cs there be a Method of myButton_Click(...) this should be Removed by removing the following:


private void myButton_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    myButton.Content = "Clicked";
}
                                    

Step 11

That completes the Windows App SDK application. In Visual Studio 2022 from the Toolbar select CustomRadioButton (Package) to Start the application.
CustomRadioButton (Package)

Step 12

Once running you will see the Custom RadioButton displayed.

Custom Button Running and Output

Step 13

To Exit the Windows App SDK application, select the Close button from the top right of the application as that concludes this Tutorial for Windows App SDK from tutorialr.com!
Close application