Style Radcombobox watermark/emptytext

[Mads]

I want to add a style to the emptytext of the radcombobox that works across the entire application. 

 From what I can see I have to use http://docs.telerik.com/devtools/wpf/controls/radcombobox/howto/create-a-watermark but if I use 

<DataTemplate x:Key="EmptyTemplate">
 <TextBlock FontWeight="Bold" FontFamily="Comic Sans" FontStyle="Italic" Text="Please select an agency" />
</DataTemplate>

 Then I cant specify the text in the control that uses it like

<telerik:RadComboBox Grid.Column="3"
                                 Grid.Row="3"
                                 SelectedItem="{Binding Path=CreateVetPcrTestSignup.SelectedVetPcrTestKit}"
                                 DisplayMemberPath="Name"
                                 IsEditable="False"
                                 EmptySelectionBoxTemplate="{StaticResource EmptyTemplate}"

                                 EmptyText="{x:Static localization:SignupTexts.PcrKitDefaultValue}"
                                 ItemsSource="{Binding Path=PcrTestKits}" />

 

I want {x:Static localization:SignupTexts.PcrKitDefaultValue} to be used here, but I of course get "Please select an agency", I tried removing the name from the template, but then its just empty. Is there a way to parse the empty text into the template or use a styling somehow that only affects the emptytext?

[Nasko]

Hello Mads,

In order to apply the desired Template for the EmptyText and at the same time preserve its value the Text property of the TextBlock placed inside the DataTemplate should be bound to the EmptyText property of RadComboBox.

We have created a sample project that demonstrates that and you could run and evaluate it.

Hopes this helps.

Regards,
Nasko
Telerik

[Anish]

Hi.. Is there any way I can implement this with IsEditable="True". If not how do I achieve this?

[Dinko | Tech Support Engineer]

Hello Anish,

The EmptySelectionBoxTemplate is applied only for non-editable ComboBox. The watermark of RadComboBox is presented with a TextBlock with x:Name="Watermark", so In the described case you could find the TextBlock and set its properties with code. You can subscribe to the Loaded event handler of the RadComboBox and use our ChildrenOfType<T>() extension method you can get the TextBlock. Check the following code snippet.

private void combo_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    var comboBox = sender as RadComboBox;
    TextBlock watermarkTextBlock = comboBox.ChildrenOfType<TextBlock>().FirstOrDefault(x=>x.Name == "Watermark");
    if (watermarkTextBlock != null)
    {
        watermarkTextBlock.FontWeight = FontWeights.Bold;
        watermarkTextBlock.FontFamily = new FontFamily("Comic Sans");
        watermarkTextBlock.Opacity = 1;
        watermarkTextBlock.FontStyle = FontStyles.Italic;
    }
}

Regards,
Dinko
Progress Telerik