How to create a main layout template in XAML - xaml

Question

I'm new to windows development. I'm making a simple windows app which has a few pages and each page has a similar layout in XAML. Like this:
Each page is separated into 3 sections. A will have a title, B is where the content will be inserted and C is for other stuff. My question is: what is the simplest way to build a general layout template so that I can reuse it for every page? And is it possible?
For example, I have a MainTemplate.xaml file with this layout:
<Grid Background="{ThemeResource ApplicationPageBackgroundThemeBrush}">
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition/>
<RowDefinition/>
<RowDefinition/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
</Grid>
And then my Page1.xaml will load MainTemplate so I don't have to copy and paste the same layout into every page of mine. I've tried looking online but the solutions are going way over my head. I was wondering if there's a simple way to do this like with webpages.Thanks a lot.

Answer 1

One feasible way to do this is using UserControl with ContentPresenter. For example:
Add a UserControl named MainTemplate. In the XAML, set the layout with ContentPresenter and bind it to the DependencyProperty defined in code-behind.
<UserControl x:Class="UWPTest.MainTemplate"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
xmlns:local="using:UWPTest"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
d:DesignHeight="300"
d:DesignWidth="400"
mc:Ignorable="d">
<Grid Background="{ThemeResource ApplicationPageBackgroundThemeBrush}">
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition />
<RowDefinition />
<RowDefinition />
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<ContentPresenter Content="{x:Bind Title}" />
<ContentPresenter Grid.Row="1" Content="{x:Bind Main}" />
<ContentPresenter Grid.Row="2" Content="{x:Bind Stuff}" />
</Grid>
</UserControl>
In the code-behind, set the DependencyProperty so that we can use them to set the content in other pages.
public sealed partial class MainTemplate : UserControl
{
public MainTemplate()
{
this.InitializeComponent();
}
public static readonly DependencyProperty TitleProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("Title", typeof(object), typeof(MainTemplate), new PropertyMetadata(null));
public object Title
{
get { return GetValue(TitleProperty); }
set { SetValue(TitleProperty, value); }
}
public static readonly DependencyProperty MainProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("Main", typeof(object), typeof(MainTemplate), new PropertyMetadata(null));
public object Main
{
get { return GetValue(MainProperty); }
set { SetValue(MainProperty, value); }
}
public static readonly DependencyProperty StuffProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("Stuff", typeof(object), typeof(MainTemplate), new PropertyMetadata(null));
public object Stuff
{
get { return GetValue(StuffProperty); }
set { SetValue(StuffProperty, value); }
}
}
After this, we can use the UserControl in other pages to reuse the general layout. For example, using it in "MainPage.xaml":
<Page x:Class="UWPTest.MainPage"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
xmlns:local="using:UWPTest"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
mc:Ignorable="d">
<local:MainTemplate>
<local:MainTemplate.Title>
<Grid Background="Red">
<TextBlock HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" FontSize="60">A</TextBlock>
</Grid>
</local:MainTemplate.Title>
<local:MainTemplate.Main>
<Grid Background="Green">
<TextBlock HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" FontSize="60">B</TextBlock>
</Grid>
</local:MainTemplate.Main>
<local:MainTemplate.Stuff>
<Grid Background="Yellow">
<TextBlock HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" FontSize="60">C</TextBlock>
</Grid>
</local:MainTemplate.Stuff>
</local:MainTemplate>
</Page>
Then the "MainPage" will look like follwoing: