Create Glow effect in Silverlight

It every designer's requirement to have three basic effects,
1. Drop shadow effect.
2. Glow effect.
3. Blur effect.
but Silverlight 3 doesn't have glow effect directly. But the good news is that we can create it indirectly!!!
Lets see how it can be done:
1. Create a normal button or any component and style it as you want.
2. Add Drop shadow effect ot it.
3. Set the depth of the shadow to 0.
Thats it!!! Your glow effect is ready!

To achieve this you just need to do a small adjustment in your blend,

Styling a Text Block

Now a days everybody is bored with age old white contemporary text block!!!Lets make something good!
Here is the TextBlock with a button

This Text block has a button at its end though! I will be posting the code for that button in my next post.
Here is the code:

<Style x:Key="BookmarkTxt" TargetType="TextBox">
           <Setter Property="BorderThickness" Value="1"/>
            <Setter Property="Background" Value="#FFFFFFFF"/>
            <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="#FF000000"/>
            <Setter Property="Padding" Value="2"/>
            <Setter Property="BorderBrush">
                <Setter.Value>
                    <LinearGradientBrush EndPoint="0.5,1" StartPoint="0.5,0">
                        <GradientStop Color="#FFA3AEB9" Offset="0"/>
                        <GradientStop Color="#FF8399A9" Offset="0.375"/>
                        <GradientStop Color="#FF718597" Offset="0.375"/>
                        <GradientStop Color="#FF617584" Offset="1"/>
                    </LinearGradientBrush>
                </Setter.Value>
            </Setter>
            <Setter Property="Template">
                <Setter.Value>
                    <ControlTemplate TargetType="TextBox">
                        <Grid x:Name="RootElement">
                            <vsm:VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
                                <vsm:VisualStateGroup x:Name="CommonStates">
                                    <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Normal"/>
                                    <vsm:VisualState x:Name="MouseOver">
                                        <Storyboard>
                                            <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetName="MouseOverBorder" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.BorderBrush).(SolidColorBrush.Color)">
                                                <SplineColorKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="#FF000000"/>
                                            </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                        </Storyboard>
                                    </vsm:VisualState>
                                    <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Disabled">
                                        <Storyboard>
                                            <DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetName="DisabledVisualElement" Storyboard.TargetProperty="Opacity">
                                                <SplineDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="1"/>
                                            </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                            <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="DisabledVisualElement" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(SolidColorBrush.Color)">
                                                <SplineColorKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FF333333"/>
                                            </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                            <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="DisabledVisualElement" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.BorderBrush).(SolidColorBrush.Color)">
                                                <SplineColorKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FF45494D"/>
                                            </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                        </Storyboard>
                                    </vsm:VisualState>
                                    <vsm:VisualState x:Name="ReadOnly">
                                        <Storyboard>
                                            <DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetName="ReadOnlyVisualElement" Storyboard.TargetProperty="Opacity">
                                                <SplineDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="1"/>
                                            </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                            <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="DisabledVisualElement" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.BorderBrush).(SolidColorBrush.Color)">
                                                <SplineColorKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FF45494D"/>
                                            </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                            <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="DisabledVisualElement" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(SolidColorBrush.Color)">
                                                <SplineColorKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FF262626"/>
                                            </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                            <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="ReadOnlyVisualElement" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(SolidColorBrush.Color)">
                                                <SplineColorKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#00333333"/>
                                            </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                        </Storyboard>
                                    </vsm:VisualState>
                                </vsm:VisualStateGroup>
                                <vsm:VisualStateGroup x:Name="FocusStates">
                                    <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Focused">
                                        <Storyboard>
                                            <DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetName="FocusVisualElement" Storyboard.TargetProperty="Opacity">
                                                <SplineDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="1"/>
                                            </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                        </Storyboard>
                                    </vsm:VisualState>
                                    <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Unfocused">
                                        <Storyboard>
                                            <DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetName="FocusVisualElement" Storyboard.TargetProperty="Opacity">
                                                <SplineDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="0"/>
                                            </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                        </Storyboard>
                                    </vsm:VisualState>
                                </vsm:VisualStateGroup>
                            </vsm:VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
                            <Border x:Name="Border" Opacity="1" BorderThickness="{TemplateBinding BorderThickness}" CornerRadius="4,4,4,4" Background="#FF242424" BorderBrush="#FF45494D">
                                <Grid>
                                    <Border x:Name="ReadOnlyVisualElement" Opacity="0" Background="#72F7F7F7" CornerRadius="4,4,4,4"/>
                                    <Border x:Name="MouseOverBorder" BorderBrush="Transparent" BorderThickness="1">
                                        <ScrollViewer x:Name="ContentElement" BorderThickness="0" IsTabStop="False" Padding="{TemplateBinding Padding}" BorderBrush="#FF525252"/>
                                    </Border>
                                </Grid>
                            </Border>
                            <Border x:Name="DisabledVisualElement" IsHitTestVisible="False" Opacity="0" Background="#A5F7F7F7" BorderBrush="#A5F7F7F7" BorderThickness="{TemplateBinding BorderThickness}"/>
                            <Border Margin="1" x:Name="FocusVisualElement" IsHitTestVisible="False" Opacity="0" BorderThickness="{TemplateBinding BorderThickness}"/>
                        </Grid>
                    </ControlTemplate>
                </Setter.Value>
            </Setter>
        </Style>
        

Make a Rating star style button

Every site has a rating section and to make such star shaped buttons is not an easy task.First because its difficult to make the star shape and second its difficult to manage the checked and unchecked states separately. So, to make your task simpler I have made a simple star style rating button.
To manage its states easily I have used toggle button instead of a button.
Checked state:

Here is the code for this button

<style targettype="ToggleButton" x:key="ToggleButtonRate"> <setter Property="Background" Value="#FF1F3B53"/> <setter Property="Foreground" Value="#FF000000"/> <setter Property="Padding" Value="3"/> <setter Property="BorderThickness" Value="1"/> <setter Property="BorderBrush"> <Setter.Value> <lineargradientbrush EndPoint="0.5,1" StartPoint="0.5,0"> <gradientstop Color="#FFA3AEB9" Offset="0"/> <gradientstop Color="#FF8399A9" Offset="0.375"/> <gradientstop Color="#FF718597" Offset="0.375"/> <gradientstop Color="#FF617584" Offset="1"/> </LinearGradientBrush> </Setter.Value> </Setter> <setter Property="Template"> <Setter.Value> <controltemplate TargetType="ToggleButton"> <grid> <vsm:VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups> <vsm:VisualStateGroup x:Name="CommonStates"> <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Normal"> <Storyboard/> </vsm:VisualState> <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Pressed"> <storyboard> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="path" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Shape.Fill).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Color)"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FFE8DD5D"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="path" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Shape.Fill).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[0].(GradientStop.Color)"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FFE8DD5D"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="path" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Shape.Stroke).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Color)"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FFE8DD5D"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="path" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Shape.Stroke).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[0].(GradientStop.Color)"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FFE8DD5D"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> </Storyboard> </vsm:VisualState> <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Disabled"> <Storyboard/> </vsm:VisualState> </vsm:VisualStateGroup> <vsm:VisualStateGroup x:Name="CheckStates"> <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Checked"> <storyboard> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="path" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Shape.Fill).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Color)"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FFE8DD5D"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="path" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Shape.Fill).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[0].(GradientStop.Color)"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FFE0DA97"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="path" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Shape.Stroke).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[0].(GradientStop.Color)"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FFE0DA94"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="path" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Shape.Stroke).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Color)"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FFE6DC6E"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> </Storyboard> </vsm:VisualState> <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Unchecked"> <storyboard> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="path" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Shape.Fill).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Color)"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FFE5E5E5"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <doubleanimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="path" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Shape.Fill).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Offset)"> <splinedoublekeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="0.991"/> </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames> </Storyboard> </vsm:VisualState> </vsm:VisualStateGroup> <vsm:VisualStateGroup x:Name="FocusStates"> <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Focused"> <Storyboard/> </vsm:VisualState> <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Unfocused"/> </vsm:VisualStateGroup> </vsm:VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups> <path Margin="3.417,1.167,4.583,1.833" Stretch="Fill" Data="M10.517154,-0.0011976534 L7.3893209,6.1399088 L-0.5438872,6.3009214 L5.8782334,9.6042414 L2.1005144,15.548288 L10.562605,12.083895 L18.373556,15.503559 L15.426895,9.944314 L22.122427,6.3009214 L13.776666,6.2836428 z" x:Name="path"> <Path.Stroke> <lineargradientbrush EndPoint="0.5,1" StartPoint="0.5,0"> <gradientstop Color="#FFE5E5E5"/> <gradientstop Color="#FFE5E5E5" Offset="1"/> </LinearGradientBrush> </Path.Stroke> <Path.Fill> <lineargradientbrush EndPoint="0.5,1" StartPoint="0.5,0"> <gradientstop Color="#FFE5E5E5"/> <gradientstop Color="#FFE5E5E5" Offset="1"/> </LinearGradientBrush> </Path.Fill> </Path> </Grid> </ControlTemplate> </Setter.Value> </Setter> </style>

Styling a Toggle Button

The ToggleButton is a Silverlight control which allows the user to change its state. It is the base class for CheckBox and RadioButton controls but it can also be used as a standalone control.

Unchecked state:

Checked State:

 

Make this button yours here..

<Style x:Key="ToggleButtonStyle2" TargetType="ToggleButton">    <Setter Property="Background" Value="#FF1F3B53"/>    <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="#FF000000"/>    <Setter Property="Padding" Value="3"/>    <Setter Property="BorderThickness" Value="1"/>    <Setter Property="BorderBrush">     <Setter.Value>      <LinearGradientBrush EndPoint="0.5,1" StartPoint="0.5,0">       <GradientStop Color="#FFA3AEB9" Offset="0"/>       <GradientStop Color="#FF8399A9" Offset="0.375"/>       <GradientStop Color="#FF718597" Offset="0.375"/>       <GradientStop Color="#FF617584" Offset="1"/>      </LinearGradientBrush>     </Setter.Value>    </Setter>    <Setter Property="Template">     <Setter.Value>      <ControlTemplate TargetType="ToggleButton">       <Grid>        <VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>         <VisualStateGroup x:Name="CommonStates">          <VisualState x:Name="Normal"/>          <VisualState x:Name="MouseOver"/>          <VisualState x:Name="Pressed"/>          <VisualState x:Name="Disabled">           <Storyboard>            <DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetName="DisabledVisualElement" Storyboard.TargetProperty="Opacity">             <SplineDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value=".55"/>            </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames>           </Storyboard>          </VisualState>         </VisualStateGroup>         <VisualStateGroup x:Name="CheckStates">          <VisualState x:Name="Checked">           <Storyboard>            <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="Background" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[0].(GradientStop.Color)">             <EasingColorKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FFF4F9FC"/>            </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>            <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="Background" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.BorderBrush).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[0].(GradientStop.Color)">             <EasingColorKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FFF4F9FC"/>            </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>            <DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="Background" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[2].(GradientStop.Offset)">             <EasingDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="0.459"/>            </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames>            <DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="Background" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Offset)">             <EasingDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="0.888"/>            </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames>            <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="Background" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Color)">             <EasingColorKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FFB4DCE5"/>            </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>            <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="Background" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[2].(GradientStop.Color)">             <EasingColorKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FFEEF6F8"/>            </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>           </Storyboard>          </VisualState>          <VisualState x:Name="Unchecked"/>         </VisualStateGroup>         <VisualStateGroup x:Name="FocusStates">          <VisualState x:Name="Focused">           <Storyboard>            <DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetName="FocusVisualElement" Storyboard.TargetProperty="Opacity">             <SplineDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="1"/>            </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames>           </Storyboard>          </VisualState>          <VisualState x:Name="Unfocused"/>         </VisualStateGroup>        </VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>        <Border x:Name="Background" BorderThickness="{TemplateBinding BorderThickness}" CornerRadius="3">         <Border.BorderBrush>          <LinearGradientBrush EndPoint="0.5,1" StartPoint="0.5,0">           <GradientStop Color="#FFFCFEFD" Offset="0"/>           <GradientStop Color="#FFE1EFEB" Offset="1"/>          </LinearGradientBrush>         </Border.BorderBrush>         <Border.Background>          <LinearGradientBrush EndPoint="0.5,1" StartPoint="0.5,0">           <GradientStop Color="#FFD2DBD9" Offset="0"/>           <GradientStop Color="#FFC2E0E2" Offset="0.909"/>           <GradientStop Color="#FFE0EFED" Offset="0.087"/>           <GradientStop Color="#FFE1EFEB" Offset="0.988"/>          </LinearGradientBrush>         </Border.Background>         <Grid Margin="1"/>        </Border>        <ContentPresenter x:Name="contentPresenter" HorizontalAlignment="{TemplateBinding HorizontalContentAlignment}" Margin="{TemplateBinding Padding}" VerticalAlignment="{TemplateBinding VerticalContentAlignment}" Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding ContentTemplate}"/>        <Rectangle x:Name="DisabledVisualElement" Fill="#FFFFFFFF" RadiusX="3" RadiusY="3" IsHitTestVisible="false" Opacity="0"/>        <Rectangle x:Name="FocusVisualElement" Stroke="{x:Null}" StrokeThickness="1" RadiusX="2" RadiusY="2" Margin="1" IsHitTestVisible="false" Opacity="0"/>       </Grid>      </ControlTemplate>     </Setter.Value>    </Setter>   </Style><br /> <br /> 

Styling a button

The most common control that is used and which looks difficult yet easy to style is the button control. To style a button all you need to see is the direction of light when you press it. By direction of light, I mean, how and where the shadow should fall in order to give the user a feel of it being pressed. After all styling is all about observation and giving the user feeling of real time effects.

So here we zoom......

the button control which I have styled now has a glassy look and turns green on hover. You may change the colors according to your need by just changing the color code. It looks like this..

In normal state

on mouse over

<style x:Key="GlassBtn" TargetType="Button"> <setter Property="Background" Value="#FF1F3B53"/> <setter Property="Foreground" Value="#FF000000"/> <setter Property="Padding" Value="3"/> <setter Property="BorderThickness" Value="1"/> <setter Property="BorderBrush"> <Setter.Value> <lineargradientbrush EndPoint="0.5,1" StartPoint="0.5,0"> <gradientstop Color="#FFA3AEB9" Offset="0"/> <gradientstop Color="#FF8399A9" Offset="0.375"/> <gradientstop Color="#FF718597" Offset="0.375"/> <gradientstop Color="#FF617584" Offset="1"/> </LinearGradientBrush> </Setter.Value> </Setter> <setter Property="Template"> <Setter.Value> <controltemplate TargetType="Button"> <grid> <vsm:VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups> <vsm:VisualStateGroup x:Name="CommonStates"> <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Normal"/> <vsm:VisualState x:Name="MouseOver"> <storyboard> <doubleanimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Storyboard.TargetName="glow" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.Opacity)" Duration="00:00:00.0010000"> <splinedoublekeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="1"/> </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Storyboard.TargetName="glow" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Color)" Duration="00:00:00.0010000"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#008CAF33"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <doubleanimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Storyboard.TargetName="glow" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[0].(GradientStop.Offset)" Duration="00:00:00.0010000"> <splinedoublekeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="0"/> </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Storyboard.TargetName="glow" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[0].(GradientStop.Color)" Duration="00:00:00.0010000"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FFA9CA54"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <doubleanimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="glow" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Offset)"> <splinedoublekeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="1"/> </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <doubleanimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="shine" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[0].(GradientStop.Offset)"> <splinedoublekeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="0.004"/> </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="shine" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[0].(GradientStop.Color)"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#FF45494D"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="shine" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Color)"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#998F8F8F"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <doubleanimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="shine" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.Opacity)"> <splinedoublekeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="0.5"/> </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames> </Storyboard> </vsm:VisualState> <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Pressed"> <storyboard> <coloranimationusingkeyframes Storyboard.TargetName="border" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(SolidColorBrush.Color)"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="0" Value="#CC000000"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <doubleanimationusingkeyframes Storyboard.TargetName="shine" Storyboard.TargetProperty="Opacity"> <splinedoublekeyframe KeyTime="0" Value="0.4"/> </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <objectanimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="glow" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.Visibility)"> <discreteobjectkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00"> <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value> <visibility>Collapsed</Visibility> </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value> </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame> </ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames> </Storyboard> </vsm:VisualState> <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Disabled"> <storyboard> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="border" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(SolidColorBrush.Color)"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#B2787878"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <doubleanimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="glow" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.Opacity)"> <splinedoublekeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="1"/> </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="glow" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[0].(GradientStop.Color)"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#B26A6A6A"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> <coloranimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="glow" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.Background).(GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Color)"> <splinecolorkeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="#33595959"/> </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames> </Storyboard> </vsm:VisualState> </vsm:VisualStateGroup> <vsm:VisualStateGroup x:Name="FocusStates"> <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Focused"> <storyboard> <doubleanimationusingkeyframes BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.0010000" Storyboard.TargetName="glow" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.Opacity)"> <splinedoublekeyframe KeyTime="00:00:00" Value="1"/> </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames> </Storyboard> </vsm:VisualState> <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Unfocused"/> </vsm:VisualStateGroup> </vsm:VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups> <border BorderBrush="#7F45494D" BorderThickness="1,1,1,1" CornerRadius="4,4,4,4"> <border x:Name="border" Background="#7F000000" BorderBrush="#FF000000" BorderThickness="1,1,1,1" CornerRadius="4,4,4,4"> <grid> <Grid.RowDefinitions> <rowdefinition Height="0.507*"/> <rowdefinition Height="0.493*"/> </Grid.RowDefinitions> <contentpresenter HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" Width="Auto" Grid.RowSpan="2"/> <border Opacity="0" HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" x:Name="glow" Width="Auto" Grid.RowSpan="2" CornerRadius="4,4,4,4"> <Border.Background> <radialgradientbrush> <RadialGradientBrush.RelativeTransform> <transformgroup> <scaletransform ScaleX="1.702" ScaleY="2.243"/> <skewtransform AngleX="0" AngleY="0"/> <rotatetransform Angle="0"/> <translatetransform X="-0.368" Y="-0.152"/> </TransformGroup> </RadialGradientBrush.RelativeTransform> <gradientstop Color="#FF8CAF33" Offset="0"/> <gradientstop Color="#008DBDFF" Offset="1"/> </RadialGradientBrush> </Border.Background> </Border> <border HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" Margin="0,0,0,0" x:Name="shine" Width="Auto" CornerRadius="4,4,0,0"> <Border.Background> <lineargradientbrush EndPoint="0.494,0.889" StartPoint="0.494,0.028"> <gradientstop Color="#9945494D" Offset="0"/> <gradientstop Color="#333D4042" Offset="1"/> </LinearGradientBrush> </Border.Background> </Border> </Grid> </Border> </Border> </Grid> </ControlTemplate> </Setter.Value> </Setter> </Style>

Styling silverlight controls

As a silverlight developer cum designer, I have observed that most of the time is spent on styling a control. Maybe because that we want to extract the best of silverlight and make the most beautiful and attractive components. Styling not only requires expertise and creativity but it requires lots of patience too, as mostly it never comes out to be perfect in the first go!Check out this space for all the styled controls!!!!

Hello world!

Ha!! I have been thinking of creating a blog and sharing what ever knowledge and experience I have, I mean good or bad with the world for quite some time now. Now that i have one.. I would try to keep this blog breathing and add good stuff regularly. Feels great to create a blog of my own! catch this space for creative and expressive silverlight related stuff. Get Silver(en)lighted!!!