LayoutAnchorable Class

In This Topic

Represents an anchorable in the layout model.

Object Model

Syntax

Visual Basic
C#

'Declaration
 
<ContentPropertyAttribute("Content")>
<TypeDescriptionProviderAttribute(MS.Internal.ComponentModel.DependencyObjectProvider)>
<NameScopePropertyAttribute("NameScope", System.Windows.NameScope)>
<SerializableAttribute()>
Public Class LayoutAnchorable 
   Inherits LayoutContent
   Implements ILayoutElement

'Usage
 
Dim instance As LayoutAnchorable

[ContentProperty("Content")]
[TypeDescriptionProvider(MS.Internal.ComponentModel.DependencyObjectProvider)]
[NameScopeProperty("NameScope", System.Windows.NameScope)]
[Serializable()]
public class LayoutAnchorable : LayoutContent, ILayoutElement

Remarks

An anchorable is typically the container of application controls and can be dragged away from its container pane (LayoutAnchorablePane) and repositioned into another pane. Anchorables are always contained in a pane, which can be either a LayoutAnchorablePane or a LayoutDocumentPane, whereas documents (class LayoutDocument) can only be contained in a LayoutDocumentPane.

Anchorables can also be dragged to a border of the parent DockingManager, which causes them to appear above, below, to the left of, or to the right of all other anchorables or documents (except for autohide windows). They can also be left in a floating window (LayoutAnchorableFloatingWindow).

Unlike documents, anchorables can autohide, where their content collapses to one side of the docking manager and is represented only by a tab (see LayoutAnchorSide and LayoutAnchorGroup).

AvalonDock adheres to an MVVM design.

The Model is represented by the classes contained in the Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout namespace. The classes in this namespace are the layout elements in a layout model (for example LayoutAnchorable/LayoutDocument, LayoutAnchorablePane/LayoutDocumentPane, LayoutAnchorablePaneGroup/LayoutDocumentPaneGroup, etc.) that are used directly in XAML within a DockingManager to describe how the layout is composed.

The View is represented by the classes contained in the Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Controls namespace; these classes are a set of stylizable controls that show the user controls. The names of the view controls typically end with "Control" (for example, LayoutAnchorableControl is the view control, whereas LayoutAnchorable is the model element).

The DockingManager uses various classes (such as the LayoutItem and its derived classes) to perform the role of the ViewModel, preparing the model to be consumed by the view.

There is one and only one logical tree, which has the DockingManager as its root. Even if a control is placed in a different window (i.e., autohidden windows or floating windows), it always belong to the same logical tree below the DockingManager.

Example

The following shows how to set up several anchorables and documents, as well as autohidden anchorables on the left side of the DockingManager.

XAML

<xcad:DockingManager Grid.Row="1" MaxHeight="425"
                     AllowMixedOrientation="True"
                     BorderBrush="Black"
                     BorderThickness="1">
  <xcad:DockingManager.DocumentHeaderTemplate>
    <DataTemplate>
      <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
        <Image Source="{Binding IconSource}" Margin="0,0,4,0"/>
        <TextBlock Text="{Binding Title}" />
      </StackPanel>
    </DataTemplate>
  </xcad:DockingManager.DocumentHeaderTemplate>
  <xcad:LayoutRoot x:Name="_layoutRoot">
    <xcad:LayoutPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
      <xcad:LayoutAnchorablePane DockWidth="200">
        <xcad:LayoutAnchorable ContentId="properties" Title="Properties" CanHide="False" CanClose="False"
                                  AutoHideWidth="240"
                               IconSource="../Images/property-blue.png">
          <xctk:PropertyGrid NameColumnWidth="110"
             SelectedObject="{Binding ElementName=_layoutRoot, Path=LastFocusedDocument.Content}"/>
        </xcad:LayoutAnchorable>
      </xcad:LayoutAnchorablePane>
      <xcad:LayoutDocumentPaneGroup >
        <xcad:LayoutDocumentPane>
          <xcad:LayoutDocument ContentId="document1" Title="Document 1" IconSource="../Images/document.png" >
            <Button Content="Document 1 Content" HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
          </xcad:LayoutDocument>
          <xcad:LayoutDocument ContentId="document2" Title="Document 2" IconSource="../Images/document.png">
            <TextBox Text="Document 2 Content" AcceptsReturn="True"/>
          </xcad:LayoutDocument>
        </xcad:LayoutDocumentPane>
      </xcad:LayoutDocumentPaneGroup >
      <xcad:LayoutAnchorablePaneGroup DockWidth="125">
        <xcad:LayoutAnchorablePane>
          <xcad:LayoutAnchorable ContentId="alarms" Title="Alarms" IconSource="../Images/alarm-clock-blue.png" >
            <ListBox>
              <s:String>Alarm 1</s:String>
              <s:String>Alarm 2</s:String>
              <s:String>Alarm 3</s:String>
            </ListBox>
          </xcad:LayoutAnchorable>
          <xcad:LayoutAnchorable ContentId="journal" Title="Journal" >
            <RichTextBox>
              <FlowDocument>
                <Paragraph FontSize="14" FontFamily="Segoe">
                  This is the content of the Journal Pane.
                  <LineBreak/>
                  A
                  <Bold>RichTextBox</Bold> has been added here
                </Paragraph>
              </FlowDocument>
            </RichTextBox>
          </xcad:LayoutAnchorable>
        </xcad:LayoutAnchorablePane>
      </xcad:LayoutAnchorablePaneGroup>
    </xcad:LayoutPanel>

    <xcad:LayoutRoot.LeftSide>
      <xcad:LayoutAnchorSide>
        <xcad:LayoutAnchorGroup>
          <xcad:LayoutAnchorable Title="Agenda" ContentId="agenda" IconSource="../Images/address-book-open.png">
            <TextBlock Text="Agenda Content" Margin="10" FontSize="18" FontWeight="Black" TextWrapping="Wrap"/>
          </xcad:LayoutAnchorable>
          <xcad:LayoutAnchorable Title="Contacts" ContentId="contacts" IconSource="../Images/address-book--pencil.png" >
            <TextBlock Text="Contacts Content" Margin="10" FontSize="18" FontWeight="Black" TextWrapping="Wrap"/>
          </xcad:LayoutAnchorable>
        </xcad:LayoutAnchorGroup>
      </xcad:LayoutAnchorSide>
    </xcad:LayoutRoot.LeftSide>
  </xcad:LayoutRoot>
</xcad:DockingManager>

Inheritance Hierarchy

System.Object
   System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherObject
      System.Windows.DependencyObject
         Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutElement
            Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent
               Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutAnchorable

Public Constructors

	Name	Description
	LayoutAnchorable Constructor	Initializes a new instance of the LayoutAnchorable class.

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Public Properties

	Name	Description
	AutoHideHeight	Gets or sets the height to use when auto-hidden anchorables are shown for the first time.
	AutoHideMinHeight
	AutoHideMinWidth	Gets or sets the width to use when auto-hidden anchorables are shown for the first time.
	AutoHideWidth
	CanAutoHide	Gets or sets whether an anchorable can be autohidden.
	CanClose	Gets or sets whether the content can be closed definitively (removed from the layout and not just hidden). By default, false. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	CanDockAsTabbedDocument	Gets or sets if the LayoutAnchorable can be docked as a LayoutDocument.
	CanFloat	Gets whether the content can be moved to a floating window. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	CanHide	Gets or sets whether an anchorable can be hidden.
	CanTogglePin	Gets or sets if the LayoutDocument/LayoutAnchorable can use the toggle pin button when placed in a LayoutDocumentPane. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	Content	Gets or sets the content of the LayoutContent instance. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	ContentId	Gets or sets the ID of the content, which is used to identify the content during serialization/deserialization. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	DependencyObjectType	(Inherited from System.Windows.DependencyObject)
	Dispatcher	(Inherited from System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherObject)
	FloatingHeight	Gets or sets the height that will be initially used when the content is dragged and then displayed in a floating window. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	FloatingLeft	Gets or sets the left edge of a floating window that will contain this content. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	FloatingTop	Gets or sets the top edge of a floating window that will contain this content. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	FloatingWidth	Gets or sets the width that will be initially used when the content is dragged and then displayed in a floating window. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	IconSource	Gets the icon source of the content (displayed next on the tab). (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	IsActive	Gets or sets whether the content is active. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	IsAutoHidden	Gets whether the anchorable is anchored to a border in an autohidden state.
	IsEnabled	Gets or sets a value indicating whether the LayoutDocument or LayoutAnchorable is enabled. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	IsFloating	Gets or sets whether the content is in a floating window. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	IsFloatingAsTopMost	Gets or sets if the LayoutAnchorable or LayoutDocument will appear over all other windows when floating. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	IsHidden	Gets whether the anchorable can be hidden.
	IsLastFocusedDocument	Gets whether the content is the last focused document. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	IsMaximized	Gets or sets whether a content element is maximized. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	IsPinned	Gets if the LayoutDocument/LayoutAnchorable is currently pinned in a LayoutDocumentPane. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	IsSealed	(Inherited from System.Windows.DependencyObject)
	IsSelected	Gets or sets whether a content element is selected. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	IsVisible	Gets or sets whether the anchorable is visible.
	LastActivationTimeStamp	Gets or sets the date and time of the last activation of the content. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	Parent	Gets or sets the parent container of the element. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutElement)
	PreviousContainer	Gets or sets the previous container of the content. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	PreviousContainerId	Gets or sets the ID of the previous container. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	PreviousContainerIndex	Gets or sets the index of the previous container. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	Root	Gets or sets the root of the element. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutElement)
	Title	Gets or sets the title of the content. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	ToolTip	Gets or sets the tooltip of the content. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)

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Public Methods

	Name	Description
	AddToLayout	Add the anchorable to a DockingManager layout
	ClearValue	Overloaded. (Inherited from System.Windows.DependencyObject)
	Close	Overridden.
	CoerceValue	(Inherited from System.Windows.DependencyObject)
	CompareTo	Compares the content of the current instance with the content of the specified object. If it the content cannot be compared, the titles are compared. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	Dock	Re-dock the content to its previous container (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	DockAsDocument	Dock the content as document (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	Equals	(Inherited from System.Windows.DependencyObject)
	Float	Programmatically creates a floating window of the content. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	GetHashCode	(Inherited from System.Windows.DependencyObject)
	GetLocalValueEnumerator	(Inherited from System.Windows.DependencyObject)
	GetSchema	Returns null. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	GetValue	(Inherited from System.Windows.DependencyObject)
	Hide	Hide this content and add it to the ILayoutRoot.Hidden collection of parent root.
	InvalidateProperty	(Inherited from System.Windows.DependencyObject)
	ReadLocalValue	(Inherited from System.Windows.DependencyObject)
	ReadXml	Overridden. Reads serialized layout information using the specified XmlReader.
	SetCurrentValue	(Inherited from System.Windows.DependencyObject)
	SetValue	Overloaded. (Inherited from System.Windows.DependencyObject)
	Show	Shows the content if it was previously hidden.
	ToggleAutoHide	Toggles autohide state.
	TogglePin	Modifies the pin status of the LayoutDocument/LayoutAnchorable from unpinned to pinned (or vice-versa) in a LayoutDocumentPane. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	WriteXml	Overridden. Writes serialized layout information using the specified XmlWriter.

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Protected Methods

	Name	Description
	InternalDock	Overridden. Docks the anchorable.
	OnClosed	Called when the Closed event has been raised. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	OnClosing	Called when the Closing event has been raised. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	OnHidden
	OnHiding	Handles the Hiding event.
	OnIsActiveChanged	Provides derived classes an opportunity to handle changes to the IsActive property. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	OnIsSelectedChanged	Provides derived classes an opportunity to handle changes to the IsSelected property. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	OnParentChanged	Overridden. Called when Parent has changed.
	OnParentChanging	Provides an opportunity to execute code before Parent changes. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	OnPropertyChanged	(Inherited from System.Windows.DependencyObject)
	OnRootChanged	Provides derived classes an opportunity to handle changes to the Root property. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutElement)
	OnToggledPin	(Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	RaisePropertyChanged	Raises the PropertyChanged event for the specified property name. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutElement)
	RaisePropertyChanging	Raises the PropertyChanging event for the specified property name. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutElement)
	ShouldSerializeProperty	(Inherited from System.Windows.DependencyObject)

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Extension Methods

	Name	Description
	Descendents	Returns the descendents of the specified ILayoutElement.
	FindLogicalAncestor<T>	Finds the logical ancenster
	FindLogicalAncestorsAndSelf
	FindLogicalChildren<T>	Find the logical children.
	FindParent<T>	Finds the parent of the specified type of the specified ILayoutElement.
	FindVisualAncestor<T>	Finds the visual ancestor.
	FindVisualChildren<T>	Finds the visual children.
	FindVisualTreeRoot	Finds the visual tree root.
	GetRoot	Returns the root of the specified ILayoutElement.
	GetSide	Returns the anchor side of the specified ILayoutElement.
	ShowDialog	Overloaded.

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Public Events

	Name	Description
	Closed	Raised when the content is closed (i.e., removed definitively from the layout). (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	Closing	Raised when the content is about to be closed (i.e. removed definitively from the layout). (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	Hidden
	Hiding	Raised when the anchorable has been hidden (usually by the end-user clicking on the "X" button).
	IsActiveChanged	Raised when the IsActive property has changed. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	IsSelectedChanged	Raised when the IsSelected property has changed. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)
	IsVisibleChanged	Raised when the IsVisible property changes.
	PropertyChanged	Raised when a property has changed. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutElement)
	PropertyChanging	Raised when a property is about to change. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutElement)
	ToggledPin	Raised when a LayoutContent's pin is pinned or unpinned. (Inherited from Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutContent)

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Supported Frameworks

.NET: net5.0, net5.0-windows, net6.0, net6.0-macos, net6.0-windows, net7.0, net7.0-macos, net7.0-windows, net8.0, net8.0-browser, net8.0-macos, net8.0-windows, net9.0, net9.0-browser, net9.0-macos, net9.0-windows, net10.0, net10.0-browser, net10.0-macos, net10.0-windows.

.NET Framework: net40, net403, net45, net451, net452, net46, net461, net462, net463, net47, net471, net472, net48, net481.

Reference

LayoutAnchorable Members
Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout Namespace

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