Watermark / hint text / placeholder TextBox

Question

How can I put some text into a TextBox which is removed automatically when user types something in it?

Answer 1

There is an article on CodeProject on how to do it in "3 lines of XAML".

<Grid Background="{StaticResource brushWatermarkBackground}">
  <TextBlock Margin="5,2" Text="Type something..."
             Foreground="{StaticResource brushForeground}"
             Visibility="{Binding ElementName=txtUserEntry, Path=Text.IsEmpty,
                          Converter={StaticResource BooleanToVisibilityConverter}}" />
  <TextBox Name="txtUserEntry" Background="Transparent"
           BorderBrush="{StaticResource brushBorder}" />
</Grid>

Ok, well it might not be 3 lines of XAML formatted, but it is pretty simple.

One thing to note though, is that it uses a non-standard extension method on the Text property, called "IsEmpty". You need to implement this yourself, however the article doesn't seem to mention that.

Answer 2

Well here is mine: not necessarily the best, but as it is simple it is easy to edit to your taste.

<UserControl x:Class="WPFControls.ShadowedTextBox"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:local="clr-namespace:WPFControls"
    Name="Root">
<UserControl.Resources>
    <local:ShadowConverter x:Key="ShadowConvert"/>
</UserControl.Resources>
<Grid>
    <TextBox Name="textBox" 
             Foreground="{Binding ElementName=Root, Path=Foreground}"
             Text="{Binding ElementName=Root, Path=Text, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}"
             TextChanged="textBox_TextChanged"
             TextWrapping="Wrap"
             VerticalContentAlignment="Center"/>
    <TextBlock Name="WaterMarkLabel"
           IsHitTestVisible="False"
           Foreground="{Binding ElementName=Root,Path=Foreground}"
           FontWeight="Thin"
           Opacity=".345"
           FontStyle="Italic"
           Text="{Binding ElementName=Root, Path=Watermark}"
           VerticalAlignment="Center"
           TextWrapping="Wrap"
           TextAlignment="Center">
        <TextBlock.Visibility>
            <MultiBinding Converter="{StaticResource ShadowConvert}">
                <Binding ElementName="textBox" Path="Text"/>
            </MultiBinding>
        </TextBlock.Visibility> 
    </TextBlock>
</Grid>

The converter, as it is written now it is not necessary that it is a MultiConverter, but in this wasy it can be extended easily

using System;
using System.Globalization;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Data;

namespace WPFControls
{
    class ShadowConverter:IMultiValueConverter
    {
        #region Implementation of IMultiValueConverter

        public object Convert(object[] values, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
        {
            var text = (string) values[0];
            return text == string.Empty
                       ? Visibility.Visible
                       : Visibility.Collapsed;
        }

        public object[] ConvertBack(object value, Type[] targetTypes, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
        {
            return new object[0];
        }

        #endregion
    }
}

and finally the code behind:

using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;

namespace WPFControls
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Interaction logic for ShadowedTextBox.xaml
    /// </summary>
    public partial class ShadowedTextBox : UserControl
    {
        public event TextChangedEventHandler TextChanged;

        public ShadowedTextBox()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        public static readonly DependencyProperty WatermarkProperty =
            DependencyProperty.Register("Watermark",
                                        typeof (string),
                                        typeof (ShadowedTextBox),
                                        new UIPropertyMetadata(string.Empty));

        public static readonly DependencyProperty TextProperty =
            DependencyProperty.Register("Text",
                                        typeof (string),
                                        typeof (ShadowedTextBox),
                                        new UIPropertyMetadata(string.Empty));

        public static readonly DependencyProperty TextChangedProperty =
            DependencyProperty.Register("TextChanged",
                                        typeof (TextChangedEventHandler),
                                        typeof (ShadowedTextBox),
                                        new UIPropertyMetadata(null));

        public string Watermark
        {
            get { return (string)GetValue(WatermarkProperty); }
            set
            {
                SetValue(WatermarkProperty, value);
            }
        }

        public string Text
        {
            get { return (string) GetValue(TextProperty); }
            set{SetValue(TextProperty,value);}
        }

        private void textBox_TextChanged(object sender, TextChangedEventArgs e)
        {
            if (TextChanged != null) TextChanged(this, e);
        }

        public void Clear()
        {
            textBox.Clear();
        }

    }
}

Answer 3

@Veton - I really like the simplicity of your solution but my reputation isn't high enough to bump you yet.

@Tim Murphy - That "Two-way binding requires Path or XPath" error was an easy fix... updated code including some other little tweaks (only WPF tested):

using System;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.Windows.Data;
using System.Windows.Media;

public class TextBoxWatermarked : TextBox
{
  public string Watermark
  {
    get { return (string)GetValue(WaterMarkProperty); }
    set { SetValue(WaterMarkProperty, value); }
  }
  public static readonly DependencyProperty WaterMarkProperty =
      DependencyProperty.Register("Watermark", typeof(string), typeof(TextBoxWatermarked), new PropertyMetadata(new PropertyChangedCallback(OnWatermarkChanged)));

  private bool _isWatermarked = false;
  private Binding _textBinding = null;

  public TextBoxWatermarked()
  {
    Loaded += (s, ea) => ShowWatermark();
  }

  protected override void OnGotFocus(RoutedEventArgs e)
  {
    base.OnGotFocus(e);
    HideWatermark();
  }

  protected override void OnLostFocus(RoutedEventArgs e)
  {
    base.OnLostFocus(e);
    ShowWatermark();
  }

  private static void OnWatermarkChanged(DependencyObject sender, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs ea)
  {
    var tbw = sender as TextBoxWatermarked;
    if (tbw == null || !tbw.IsLoaded) return; //needed to check IsLoaded so that we didn't dive into the ShowWatermark() routine before initial Bindings had been made
    tbw.ShowWatermark();
  }

  private void ShowWatermark()
  {
    if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(Text) && !String.IsNullOrEmpty(Watermark))
    {
      _isWatermarked = true;

      //save the existing binding so it can be restored
      _textBinding = BindingOperations.GetBinding(this, TextProperty);

      //blank out the existing binding so we can throw in our Watermark
      BindingOperations.ClearBinding(this, TextProperty);

      //set the signature watermark gray
      Foreground = new SolidColorBrush(Colors.Gray);

      //display our watermark text
      Text = Watermark;
    }
  }

  private void HideWatermark()
  {
    if (_isWatermarked)
    {
      _isWatermarked = false;
      ClearValue(ForegroundProperty);
      Text = "";
      if (_textBinding != null) SetBinding(TextProperty, _textBinding);
    }
  }

}

Answer 4

I decided to solve this via a Behavior. It uses a Hint property to define the text to display (could also be an object, if you prefer) and a Value property to evaluate wether the hint should be visible or not.

The Behavior is declared as follows:

using System;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.Windows.Data;
using System.Windows.Interactivity;
using System.Windows.Media;

    public class HintBehavior : Behavior<ContentControl>
    {
        public static readonly DependencyProperty HintProperty = DependencyProperty
            .Register("Hint", typeof (string), typeof (HintBehavior)
            //, new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(null, OnHintChanged)
            );

        public string Hint
        {
            get { return (string) GetValue(HintProperty); }
            set { SetValue(HintProperty, value); }
        }

        public static readonly DependencyProperty ValueProperty = DependencyProperty
            .Register("Value", typeof (object), typeof (HintBehavior)
                , new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(null, OnValueChanged));

        private static void OnValueChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
        {
            var visible = e.NewValue == null;
            d.SetValue(VisibilityProperty, visible ? Visibility.Visible : Visibility.Collapsed);
        }

        public object Value
        {
            get { return GetValue(ValueProperty); }
            set { SetValue(ValueProperty, value); }
        }

        public static readonly DependencyProperty VisibilityProperty = DependencyProperty
            .Register("Visibility", typeof (Visibility), typeof (HintBehavior)
                , new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(Visibility.Visible
                    //, new PropertyChangedCallback(OnVisibilityChanged)
                    ));

        public Visibility Visibility
        {
            get { return (Visibility) GetValue(VisibilityProperty); }
            set { SetValue(VisibilityProperty, value); }
        }

        public static readonly DependencyProperty ForegroundProperty = DependencyProperty
            .Register("Foreground", typeof (Brush), typeof (HintBehavior)
                , new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(new SolidColorBrush(Colors.DarkGray)
                    //, new PropertyChangedCallback(OnForegroundChanged)
                    ));

        public Brush Foreground
        {
            get { return (Brush) GetValue(ForegroundProperty); }
            set { SetValue(ForegroundProperty, value); }
        }

        public static readonly DependencyProperty MarginProperty = DependencyProperty
            .Register("Margin", typeof (Thickness), typeof (HintBehavior)
                , new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(new Thickness(4, 5, 0, 0)
                    //, new PropertyChangedCallback(OnMarginChanged)
                    ));

        public Thickness Margin
        {
            get { return (Thickness) GetValue(MarginProperty); }
            set { SetValue(MarginProperty, value); }
        }


        private static ResourceDictionary _hintBehaviorResources;

        public static ResourceDictionary HintBehaviorResources
        {
            get
            {
                if (_hintBehaviorResources == null)
                {
                    var res = new ResourceDictionary
                    {
                        Source = new Uri("/Mayflower.Client.Core;component/Behaviors/HintBehaviorResources.xaml",
                            UriKind.RelativeOrAbsolute)
                    };
                    _hintBehaviorResources = res;
                }
                return _hintBehaviorResources;
            }
        }


        protected override void OnAttached()
        {
            base.OnAttached();
            var t = (ControlTemplate) HintBehaviorResources["HintBehaviorWrapper"];
            AssociatedObject.Template = t;
            AssociatedObject.Loaded += OnLoaded;
        }

        private void OnLoaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
        {
            AssociatedObject.Loaded -= OnLoaded;
            var label = (Label) AssociatedObject.Template.FindName("PART_HintLabel", AssociatedObject);
            label.DataContext = this;
            //label.Content = "Hello...";
            label.SetBinding(UIElement.VisibilityProperty, new Binding("Visibility") {Source = this, Mode = BindingMode.OneWay});
            label.SetBinding(ContentControl.ContentProperty, new Binding("Hint") {Source = this, Mode = BindingMode.OneWay});
            label.SetBinding(Control.ForegroundProperty, new Binding("Foreground") {Source = this, Mode = BindingMode.OneWay});
            label.SetBinding(FrameworkElement.MarginProperty, new Binding("Margin") {Source = this, Mode = BindingMode.OneWay});
        }
    }

It wraps the target with it's own template, adding to it a label:

<ResourceDictionary xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
                    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
    <ControlTemplate x:Key="HintBehaviorWrapper" TargetType="{x:Type ContentControl}">
        <Grid>
            <ContentPresenter Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" />
            <Label x:Name="PART_HintLabel" IsHitTestVisible="False" Padding="0" />
        </Grid>
    </ControlTemplate>
</ResourceDictionary>

To use it, just add it as a behavior and bind your values (in my case I add it in a ControlTemplate, hence the binding):

<ContentControl>
    <i:Interaction.Behaviors>
        <behaviors:HintBehavior Value="{Binding Property, RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent}}"
                                                        Hint="{Binding Hint, RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent}}" />
    </i:Interaction.Behaviors>
    <TextBox ... />
</ContentControl>

I would love feedback if this is considered a clean solution. It does not require static dictionaries and hence has no memory leak.

Answer 5

This library has a watermark.

Nuget package

Sample usage:

<TextBox adorners:Watermark.Text="Write something here" 
         adorners:Watermark.TextStyle="{StaticResource AdornerTextStyle}"
         adorners:Watermark.VisibleWhen="EmptyAndNotKeyboardFocused"/>

Answer 6

I can't believe that no one posted the obvious Extended WPF Toolkit - WatermarkTextBox from Xceed. It works quite well and is open source in case you want to customise.