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? (In WPF)

Answer 1

@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 2

If rather than having the watermark's visibility depend on the control's focus state, you want it to depend on whether the user has entered any text, you can update John Myczek's answer (from OnWatermarkChanged down) to

static void OnWatermarkChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e) {
    var textbox = (TextBox)d;
    textbox.Loaded += UpdateWatermark;
    textbox.TextChanged += UpdateWatermark;
}

static void UpdateWatermark(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) {
    var textbox = (TextBox)sender;
    var layer = AdornerLayer.GetAdornerLayer(textbox);
    if (layer != null) {
        if (textbox.Text == string.Empty) {
            layer.Add(new WatermarkAdorner(textbox, GetWatermark(textbox)));
        } else {
            var adorners = layer.GetAdorners(textbox);
            if (adorners == null) {
                return;
            }

            foreach (var adorner in adorners) {
                if (adorner is WatermarkAdorner) {
                    adorner.Visibility = Visibility.Hidden;
                    layer.Remove(adorner);
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

This makes more sense if your textbox gets focus automatically when displaying the form, or when databinding to the Text property.

Also if your watermark is always just a string, and you need the style of the watermark to match the style of the textbox, then in the Adorner do:

contentPresenter = new ContentPresenter {
    Content = new TextBlock {
        Text = (string)watermark,
        Foreground = Control.Foreground,
        Background = Control.Background,
        FontFamily = Control.FontFamily,
        FontSize = Control.FontSize,
        ...
    },
    ...
}

Answer 3

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 4

Here is the simplest solution:

            <Grid>
                <Label Content="Placeholder text" VerticalAlignment="Center" Margin="10">
                    <Label.Style>
                        <Style TargetType="Label">
                            <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="Transparent"/>
                            <Style.Triggers>
                                <DataTrigger Binding="{Binding Expression}" Value="">
                                    <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="Gray"/>
                                </DataTrigger>
                            </Style.Triggers>
                        </Style>
                    </Label.Style>
                </Label>
                <TextBox HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" Margin="5" Background="Transparent"
                 Text="{Binding Expression, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}" VerticalAlignment="Center" Padding="5">
                </TextBox>
        </Grid>

This is a textbox with transparent backgound overlaying a label. The label's gray text is turned transparent by a data trigger that fires whenever the bound text is something other than empty string.

Answer 5

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 6

hi i put this task into a behavior. so you just have to add somthing like this to your textbox

<i:Interaction.Behaviors>
         <Behaviors:TextBoxWatermarkBehavior Label="Test Watermark" LabelStyle="{StaticResource StyleWatermarkLabel}"/>
</i:Interaction.Behaviors>

you can find my blog post here