zz - reprint with rework Definining resources at the theme level

this blog is modeled after the blog Defining and Using shared Resources 

Below is preferred steps to create  a themed resources for a custom/User controls

First, Create the User/Custom control

  public partial class Painter : UserControl
  { 
...
}

Second,  you will need to set The ThemeInfo attribute on the Assembly Level, which instruct the client to your custom/User Control where to find the resources for the controls that you declared.

  [assembly:ThemeInfo(themeDictionaryLocation: ResourceDictionaryLocation.SourceAssembly, 
    genericDictionaryLocation: ResourceDictionaryLocation.SourceAssembly)]

Create the theme resources , the file should be located under Component/Themes/Generic.xaml 

<ResourceDictionary xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
                    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
                    xmlns:local="clr-namespace:ComponentResourceKeyLib.UserControls"              
                    
                    >

  
  <!-- ![CDATA[
  
    1. define a resource in one of the Theme Resource Dictionary
    
  
  
  NOTE: the downloaded example has shown a user control has been created , the user control that is 
  created is called local:Painter
  
  
  Is that necessary 
  ]]-->
  <LinearGradientBrush
        x:Key="{ComponentResourceKey TypeInTargetAssembly={x:Type local:Painter},
                                 ResourceId=ButtonBrush}" 
        StartPoint="0,0" EndPoint="1,1">
    <GradientStop Color="Blue" Offset="0" />
    <GradientStop Color="White" Offset=".8" />
  </LinearGradientBrush>



  <LinearGradientBrush 
    x:Key="{ComponentResourceKey TypeInTargetAssembly={x:Type local:Painter}, 
                                 ResourceId=MyEllipseBrush}"  
    StartPoint="0,0" EndPoint="1,0">
    <GradientStop Color="Blue" Offset="0" />
    <GradientStop Color="Red" Offset="0.5" />
    <GradientStop Color="Green" Offset="1"/>
  </LinearGradientBrush>


</ResourceDictionary>

Fourth, to use the resource that is declared with the ComponentResourceKey markup extension, you can either do it in the xmal code as follow.

  I. To do it the XAML code  NOTE: Please see the Background for the button below.

<UserControl x:Class="ComponentResourceKeyLib.UserControls.Painter"
             xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
             xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
             xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006" 
             xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008" 
             xmlns:local="clr-namespace:ComponentResourceKeyLib.UserControls"
             mc:Ignorable="d" 
             d:DesignHeight="300" d:DesignWidth="300">
  <StackPanel>

    <Ellipse  Name="Ellipse1" HorizontalAlignment="Left"
              Width="100" Height="100" 
              Stroke="Black" StrokeThickness="2"/>

    <Button  Margin="0,10,0,0" Click="FillBrush" HorizontalAlignment="Left"
             Background="{StaticResource {ComponentResourceKey 
                            TypeInTargetAssembly={x:Type local:Painter}, 
                            ResourceId=ButtonBrush}}">
      Paint ellipse
    </Button>

  </StackPanel>
</UserControl>

   II. Or you can do it in the code, as below.

    public Painter()
    {
      InitializeComponent();

      ComponentResourceKey brushKey = new ComponentResourceKey(typeof(Painter), "MyEllipseBrush");
      ellipseBrush = (Brush)this.TryFindResource(brushKey);
    }

Fifth, you can now use the User/Custom control, and by default, it will use the Theme resources that is defined as above.

<Window x:Class="ThemeResources_ComponentResourceKey.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:local="clr-namespace:ComponentResourceKeyLib.UserControls"
        Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525">
    <Grid>
    <local:Painter />
  </Grid>
</Window>