About pack uri style

As a WPF developer you might have seen the resource reference in the form

pack://application:,,,/somefile.xaml

and you might have used this style too.Actually what is this pack uri ?


This is a new method introduced in WPF to locate files in an assembly or in the current folder.Those files may be images,videos,audio and even another xaml file.

Parts

The first part identifies whether it points to an application or to the current folder where the file is located and the second part is the relative path to that file.

First part can be any one of the following

• application -> Tells that the file is located in the assembly as Content or Resource
pack://application:,,,/ResourceFile.xaml

• siteoforigin -> Its in the current executing folder
pack://siteoforigin:,,,/SiteOfOriginFile.xaml

Second part tells the assembly where the file is located.If the file locate in same assembly there is no need to mention it other wise use assembly name

Same assembly - pack://application:,,,/ResourceFile.xaml
Different assembly - pack://application:,,,/ReferencedAssembly;component/ResourceFile.xaml

Third part is the version and this is optional

pack://application:,,,/ReferencedAssembly;v1.0.0.1;component/ResourceFile.xaml

Fourth part is the path to file.

pack://application:,,,/Subfolder/ResourceFile.xaml

Advantage of pack uri style

• You may separate your styles from application and keep as dll.
• Design time support

What msdn says

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa970069(VS.85).aspx

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa970069.aspx