WPF: Anyone else using textboxes instead of labels?

Question

I'm just curious.. In my application I'm using "readonly and borderless" textboxes instead of using labels. The textboxes are based on this Style I keep in my resource file:

 <Style TargetType="{x:Type TextBox}" x:Key="LabelLeftStyle" BasedOn="{StaticResource Basic}">
        <Setter Property="Background"      Value="Transparent"/>
        <Setter Property="FontWeight"      Value="Bold"/>
        <Setter Property="IsReadOnly"      Value="True"/>
        <Setter Property="BorderThickness" Value="0"/>
        <Setter Property="Height"          Value="Auto" />
        <Setter Property="Width"           Value="Auto" />
        <Setter Property="MinWidth"        Value="155"/>
        <Setter Property="IsTabStop"       Value="False"/>
    </Style>

Just curious..is anyone else doing the same ? I found the WPF Label difficult to work with.

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 16 '11 at 16:24

3

Use TextBlocks instead of Labels.

TextBox = editable text field
Label = uneditable text usually tied to a form field
TextBlock = generic uneditable text

answered Feb 16 '11 at 16:24

Matěj Zábský

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One more point: TextBox = uneditable text, but selectable (http://stackoverflow.com/a/2506504/13441) – sergtk Jun 30 '13 at 19:01

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 16 '11 at 16:24

1

I can tell you this much, we use TextBlock and Label extensively for static text display in multiple WPF applications without issue. How was the Label difficult to use? Perhaps if you list some specific problems we could provide some guidance.

answered Feb 16 '11 at 16:24

user7116

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How about needing to take care when binding to strings, because '_' is interpreted specially. – AyCe Mar 21 '19 at 16:53

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 16 '11 at 16:50

This is really strange that you have chosen to use text boxes (styled in special way) over labels. Because text boxes are designed for a different purpose... Usually the choice is whether to use TextBlock or Label.

You haven't mentioned why exactly labels are hard to use... If it is because of extra margins that label has by default, then it is easy to fix with a style for all labels in you application.

Anyway, there is a good article about the difference between TextBlock and Label that describes what are the reasons why such a control as Label exist: http://joshsmithonwpf.wordpress.com/2007/07/04/differences-between-label-and-textblock/

WPF: Anyone else using textboxes instead of labels?

3 Answers3