How can I give a WPF element a rectangular flat 3D border?

Question

I would like to create a rectangular 'flat 3D' look for one of my control templates. In it's most simple version this means having a line at the bottom that is darker than that at the top, and maybe some variation between the left and right lines too.

A more complex version would allow me to provide on or more brushes so that gradients could be applied.

The default <Border> element in WPF lets you specify a different thickness per edge, but I can't find a way to specify multiple brushes.

So, how can I produce the effect I want as simply as possible?

EDIT it's been suggested that I post an example of how I want to use this. Personally I'd be happy to have a style or a user control. The user control might be used thus:

<FourSidedBorder LeftSideBrush="#00f" RightSideBrush="#0f0" ... />

Or perhaps even simpler:

<FourSidedBorder BorderBrush="#00f,#0f0,#f00,#fff"
                 BorderThickness="1,2,3,4" ... />

These are just ideas. Any sensible, concise solution is welcome.

Answer 1

I've done something like this just by placing multiple borders directly on top of one another. E.g.:

<Border 
  x:Name="TopAndLeft" 
  BorderThickness="3,3,0,0" 
  BorderBrush="{x:Static SystemColors.ControlLightBrush}">
<Border 
  x:Name="BottomAndRight" 
  BorderThickness="0,0,3,3" 
  BorderBrush="{x:Static SystemColors.ControlDarkBrush}">
    <ContentPresenter ... />
</Border>
</Border>

This provides the added advantage of all the other features that border provides-- corner radius and such.

Answer 2

Honestly probably the easiest way would be to use layering techniques. For instance create a grid like this:

  <Grid Width="50" Height="50">  
     <Grid.RowDefinitions>
        <RowDefinition Height="Auto" />
        <RowDefinition Height="*" />
        <RowDefinition Height="Auto" />
     </Grid.RowDefinitions>
     <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
        <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto" />
        <ColumnDefinition Width="*" />
        <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto" />
     </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>

     <!-- Top Border -->
     <Border Height="3" Background="LightGray" Grid.Column="0" Grid.Row="0" Grid.ColumnSpan="2" />

     <!-- Right Border -->
     <Border Width="3" Background="DarkGray" Grid.Column="2" Grid.Row="0" Grid.RowSpan="3" />

     <!-- Content -->
     <Border Background="Gray" Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="1" />

     <!-- Left Border -->
     <Border Width="3" Background="LightGray" Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="0" Grid.RowSpan="2" />

     <!-- Bottom Border -->
     <Border Height="3" Background="DarkGray" Grid.Row="2" Grid.Column="1" />

  </Grid>

I think you get the idea. This is probably the easiest way of doing it. You could set this up as a template and use it like this:

<Template x:Key="My3DBorder" TargetType="ContentControl">
    <!-- Put the Grid definition in here from above -->
</Template>

<ContentControl Template="{StaticResource My3dBorder}">
   <!-- My Content Goes Here -->
</ContentControl>

Answer 3

Needed a classic 3D 'inset' border. Based on @GregD's answer (thank you!):

    <Border BorderThickness="0,0,1,1" BorderBrush="{x:Static SystemColors.ControlLightLightBrush}">
        <Border BorderThickness="1,1,0,0" BorderBrush="{x:Static SystemColors.ControlDarkBrush}">
            <Border BorderThickness="0,0,1,1" BorderBrush="{x:Static SystemColors.ControlLightBrush}">
                <Border BorderThickness="1,1,0,0" BorderBrush="{x:Static SystemColors.ControlDarkDarkBrush}">
                ..
                </Border>
            </Border>
        </Border>
    </Border>

To make it an 'outset', revert the order of 1st and 2nd element pairs.

Answer 4

you can reference the PresentationFramework.Classic assembly and then use

<Window xmlns:mwt="clr-namespace:Microsoft.Windows.Themes;assembly=PresentationFramework.Classic">
...

<Grid Width="50" Height="50">
    <mwt:ClassicBorderDecorator BorderThickness="3,3,3,3"/>
</Grid>

I was using this technique for looking at control templates to see how default buttons were styled

Answer 5

My two cents for cool approach that I prefer - using shadows too (as a style, so you can use It anywhere):

  <Style x:Key="border_style" TargetType="{x:Type Border}">
        <Style.Resources>
            <DropShadowEffect x:Key="dropShadowEffect" BlurRadius="8" ShadowDepth="1" Color="#FF2686AA" RenderingBias="Quality"/>
         </Style.Resources>

        <Setter Property="CornerRadius" Value="2" />
        <Setter Property="Effect" Value="{StaticResource dropShadowEffect}"/>
        <Setter Property="BorderBrush" Value="Gray"/>
        <Setter Property="BorderThickness" Value="1.2,1.2,0.3,0.3"/>
    </Style>

Usage (when you register your styles):

<Border Style="{StaticResource border_style}">

 </Border>

Position of 3D border effect Is done with BorderThickness. And you can play with colors, ShadowDepth,BlurRadius, CornerRadius etc.