Gauge Control

Learn creating a Gauge Control using Windows App SDK with this Tutorial

Gauge Control shows how to create a Control that can be used as a Gauge using Windows App SDK.

Step 1

Follow Setup and Start on how to get Setup and Install what you need for Visual Studio 2022 and Windows App SDK.

In Windows 11 choose Start and then find or search for Visual Studio 2022 and then select it.

Once Visual Studio 2022 has started select Create a new project.

Then choose the Blank App, Packages (WinUI in Desktop) and then select Next.

After that in Configure your new project type in the Project name as GaugeControl, then select a Location and then select Create to start a new Solution.

Step 2

Then in Visual Studio within Solution Explorer for the Solution, right click on the Project shown below the Solution and then select Add then New Item…

Add New Item

Step 3

Then in Add New Item from the C# Items list, select WinUI and then select User Control (WinUI 3) from the list next to this, then type in the name of Gauge.xaml and then Click on Add.

Add New User Control (WinUI 3)

Step 4

Then from Solution Explorer for the Solution double-click on Gauge.xaml to see the XAML for the User Control.

Step 5

In the XAML for Gauge.xaml there will be some XAML for a Grid, below Grid, type the following XAML:


<Viewbox>
    <Canvas Name="Display" Height="300" Width="300" Loaded="Load"/>
</Viewbox>

This XAML contains a Viewbox which will Scale a Canvas with a Loaded event handler of Load.

Step 6

Then, within Solution Explorer for the Solution select the arrow next to Gauge.xaml then double-click on Gauge.xaml.cs to see the Code for the User Control.

Step 7

You will now be in the View for the Code of Gauge.xaml.cs near the top of the Code, below the final using statement you will need to type the following using statement:


using Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Shapes;

Step 8

Then while still in the View for the Code of Gauge.xaml.cs type the following Code below the end of the Constructor of public Gauge() { ... }:


private Rectangle _needle;
private double _diameter = 0;

// Transform Method

// Markers Method

// Layout, Indicator & Load Methods

// Dependency Properties

// Properties

The class for Gauge represents the User Control for the Gauge and includes a Rectangle that will be used to represent the needle of the Gauge along with a double for the diameter of the Gauge.

Step 9

While still in the class of Gauge after Comment of // Transform Method type the following Code:


private TransformGroup Transform(double angle, double x, double y)
{
    var transformGroup = new TransformGroup();
    var firstTranslate = new TranslateTransform()
    {
        X = x,
        Y = y
    };
    transformGroup.Children.Add(firstTranslate);
    var rotateTransform = new RotateTransform()
    {
        Angle = angle
    };
    transformGroup.Children.Add(rotateTransform);
    var secondTranslate = new TranslateTransform()
    {
        X = _diameter / 2,
        Y = _diameter / 2
    };
    transformGroup.Children.Add(secondTranslate);
    return transformGroup;
}

This Method will create a TransformGroup to rotate elements to be used for the Gauge.

Step 10

While still in the class of Gauge after Comment of // Markers Method type the following Method:


private void Markers(Canvas canvas, double thickness)
{
    var inner = _diameter;
    var markers = new Canvas()
    {
        Width = inner,
        Height = inner
    };
    for (int i = 0; i < 51; i++)
    {
        var marker = new Rectangle()
        {
            Fill = Foreground
        };
        if ((i % 5) == 0)
        {
            marker.Width = 4;
            marker.Height = 16;
            marker.RenderTransform = Transform(i * 6, -(marker.Width / 2),
            -(marker.Height * 2 + 4.5 - thickness / 2 - inner / 2 - 16));
        }
        else
        {
            marker.Width = 2;
            marker.Height = 8;
            marker.RenderTransform = Transform(i * 6, -(marker.Width / 2),
            -(marker.Height * 2 + 12.75 - thickness / 2 - inner / 2 - 16));
        }
        markers.Children.Add(marker);
    }
    markers.RenderTransform = new RotateTransform()
    {
        Angle = 30,
        CenterX = _diameter / 2,
        CenterY = _diameter / 2
    };
    canvas.Children.Add(markers);
}

This Method will create the set of small and large markers to be displayed on the Gauge

Step 11

While still in the class of Gauge after Comment of // Layout, Indicator & Load Methods type the following Methods:


private void Layout(Canvas canvas)
{
    canvas.Children.Clear();
    _diameter = canvas.Width;
    var face = new Ellipse()
    {
        Height = _diameter,
        Width = _diameter,
        Fill = Fill
    };
    canvas.Children.Add(face);
    Markers(canvas, face.StrokeThickness);
    _needle = new Rectangle()
    {
        Width = Needle,
        Height = (int)_diameter / 2 - 30,
        Fill = Foreground
    };
    canvas.Children.Add(_needle);
    var middle = new Ellipse()
    {
        Height = _diameter / 10,
        Width = _diameter / 10,
        Fill = Foreground
    };
    Canvas.SetLeft(middle, (_diameter - middle.ActualWidth) / 2);
    Canvas.SetTop(middle, (_diameter - middle.ActualHeight) / 2);
    canvas.Children.Add(middle);
}

private void Indicator(int value)
{
    Layout(Display);
    var percentage = value / (double)Maximum * 100;
    var position = (percentage / 2) + 5;
    _needle.RenderTransform = Transform(position * 6,
    -Needle / 2, 4.25);
}

private void Load(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) =>
    Indicator(Value);

There will also be some Errors as these refer to Properties that will be added in the next few steps.

Layout will create the look-and-feel of the Gauge and uses the Method for Markers along with creating the centre point and needle for the Gauge. The Method of Indicator will use Layout along with calculating the position of the needle for the Gauge and Load will be used when the Canvas of the User Control is loaded and will call the Method of Indicator.

Step 12

While still in the class of Gauge after Comment of // Dependency Properties type the following Dependency Properties:


public static readonly DependencyProperty FillProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register(nameof(Fill), typeof(Brush),
typeof(Gauge), null);

public static readonly DependencyProperty NeedleProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register(nameof(Needle), typeof(int), typeof(Gauge),
new PropertyMetadata(2));

public static readonly DependencyProperty ValueProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register(nameof(Value), typeof(double), typeof(Gauge),
new PropertyMetadata(25));

public static readonly DependencyProperty MinimumProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register(nameof(Minimum), typeof(int), typeof(Gauge),
new PropertyMetadata(0));

public static readonly DependencyProperty MaximumProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register(nameof(Maximum), typeof(int), typeof(Gauge),
new PropertyMetadata(100));

There will still also be some Errors as these refer to Properties that will be added in the next step.

These Dependency Properties refer to various Properties of the Gauge that can be customised for the User Control.

Step 13

While still in the class of Gauge after Comment of // Properties type the following Properties:


public Brush Fill
{
    get { return (Brush)GetValue(FillProperty); }
    set { SetValue(FillProperty, value); }
}

public int Needle
{
    get { return (int)GetValue(NeedleProperty); }
    set
    {
        SetValue(NeedleProperty, value);
        Indicator(Value);
    }
}

public int Value
{
    get { return (int)GetValue(ValueProperty); }
    set
    {
        if (value >= Minimum && value <= Maximum)
        {
            SetValue(ValueProperty, value);
            Indicator(value);
        }
    }
}

public int Minimum
{
    get { return (int)GetValue(MinimumProperty); }
    set { SetValue(MinimumProperty, value); }
}

public int Maximum
{
    get { return (int)GetValue(MaximumProperty); }
    set { SetValue(MaximumProperty, value); }
}

Any Errors should now be resolved, if you continue to get them check all previous steps to see if you have missed anything.

These Properties are for values for the User Control such as the Minimum or Maximum values for the Gauge.

Step 14

Within Solution Explorer for the Solution double-click on MainWindow.xaml to see the XAML for the Main Window.

Step 15

In the XAML for MainWindow.xaml there will be some XAML for a StackPanel, this should be Removed:


<StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" 
HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center">
    <Button x:Name="myButton" Click="myButton_Click">Click Me</Button>
</StackPanel>

Step 16

While still in the XAML for MainWindow.xaml above </Window>, type in the following XAML:


                                        <local:Gauge Margin="50" Value="25" Foreground="WhiteSmoke" Needle="4" 
                                        Fill="{ThemeResource SystemControlHighlightAccentBrush}"/>;

This XAML contains the User Control of Gauge with various Properties including Value and Needle.

Step 17

Within Solution Explorer for the Solution select the arrow next to MainWindow.xaml then double-click on MainWindow.xaml.cs to see the Code for the Main Window.

Step 18

In the Code for MainWindow.xaml.cs there be a Method of myButton_Click(...) this should be Removed by removing the following:


private void myButton_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    myButton.Content = "Clicked";
}

Step 19

That completes the Windows App SDK application. In Visual Studio 2022 from the Toolbar select GaugeControl (Package) to Start the application.

Step 20

Once running you will see the Gauge Control displayed, with a Value which can be changed in the XAML to show the Needle in a different position.

Gauge Control Running and Output

Step 21

To Exit the Windows App SDK application, select the Close button from the top right of the application as that concludes this Tutorial for Windows App SDK from tutorialr.com!

Gauge Control PDF