Custom silverlight user controls do not appear in Blend Assets tab.

Question

I've created a control in blend (xaml and code behind), saved it, and rebuilt the entire project. Now, not only does this new control not appear in the Assets tab in blend, none of the other user controls i've created appear either. I've rebuilt several times, blown away the obj and bin directories and rebuilt again, to no avail. How do I get my user controls to appear in the Assets pane so I can use them in my project?

thanks, brian

Blend: 3.0.1927.0

VS: 9.0.30729.4108 QFE

.NET: 3.5 SP1

Answer 1

Sweeney,

I don't have the specifics of your install environment or applications installed, but using what I have, I can create a custom user control in blend and compile, pull it from my assets library, and put it on my page. Here are my specs, maybe you can check to see if you're running a different version or such:

• Microsoft Expression Blend 2 Service Pack 1 - Version 2.1.1760.0
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 - Version 9.0.30729.1 SP
• Microsoft .NET Framework - Version 3.5 SP1

Here is what I did to create my custom control:

1. Open Blend.
2. Create new project (File > New Project..., Then named my Silverlight 2 Application, and clicked OK.)
3. Create new UserControl (File > New Item..., Then named my UserControl, and clicked OK.)
4. Create something like a colored background and text so that the control can be seen.
5. Build the application.
6. Add my custom control to the Page.xaml file from the Asset Library. (This may be where you got tripped up, please see below).
7. Size my new control.

Final product:

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Accessing Custom Controls in Asset Library

1. Click the Asset Library icon (left side by default):
   
2. Click the Custom Controls tab (top of Asset Library window):
   
3. Select your custom control:
   
4. Place them on your page to your hearts content.

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I hope this helps you,

Thanks!