Are you sure you need to vary HeaderedContentControl's Style, not the ContentTemplate basing on Content's dynamic type? In other words: do you need to vary the control's style or you just need to vary the item's data-template?
Because there is very handy property ContentTemplateSelector and if you'll write very simple class you'll be able to select the DataTemplate basing on content's dynamic type.
If that's not the case and you are sure you need to vary the Style, then could you please elaborate a little which parts of the style you'd like to vary - maybe there a workaround through the same ContentTemplateSelector is available.
In case you insist on varying the styles, think a little about using data trigger inside your style - using a very simple converter you'll be able to vary certain properties (or all of them if you prefer) of your style.
I'll be glad to provide you further assistance as soon as you'll elaborate the specifics of your problem.
UPD: OK, author insists that he need to vary the Style. Here are two possible ways of how you can do that.
First and simple solution, but severely limited one: since your Header content can be specified through Content content you can do this:
<DataTemplate x:Key="DefaultTemplate">
<HeaderedContentControl Content="{Binding}"
Header="{Binding DisplayName}"
Style="{StaticResource DefaultStyle}" />
</DataTemplate>
<DataTemplate x:Key="CarTemplate"
DataType="dm:Car">
<HeaderedContentControl Content="{Binding}"
Header="{Binding DisplayName}"
Style="{StaticResource CarStyle}" />
</DataTemplate>
<DataTemplate x:Key="BoatTemplate"
DataType="dm:Boat">
<HeaderedContentControl Content="{Binding}"
Header="{Binding DisplayName}"
Style="{StaticResource BoatStyle}" />
</DataTemplate>
<u:TypeBasedDataTemplateSelector x:Key="MySelector"
DefaultTemplate="{StaticResource DefaultTemplate}"
NullTemplate="{StaticResource DefaultTemplate}">
<u:TypeMapping Type="dm:Car" Template="{StaticResource CarTemplate}" />
<u:TypeMapping Type="dm:Boat" Template="{StaticResource BoatTemplate}" />
</u:TypeBasedDataTemplateSelector>
<ContentPresenter Content="{Binding LeftChild}"
ContentTemplateSelector="{StaticResource MySelector}" />
The only code you'll need to back this purely declarative solution is a very simple template selector implementation. Here it goes:
public class TypeMapping
{
public Type Type { get; set; }
public DataTemplate Template { get; set; }
}
public class TypeBasedDataTemplateSelector : DataTemplateSelector, IAddChild
{
public DataTemplate DefaultTemplate { get; set; }
public DataTemplate NullTemplate { get; set; }
private readonly Dictionary<Type, DataTemplate> Mapping = new Dictionary<Type, DataTemplate>();
public override DataTemplate SelectTemplate(object item, DependencyObject container)
{
if (item == null)
return NullTemplate;
DataTemplate template;
if (!Mapping.TryGetValue(item.GetType(), out template))
template = DefaultTemplate;
return template;
}
#region IAddChild Members
public void AddChild(object value)
{
if (!(value is TypeMapping))
throw new Exception("...");
var tm = (TypeMapping)value;
Mapping.Add(tm.Type, tm.Template);
}
public void AddText(string text)
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
#endregion
}
The second solution is more generic and can be applied to the cases where Header content has nothing to do with Content content. It bases on the Binding's converter capabilities.
<Style x:Key="StandardHeaderedStyle">
<!--...-->
</Style>
<Style x:Key="CarHeaderedStyle"
BasedOn="{StaticResource StandardHeaderedStyle}">
<!--...-->
</Style>
<Style x:Key="BoatHeaderedStyle"
BasedOn="{StaticResource StandardHeaderedStyle}">
<!--...-->
</Style>
<Style x:Key="UnknownHeaderedStyle"
BasedOn="{StaticResource StandardHeaderedStyle}">
<!--...-->
</Style>
<u:StylesMap x:Key="MyStylesMap"
FallbackStyle="{StaticResource UnknownHeaderedStyle}">
<u:StyleMapping Type="Car" Style="{StaticResource CarHeaderedStyle}" />
<u:StyleMapping Type="Boat" Style="{StaticResource BoatHeaderedStyle}" />
</u:StylesMap>
<u:StyleSelectorConverter x:Key="StyleSelectorConverter" />
<HeaderedContentControl Content="{Binding LeftChild}"
Header="{Binding LeftChild.DisplayName}">
<HeaderedContentControl.Style>
<Binding Path="LeftChild"
Converter="{StaticResource StyleSelectorConverter}"
ConverterParameter="{StaticResource MyStylesMap}" />
</HeaderedContentControl.Style>
</HeaderedContentControl>
It also requires some of backing code:
public class StyleMapping
{
public Type Type { get; set; }
public Style Style { get; set; }
}
public class StylesMap : Dictionary<Type, Style>, IAddChild
{
public Style FallbackStyle { get; set; }
#region IAddChild Members
public void AddChild(object value)
{
if (!(value is StyleMapping))
throw new InvalidOperationException("...");
var m = (StyleMapping)value;
this.Add(m.Type, m.Style);
}
public void AddText(string text)
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
#endregion
}
public class StyleSelectorConverter : IValueConverter
{
#region IValueConverter Members
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
{
var m = (StylesMap)parameter;
if (value == null)
return m.FallbackStyle;
Style style;
if (!m.TryGetValue(value.GetType(), out style))
style = m.FallbackStyle;
return style;
}
public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
#endregion
}
HTH