In WPF, why does the Rectangle.Fill property not seem to work when using a TemplateBinding?

Question

I can't figure out why this XAML code does not work. When using a TemplateBinding (see below), the background color is not set. But when I use a normal color string (i.e. "Red"), it works fine.

<ControlTemplate x:Key="InstanceButtonTemplate" TargetType="{x:Type Control}">
    <Grid>
        <Rectangle>
            <Rectangle.Fill>
                <SolidColorBrush Color="{TemplateBinding Background}"></SolidColorBrush>
            </Rectangle.Fill>
        </Rectangle>
    </Grid>
</ControlTemplate>

Yet, when I use a TemplateBinding in this way, it works Fine...

<ControlTemplate x:Key="InstanceButtonTemplate" TargetType="{x:Type Control}">
    <Grid>
        <Rectangle Fill="{TemplateBinding Background}"></Rectangle>
    </Grid>
</ControlTemplate>

Any ideas?

Edit: to clarify, I intend to expand this to rather use a gradient brush, that's why I need to be able to assign to the Rectangle.Fill property using XAML instead of a plain string.

Answer 1

That is because Color has a different type then Background

Background is a Brush, Color is a.. well Color.. You can use a IValueConverter to convert your brush to a color..

HTH