Data Property

Article
11/08/2007

Gets or sets a Geometry that specifies the shape to be drawn.

XAML	<object> <object.Data> simpleOrCompositeGeometry </object.Data> </object> -or- <object Data = "inlinePathSyntax" .../>
Scripting	value = object.Data object.Data = value

XAML Values

simpleOrCompositeGeometry

A single object element that derives from Geometry. This can be one of the following:

One of the simple geometries EllipseGeometry, LineGeometry, or RectangleGeometry.
A single GeometryGroup, which supports other geometries as child elements. See XAML Values section for GeometryGroup.
A PathGeometry, which supports child object elements that establish a path geometry object model of figures and segments. See XAML Values section for PathGeometry.

inlinePathSyntax

See Path Markup Syntax.

Property Value

Geometry

A description of the shape to be drawn.

This property is read/write. The default value is null.

Remarks

For documentation on the XAML string format to use for inlinePathSyntax, see Path Markup Syntax.

To draw simple shapes, use the EllipseGeometry, LineGeometry, and RectangleGeometry objects. To draw curves, arcs, or complex shapes, use the PathGeometry object. To create a composite geometry, use a GeometryGroup.

Because a GeometryGroup is itself a Geometry, you can either specify single geometries or multiple geometries to populate the Path.Data property element in XAML. In the single geometry child case, there will be no GeometryGroup collection, and the value of Data will be the single geometry. If you specify multiple geometries, the value of Data will be a GeometryGroup whose Children will contain each of the geometries defined as child elements in XAML.

Examples

The following example uses a Path to draw an ellipse.

XAML
<Canvas xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/client/2007" xmlns:x="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"> <Path Fill="Gold" Stroke="Black" StrokeThickness="1"> <Path.Data> <EllipseGeometry Center="50,50" RadiusX="50" RadiusY="50" /> </Path.Data> </Path> </Canvas>

<Canvas  
  xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/client/2007" 
  xmlns:x="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"> 
  
  <Path Fill="Gold" Stroke="Black" StrokeThickness="1">
    <Path.Data>
      <EllipseGeometry Center="50,50" RadiusX="50" RadiusY="50" />
    </Path.Data>
  </Path> 
</Canvas>

The following illustration shows the rendered Path.

Rendered path

In Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML), you may also use a special abbreviated syntax as the value for the Data property. The following example uses this abbreviated syntax to specify the shape of a Path.

XAML
<Canvas xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/client/2007" xmlns:x="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"> <Path Stroke="DarkGoldenRod" StrokeThickness="3" Data="M 100,200 C 100,25 400,350 400,175 H 280" /> </Canvas>

<Canvas 
  xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/client/2007" 
  xmlns:x="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
  
  <Path Stroke="DarkGoldenRod" StrokeThickness="3"
    Data="M 100,200 C 100,25 400,350 400,175 H 280" />
</Canvas>

The following illustration shows the rendered Path.

Path illustration

The Data attribute string begins with the "move to" command, indicated by M, which establishes a start point for the path in the coordinate system of the Canvas. Path data parameters are case-sensitive. The capital M indicates an absolute location for the new current point. A lowercase m would indicate relative coordinates. The first segment is a cubic Bezier curve beginning at (100,200) and ending at (400,175), drawn using the two control points (100,25) and (400,350). This segment is indicated by the C command in the Data attribute string. Again, the capital C indicates an absolute path; the lowercase c would indicate a relative path.

The second segment begins with an absolute horizontal "line to" command H, which specifies a line drawn from the preceding subpath's endpoint (400,175) to a new endpoint (280,175). Because it is a horizontal "line to" command, the value specified is an x-coordinate.

For the complete path syntax, see Path Markup Syntax.

Applies To

Path