#1,162 – Layout in Action, part I

Layout in WPF dictates how layout panels (containers) arrange their child elements.  Layout consists of two phases:

• Measure – Container asks each child what its desired size is
  • Container calls Measure on each child element
  • In MeasureOverride, child element determines how much size it wants (typically by calling Measure on each of its own child elements)
  • Child element returns its desired size, to fit its child elements
• Arrange – Container figures out how to arrange its children and decides on final position and size of each child
  • Container calls Arrange on each child element, passing in a size
  • In ArrangeOverride, child element is told how big it should be
  • Child element in turn tells each of its visual children how big they are going to be, by calling their Arrange methods
  • Child element returns final total arranged size to container