MDI Host blocks interaction with elements below.

Hi Cody,

It might be helpful if we could see a screenshot of what you're trying to do.  If you need to keep the info private, you can e-mail our support address with the info, and mention this forum post as related.

But in general, IsHitTestVisible in WPF will turn off all interaction to that entire tree of visuals.  If you wanted the content to still receive hits, you'd need to retemplate WindowControl and make all if its Template visuals have IsHitTestVisible = false except for the presenter that shows the content, and its ancestor hierarchy.

I don't think the WindowControl is where my problem is. It's the host that I wish to click through. The area within which the WindowControl can be moved and resized. 

So.. there's the

<Workplace>
<StandardMDIHost>

<WindowControl></WindowControl>

</StandardMDIHost>
</Workplace>

It's in either the workplace or the StandardMDIHost that I'd want to ensure my clicks get through. When I place these objects in the visual tree in the xaml page, the elements I place below them, visually, cannot receive interaction. I want my WindowControl to receive interaction, but not the Host container or the Workspace container, one.

If this is not clear, I will email a screenshot.

Thanks

You shouldn't be including a WindowControl directly in a StandardMdiHost.  StandardMdiHost will only work if you have DocumentWindows inside of it.  Take a look at our "StandardMdiOnly" QuickStart's XAML and you can see how to set it up.  Is that the problem?

If that doesn't help, then please make a new simple sample project that shows the issue and e-mail that to our support address.  Rename any .zip files so they don't get spam blocked.

That would be a problem, I guess. But it is not the problem I'm struggling with. The StandardMDIHost, itself, still wouldn't allow me to click through to below it, visually.

I was using a WindowControl alone, hosted in a Canvas element.

<Grid>

    <Button/>

    <Canvas>

         <WindowControl>

    </Canvas>

</Grid>

I can move the WindowControl around, anywhere that the Canvas is, and still click through it to hit the Button. However, I now want to use a StandardMDIHost since I will be managing multiple of these floating MDI type Windows.

When I use StandardMDIHost in the place of the above Canvas... (and replacing WindowControl with a DocumentWindow as you suggest)...

<Grid>

    <Button/>

    <StandardMDIHost>

         <DocumentWindow>

    </StandardMDIHost>

</Grid>

I cannot click the Button. (or in my specific case, click on a map) The StandardMDIHost stretches to the size of the Grid, and is last in the visual tree, putting it on top of everything. I still desire to interact with things under it. (like a map or button).

Did you try setting the StandardMdiHost's Background="{x:Null}"?

Yep... I just tried this in a sample I built really quick.

<Window x:Class="TestingActiproDocking.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:docking="http://schemas.actiprosoftware.com/winfx/xaml/docking" Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525">
    <Grid>  
        <Button></Button>
        <docking:StandardMdiHost Background="{x:Null}">
            <TextBlock>Testing Testing</TextBlock>
        </docking:StandardMdiHost>
    </Grid>
</Window>

 The textblock here is automatically wrapped in a DocumentWindow, I presume, because it shows up in a floating window.

I cannot interact with the button.

I believe this code will work for what you're trying to do:

<Grid>
	<Button Content="Test" />
	<docking:DockSite Background="{x:Null}">
		<docking:Workspace Background="{x:Null}">
			<docking:StandardMdiHost>
				<docking:StandardMdiHost.Template>
					<ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type docking:StandardMdiHost}">
						<ItemsPresenter />
					</ControlTemplate>
				</docking:StandardMdiHost.Template>
						
				<docking:DocumentWindow Title="Test" />
			</docking:StandardMdiHost>
		</docking:Workspace>
	</docking:DockSite>
</Grid>

The downside is that we had to remove a ScrollViewer that normally wraps the ItemsPresenter.  If we don't it captures the mouse, even if its Background is set to null.  So you lose scrollbars if the MDI windows are moved outside the bounds of the container.

Many Thanks! That's acceptable!