---
title: "How to: Find DataTemplate-Generated Elements"
ms.date: "03/30/2017"
dev_langs: 
  - "csharp"
  - "vb"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "finding DataTemplate elements [WPF]"
  - "DataTemplate [WPF]"
ms.assetid: bfcd564e-5e9e-451e-8641-a9b5c3cfac90
---
# How to: Find DataTemplate-Generated Elements
This example shows how to find elements that are generated by a <xref:System.Windows.DataTemplate>.  
  
## Example  
 In this example, there is a <xref:System.Windows.Controls.ListBox> that is bound to some XML data:  
  
 [!code-xaml[FindGeneratedItems#LB](~/samples/snippets/csharp/VS_Snippets_Wpf/FindGeneratedItems/CSharp/Window1.xaml#lb)]  
  
 The <xref:System.Windows.Controls.ListBox> uses the following <xref:System.Windows.DataTemplate>:  
  
 [!code-xaml[FindGeneratedItems#DT](~/samples/snippets/csharp/VS_Snippets_Wpf/FindGeneratedItems/CSharp/Window1.xaml#dt)]  
  
 If you want to retrieve the <xref:System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock> element generated by the <xref:System.Windows.DataTemplate> of a certain <xref:System.Windows.Controls.ListBoxItem>, you need to get the <xref:System.Windows.Controls.ListBoxItem>, find the <xref:System.Windows.Controls.ContentPresenter> within that <xref:System.Windows.Controls.ListBoxItem>, and then call <xref:System.Windows.FrameworkTemplate.FindName%2A> on the <xref:System.Windows.DataTemplate> that is set on that <xref:System.Windows.Controls.ContentPresenter>. The following example shows how to perform those steps. For demonstration purposes, this example creates a message box that shows the text content of the <xref:System.Windows.DataTemplate>-generated text block.  
  
 [!code-csharp[FindGeneratedItems#DTFindElement](~/samples/snippets/csharp/VS_Snippets_Wpf/FindGeneratedItems/CSharp/Window1.xaml.cs#dtfindelement)]
 [!code-vb[FindGeneratedItems#DTFindElement](~/samples/snippets/visualbasic/VS_Snippets_Wpf/FindGeneratedItems/VisualBasic/Window1.xaml.vb#dtfindelement)]  
  
 The following is the implementation of `FindVisualChild`, which uses the <xref:System.Windows.Media.VisualTreeHelper> methods:  
  
 [!code-csharp[FindGeneratedItems#FVC](~/samples/snippets/csharp/VS_Snippets_Wpf/FindGeneratedItems/CSharp/Window1.xaml.cs#fvc)]
 [!code-vb[FindGeneratedItems#FVC](~/samples/snippets/visualbasic/VS_Snippets_Wpf/FindGeneratedItems/VisualBasic/Window1.xaml.vb#fvc)]  
  
## See also

- [How to: Find ControlTemplate-Generated Elements](../controls/how-to-find-controltemplate-generated-elements.md)
- [Data Binding Overview](data-binding-overview.md)
- [How-to Topics](data-binding-how-to-topics.md)
- [Styling and Templating](../controls/styles-templates-overview.md)
- [WPF XAML Namescopes](../advanced/wpf-xaml-namescopes.md)
- [Trees in WPF](../advanced/trees-in-wpf.md)