title: WPF: Unable to access static resource from child control
body: <p>I cannot find out how to access my Window.Resources from inside a child control's Resource section.  I have a DataTemplate being defined in the child control, and want that DataTemplate to bind to an ICommand on my view model (defined in Window.Resources)</p>
  
  <p><em>EDIT:</em>  I added my <code>RadPaneGroup</code> code to the Main Window XAML.  This is where I instantiate the <code>ProjectsViewModel</code> object.  The <code>ProjectsView</code> control contained in the <code>RadDocumentPane</code> is the Child Control I have listed below.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Main Window</strong></p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;Window.Resources&gt;
      &lt;viewModels:ProjectsViewModel x:Key="ProjectsViewModel" /&gt;
  &lt;/Window.Resources&gt;
  &lt;telerik:RadDocking HasDocumentHost="False" &gt;
      &lt;telerik:RadSplitContainer&gt;
          &lt;telerik:RadPaneGroup DataContext="{StaticResource ProjectsViewModel}"&gt;
              &lt;telerik:RadDocumentPane Header="Projects"&gt;
                  &lt;views:ProjectsView/&gt;
              &lt;/telerik:RadDocumentPane&gt;
          &lt;/telerik:RadPaneGroup&gt;
      &lt;/telerik:RadSplitContainer&gt;
      ...
  </code></pre>
  
  <p><strong>Child Control</strong></p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;Control.Resources&gt;
      &lt;!--Data template for the Task object--&gt;
      &lt;DataTemplate  DataType="{x:Type models:Task}"&gt;
          &lt;StackPanel&gt;
              &lt;TextBlock Text="{Binding DisplayName}" Foreground="Red" 
                         FontSize="16" FontFamily="Verdana" /&gt;
              &lt;telerik:RadContextMenu.ContextMenu&gt;
                  &lt;telerik:RadContextMenu &gt;
                      &lt;telerik:RadMenuItem Header="New Project" 
                              Command="{Binding NewProjectCommand}"/&gt;
                  &lt;/telerik:RadContextMenu&gt;
              &lt;/telerik:RadContextMenu.ContextMenu&gt;
          &lt;/StackPanel&gt;
      &lt;/DataTemplate&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The binding on the above XAML is trying to bind to the Task object.  However, my ICommand is located in the ViewModel (ProjectsViewModel).  I've tried to change the binding to <code>Command="{Binding NewProjectCommand, Source={StaticResource ProjectsViewModel}}</code> but this throws an exception.</p>
  
  <p>What am I doing wrong?</p>
  
  <p>Thanks,</p>