WPF TextBlock Background Animation w/ Data Binding

Question

I have been trying for some time to animate a TextBlock background from white to red and back again (blinking) when a data bound boolean property is set to 'True'. Every time I run it, it goes into break mode.

I know I am missing something. Any help or direction that you can provide would be so very appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

<TextBlock x:Name="txtItemDisplayText" HorizontalAlignment="Left" TextWrapping="Wrap" Text="{Binding ItemCountText}" VerticalAlignment="Top" Height="600" Width="800" TextAlignment="Center" FontSize="525" FontWeight="Bold" FontFamily="Agency FB" Foreground="Green">
        <TextBlock.Style>
            <Style>
                <Style.Triggers>
                    <DataTrigger Binding="{Binding Blink}" Value="True">
                        <DataTrigger.EnterActions>
                            <BeginStoryboard Name="sbBlink">
                                <Storyboard>
                                    <ColorAnimation Storyboard.TargetProperty="(TextBlock.Background).(SolidColorBrush.Color)"
                                            From="White" To="Red" FillBehavior="Stop"
                                            BeginTime="0:0:0" Duration="0:0:0.3"/>
                                    <ColorAnimation Storyboard.TargetProperty="(TextBlock.Background).(SolidColorBrush.Color)"
                                            From="Red" To="White"
                                            BeginTime="0:0:0.3" Duration="0:0:1"/>
                                </Storyboard>
                            </BeginStoryboard>
                        </DataTrigger.EnterActions>

                        <DataTrigger.ExitActions>
                            <RemoveStoryboard BeginStoryboardName="sbBlink"/>
                        </DataTrigger.ExitActions>
                    </DataTrigger>
                </Style.Triggers>
            </Style>
       </TextBlock.Style>
</TextBlock>

Private mBlink As Boolean = False
Public Property Blink() As Boolean
    Get
        Return mBlink
    End Get
    Set(value As Boolean)
        mBlink = value
        RaisePropertyChanged("Blink")
    End Set
End Property

Answer 1

You can't animate the Color property of the predefined Brushes. Add a Setter for the Background property that explicitly sets a new SolidColorBrush instance:

<TextBlock.Style>
    <Style TargetType="TextBlock">
        <Setter Property="Background">
            <Setter.Value>
                <SolidColorBrush Color="White"/>
            </Setter.Value>
        </Setter>
        <Style.Triggers>
            <DataTrigger Binding="{Binding Blink}" Value="True">
                <DataTrigger.EnterActions>
                    <BeginStoryboard Name="sbBlink">
                        <Storyboard>
                            <ColorAnimation Storyboard.TargetProperty="Background.Color"
                                From="White" To="Red" FillBehavior="Stop"
                                BeginTime="0:0:0" Duration="0:0:0.3"/>
                            <ColorAnimation Storyboard.TargetProperty="Background.Color"
                                From="Red" To="White"
                                BeginTime="0:0:0.3" Duration="0:0:1"/>
                        </Storyboard>
                    </BeginStoryboard>
                </DataTrigger.EnterActions>
                <DataTrigger.ExitActions>
                    <RemoveStoryboard BeginStoryboardName="sbBlink"/>
                </DataTrigger.ExitActions>
            </DataTrigger>
        </Style.Triggers>
    </Style>
</TextBlock.Style>