In this series, we will explore a number of topics on Advanced Xamarin.Forms that have arisen in our work for clients, or at my job as Principal Mobile Developer for IFS Core.
Before we can start, however, we need to build an API that we can program against. Ideally, this API will support all CRUD operations and will reside on Azure.
Continue readingMicrosoft’s Maddy Leger. Program manager for all things Xamarin.Forms Tools, talks about Hot ReLoading and much more
Show links:
In a previous blog post I discussed the problem of being in your ViewModel yet having to display a dialog to the user. You can’t interact with the page from the ViewModel, but you don’t want the logic of your program in the code-behind.
In that previous article, I demonstrated solving that problem using an event. In this blog post, Rodrigo Juarez and I will demonstrate three alternatives:
There are significant problems with the first two; the most important of which is that they are difficult or impossible to write unit tests for. The third approach, however, is clean, efficient and very testable using a Mock service.
Continue readingThe code for the 1/2 day workshop at CodeMash is available here. Thanks.
Not sure where I got this, but still like it:
/*
* find the important things in Life, the Universe, and Everything
*/
typedef short some; /* some things are short */
typedef some very; /* some things are very short */
#define A /* The first letter of the English Alphabet */
#define LINE 2 /* 2 points define a line */
#define TRUTH BEAUTY /* truth is beauty */
#define BEAUTY 10 /* and beauty is a 10 */
#define bad char /* burnt on both sides */
#define old char /* the great Chicago Fire */
#define get strlen /* during your life, try to get some sterling */
#define youmake float /* you make it, I'll drink it */
#define yourgoals in terms you can understand
/*
#include "yourdreams" /* for the future */
/* everyone needs goals */
short term;
double yourpleasure();
double yourfun;
long Term, play(), agame;
/* everyone needs diversions */
old *joke = "Why did the chicken cross the road?\n\tTo get to the other side!\n\t\tWocka Wocka Wocka!\n";
tell(joke)
bad *joke; /* wait- you haven't heard it yet! */
{
short laugh; /* please */
laugh = get(joke);
write(1, joke, laugh); /* write it down- don't say it */
}
/* most folks like music */
long play(record)
long record;
{
very pleasant = TRUTH; /* if you like music */
while (record == pleasant)
play(record--);
return( pleasant ); /* music soothes the savage */
}
double yourpleasure(one, way) /* this is necessary if */
some one; /* is watching ,or if you have a */
long way; /* to go */
{
/* this can change one while maintaining one's identity */
one = one * one;
return( one ); /* after all, it should have at least doubled */
}
hold(temper) /* good advice */
A short temper; /* is a dangerous thing */
{
A long time; /* is what you need */
very calm; /* is how you should be */
calm = temper, temper;
while (calm--)
wait(&time);
return(calm); /* if possible */
}
/* now, on to the main thing */
main(thing, mustbe) /* to balance work, play, and goals */
some thing, mustbe; /* important, or we wouldn't be here */
{
long time(); /* know C */
very bored; /* the result of too few goals */
short hours; /* make */
long yourwork; /* which makes for */
short tempers; /* which can be improved by */
long laughing;
/* first, set priorities */
yourwork = 0;
yourfun = 1.0e+38;
if (yourpleasure( mustbe, yourwork ))
yourfun = yourwork;
else
yourfun = play( agame );
bored = yourfun - yourwork; /* nothing to do? */
/* reach out and touch someone! */
switch ( bored ) { /* connects all of this together */
default:
hours = hold(LINE); /* no way to avoid it, take a */
break;
}
/* take a music break */
while ( thing-- ) { /* you make my heart sing */
youmake everything;
very groovy;
}
/* focus on what is important to you */
while ( yourfun < 0 ) {
yourpleasure( mustbe, agame);
yourfun = play( agame );
}
tell(joke);
exit( laughing );
}
In my previous
Yuck.
Today we’ll look at a better way of doing that. But hold on to your hat, and fasten your seat belt, because we’re going to dive into the deep end.
Continue readingIn my previous (and first) posting on Learning Xamarin, I demonstrated how to create a pretty cool program out of the box. Let’s back up now, and start with a blank app, and see what we can build from there.
Create a new project as described in the previous posting, but this time choose a Blank application.
Continue readingIt has been a few months since I’ve posted, and I hope you missed me as much as I missed you. To re-launch this blog, I’ve decided to provide a series on Xamarin.Forms programming.
If you prefer to learn by watching a video, check out this video course.
If you are new to Xamarin.Forms (and I’m assuming you are) then there is a lot to learn, but none of it is very difficult… ok some of it is, but not until you’re into very advanced topics. The one thing you do need to know is C#. You don’t have to be an expert, but you do have to be comfortable with the language.
Continue readingHere is a link to the slide deck for my presentation at NYC Code Camp.
Thanks!
Microsoft’s Maddy Leger. Program manager for all things Xamarin.Forms Tools, talks about Hot ReLoading and much more
Show links:
Here’s a problem I come across more often than I would have expected. 
I want my buttons to use Commands in the View Model, but in response to the command, I have to interact with the user in a way that is much easier to do in the code behind.
Let’s take the example of a user pressing a button to delete a record. The button calls a command in the ViewModel, but I want to show a confirmation dialog box in the view. If the user affirms the deletion, I want to do the work back in the View Model. Oy.
I often have to dim a button to indicate that it is disabled, and I want to do that via data binding.
