Learn What’s New in Xamarin.Forms 4.6, 4.7, and 4.8 with Microsoft MVP Alessandro Del Sole [Webinar Show Notes]

This blog provides show notes for our September 24, 2020 webinar, “Learn What’s New in Xamarin.Forms 4.6, 4.7, and 4.8.” The webinar is presented by Microsoft MVP Alessandro Del Sole. A recording of the webinar is embedded below. A transcript of the webinar Q&A segment is also provided.

Overview

The latest versions of Xamarin.Forms have introduced many interesting features for developers, from media, to graphics, to new controls. This webinar covers the following topics:

• IDE enhancement: Real-time UI changes with Hot Reload.
• Multimedia: Play audio and videos with the MediaElement control.
• Add gradients with brushes.
• Draw plain shapes, with hints for 2D geometries.
• New controls: IndicatorView, SwipeView, Expander, and Maps.

The code for the sample demonstrated in this webinar is available on GitHub at https://github.com/AlessandroDelSole/Xamarin48SyncfusionWebinar.

We hope you enjoy this webinar, and please keep an eye out for our future webinars from Syncfusion on Xamarin.

Webinar Q&A

If Apple Maps isn´t available in my country, can I use Google Maps on Apple devices?

Unfortunately no, it’s based on the system map.

Can paths be used in place of webforms?

No, paths are only intended to draw complex 2D shapes.

What are the differences between the Expander and Accordion?

The Accordion isn’t a Xamarin.Forms view, but it is available via third parties such as Syncfusion. The behavior is basically the same.

Can MediaElement display images, or do I need to use another control? I need a general media display regardless of whether it is a video or an image.

During the webinar I said it can, but unfortunately I was mistaken. MediaElement can play audio and video, but it cannot display images. You have to use the Image view to display an image.

Could an Expander control containing an image act as a header to a collection view’s vertical list of items, where scrolling the list would slowly collapse or expand the image based upon the list’s current position?           

It can.

Does the IndicatorView work in UWP?

Yes, it does.

Are all of these controls available in iOS, Android, and UWP, or is UWP still in the experimental phase?

They’re experimental for all the OSes, but it’s reasonable to expect the flag to be removed in the upcoming releases.

What app are you using to display the iOS demo?

It’s the Visual Studio iOS simulator, but you need a Mac in your network with Xcode installed to build for iOS.

What about performance? Do you have any measurements for Xamarin.Forms 4.8 versus 4.4, or Xamarin.Native for Android/iOS/UWP vs. native Android with Android Studio?

Since I don’t use Android Studio and native Android, I cannot respond to that part. For the latest versions of Xamarin.Forms, my daily work tells me that performance between 4.4 and 4.8 is basically the same, but with much more reliability and fewer bugs.

Is it possible to use the background color linearshadecolor in the background page?    

Absolutely.

Can you integrate Xamarin with Power BI?

You can embed Power BI data exposed via Azure in your Xamarin apps.

Recommended resources (related links):

• Xamarin.Forms documentation: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/xamarin/xamarin-forms/
• Hot Reload documentation: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/xamarin/xamarin-forms/xaml/hot-reload
• Xamarin.Forms 4.8 release blog: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/xamarin/xamarinforms-4-8-gradients-brushes/
• Xamarin.Forms Succinctly ebook: https://www.syncfusion.com/ebooks/xamarin-forms-succinctly