Issue 225

KYM PHILLPOTTS

I'm going to call this issue of the WeeklyXamarin the "Dark Mode Issue". But it's not all dark mode, there are also lots of great articles and nugets to check out in this issue.

Also, have a look at the UnoConf live stream for some news about taking your Xamarin.Forms applications to the Web!!!

Have a great weekend and enjoy!

❤

Kym

NEWS

.NET Conf 2019!

.NET Conf is back again this year and will be live streaming to a device near you September 23-25 on www.dotnetconf.net with local events around the world! .NET Conf is a FREE, 3-day virtual developer event co-organized by the .NET community and Microsoft.

Local Events for dotNET Conf 2019! : Xamarin Blog

iOS 13 and Xcode 11 Support Just Announced!

Microsoft just announced support for iOS 13 and Xcode 11 to accompany the Gold Master release from Apple. They have also updated the documentation to help you quickly get started with the new features.

CODE

Performance logger class

At some time or another, we need to track down performance issues. It’s inevitable if you develop software for long enough, and especially in mobile development where there’s such a vast range of devices that need to be supported. Here is a nice little class you can throw into your apps to help you out.

Simple performance analytics with performance logger class by Matt Crombie

DESIGN

Color System Plugin for Sketch

There is so much discussion about dark modes you'd think that Apple just invented it. Anyway, are you designing for dark mode? If you use Sketch then you might want to check out this plugin that makes switching between two colour schemes for your design as easy as clicking a single button.

Color System Plugin for Sketch by

DEVOPS

Getting started with creating your own NuGet package

Have you always wanted to create your own NuGet package but not quite sure where to start? Steven creates some of the most loved nuget packages for Xamarin, so he's in a good place to talk about how to build a Xamarin NuGet packages and how distribute them using Azure DevOps!

Getting started with creating your own NuGet package by Steven

TOOLS

Lightswitch IDE tool

iOS13 and Android 10 both introduce new system-wide dark mode visual options, which is awesome. Switching between dark and light themes generally takes a few taps and/or swipes depending on whether you're using a device, simulator or emulator, and that's kind of a pain. LightSwitch is a rough and ready tool that makes toggling dark/light themes for your app quicker, by moving the pain to an upfront IDE plugin and NuGet install.

lightswitch ? by Ryan Davis

ANDROID

Talking to a Xiaomi Mijia Temperature Sensor

Cheesebaron talks about a cool project to get temperature and air humidity information from a Xiaomi Mijia Temperature Sensor.

Talking to a Xiaomi Mijia Temperature Sensor by Tomasz Cielecki

IOS

Picking your minimum iOS version to support

When a new iOS version arrives it’s oftentimes a moment to reflect on the supported iOS versions and see to which minimum iOS version your project should be set. It’s an important decision in a developer’s job and not something you can do without reasoning.

Picking your minimum iOS version to support by Antoine Van Der Lee

XAMARIN FORMS

Hashtag detection in Xamarin Forms

Rendy implements a feature that detects hashtags and handles when users tap on them using behaviors.

Hashtag detection in Xamarin Forms by Rendy

Xamarin.Forms: StackLayout vs Grid

When using Xamarin.Forms, it's pretty easy to get addicted to StackLayout. And why not? It's very convenient for the developer. Just toss in some child views, and they will get positioned nicely in a line. But really everyone knows Grid is the Boss of Layout .😊

In this article, Eric Sink goes pretty deep into performance considerations.

Xamarin.Forms: StackLayout vs Grid by Erik Sink

The Run Away Part 2: Drawing curves with SkiaSharp

This article is the follow-up to Sharpnado's earlier post on rendering running routes on Maps. It was amazing and you should go check it out. This blog post talks more about enhancing performance.

The Run Away! app part 2: Drawing curves with SkiaSharp by Jean-Marie Alfonsi's Picture

SECURITY

New Guidelines for Sign in with Apple

Apple says we all have to support their new sign-in approach (sooner rather than later). Here are some guidelines from apple - Make it easy for users to sign in to your apps and websites using the Apple ID they already have. With privacy and security features built-in, Sign in with Apple is a great way to help users set up an account, sign in, and engage with your app quickly and easily.

New Guidelines for Sign in with Apple by Apple

NUGET OF THE WEEK

Xamarin.Forms.Skeleton

The latest trend for loading approaches in mobile apps is to have placeholders where you load content. This looks like a cool nuget that can be easily implemented on each view contained in your Xaml.

Xamarin.Forms.Skeleton

Xamarin Forms MediaElement now available on WPF – Peter Foot

Following on from the recent announcement that Peter's library InTheHand.Forms MediaElement component now supports MacOS, it has now been updated to include MediaElement support on WPF! It's great to see non iOS/Android platform support being added to more libraries lately!

PODCASTS & VIDEOS

Android App Bundles 101 | The Xamarin Show

This week, James is joined by friend of the show Jon Douglas, Xamarin.Android Program Manager, who shows off how to start bundling your Android application with App Bundles. He also gives us a 101 crash course into what they are, why you want to use them, and a full guide to get started today!

Android App Bundles 101 | The Xamarin Show by James Montemagno

Merge Conflict: 167: My Phone's CPU Has 8.5 Billion Transistors

It is all things Apple all the time! That is right, it is the launch of the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, but so much more including SERVICE! Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade are GO! Additionally, there is a new iPad, new watches, and a whole lot more!

AND FINALLY...

Visual Studio Shortcut Mousepad - Mac/Windows

This mousepad will help you to understand the shortcuts for your application. Shortcuts are easy to forget, with the high-quality Worksmarter mousepad it's always closely integrated within your workflow.

The creator Thomas is a long-time subscriber for Weekly Xamarin and Xamarin developer based in The Netherlands.

Visual Studio Shortcut Mousepad - Mac/Windows by Thomas Muller

Issue 225 20th September 2019