Xamarin.Forms - Borderless Editor Using Custom Renderer

In this article, how to create a Borderless Editor Using Custom Renderer in Xamarin.forms

• Xamarin.Forms - Borderless Entry Using Custom Renderer

Introduction

Xamarin.Forms code runs on multiple platforms - each of which has its own filesystem. This means that reading and writing files are the most easily done tasks using native file APIs on each platform. Alternatively, embedded resources are also a simpler solution to distribute the data files with an app.

Custom Renderers

Xamarin.Forms user interfaces are rendered using the native controls of the target platform, allowing Xamarin.Forms applications to retain the appropriate look and feel for each platform. Custom Renderers let developers override this process to customize the appearance and behavior of Xamarin.Forms controls on each platform.

For more information


Prerequisites

• Visual Studio 2017(Windows or Mac)

Setting up a Xamarin.Forms Project

Start by creating a new Xamarin.Forms project. You’ll learn more by going through the steps yourself.
Choose the  Cross-platform App project under Visual C#-->Cross-platform in the New Project dialog.

Now Select the Blank App and Choose Portable Class Library(PCL).

Subsequently, go to the solution. In there, you get all the files and sources of your project (PCL). Now, select XAML page and double-click to open the MainPage.Xaml page.
You now have a basic Xamarin.Forms app. Click the Play button to try it out.

In this step create a default Editor control with border.

Now, write the following code.

MainPage.xaml

	<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
	<ContentPage xmlns="http://xamarin.com/schemas/2014/forms" xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml" xmlns:local="clr-namespace:XamarinFormsEditor" x:Class="XamarinFormsEditor.MainPage">
	<ContentPage.Content>
	<StackLayout>
	<StackLayout HorizontalOptions="CenterAndExpand" VerticalOptions="StartAndExpand">
	<Image x:Name="imgBanner" HeightRequest="300" WidthRequest="300"></Image>
	<Editor Text="Enter Some text here..." HeightRequest="100" BackgroundColor="LightGray"></Editor>
	</StackLayout>
	</StackLayout>
	</ContentPage.Content>
	</ContentPage>

view raw MainPage.xaml hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Click the Play button to try it out.

Create a Custom Editor

Now, Create an Inherit class form Editor for Customizing the Editor control.

Go to Solution—>PCL—>Right click—>New—>Class—>XEditor.cs.

Now, write the following code.

XEditor.cs

	using Xamarin.Forms;
	namespace XamarinFormsEditor.Controls
	{
	public class XEditor:Editor
	{
	}
	}

view raw XEditor.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Making Your Android Implementation

In this step create an inherit Class form, EditorRenderer for customizing the Editor control

Go to Solution.Droid—>Class—> XEditorRenderer.cs

Now, write the code given below.

XEditorRenderer.cs

	using Xamarin.Forms;
	using XamarinFormsEditor.Controls;
	using XamarinFormsEditor.Droid.Helpers;
	using Xamarin.Forms.Platform.Android;
	using Android.Graphics.Drawables;
	[assembly: ExportRenderer(typeof(XEditor), typeof(XEditorRenderer))]
	namespace XamarinFormsEditor.Droid.Helpers {
	public class XEditorRenderer: EditorRenderer {
	protected override void OnElementChanged(ElementChangedEventArgs < Editor > e) {
	base.OnElementChanged(e);
	if (Control != null) {
	Control.Background = new ColorDrawable(Android.Graphics.Color.Transparent);
	}
	}
	}
	}

view raw XEditorRenderer.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Setting up the User Interface.

Now,  Add a Customized Editor control to your app. Go to MainPage.Xaml and write the following code.

MainPage.Xaml

	<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
	<ContentPage xmlns="http://xamarin.com/schemas/2014/forms" xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml" xmlns:local="clr-namespace:XamarinFormsEditor" xmlns:Controls="clr-namespace:XamarinFormsEditor.Controls" x:Class="XamarinFormsEditor.MainPage">
	<ContentPage.Content>
	<StackLayout>
	<StackLayout HorizontalOptions="CenterAndExpand" VerticalOptions="StartAndExpand">
	<Image x:Name="imgBanner" HeightRequest="300" WidthRequest="300"></Image>
	<Controls:XEditor Text="Enter Some text here..." HeightRequest="100" BackgroundColor="LightGray"></Controls:XEditor>
	</StackLayout>
	</StackLayout>
	</ContentPage.Content>
	</ContentPage>

view raw MainPage.xaml hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Go to MainPage.Xaml.cs and write the following code(optional).

MainPage.Xaml.cs

	using Xamarin.Forms;
	namespace XamarinFormsEditor {
	public partial class MainPage: ContentPage {
	public MainPage() {
	InitializeComponent();
	imgBanner.Source = ImageSource.FromResource("XamarinFormsEditor.images.banner.png");
	}
	}
	}

view raw MainPage.xaml.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Click the Play button to try it out.

I hope you have understood how to Create a Borderless Editor Using Custom Renderer.

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