Cross-platform mobile dev with Mono

Multi-platform with Mono

iOS Basics
Based on Mac OSX – so it's Unix
Development is done with Objective-C
No memory management (on iOS devices)
Some 'different' syntax [[Fraction alloc] init]
but readable for c# developers, particularly once you get your head around message-passing, protocols, delegates and their MVC interpretation

Android Basics
Based on Linux 2.6 – so it's Unix
Development is done with Java
“ Every Android application runs in its own process, with its own instance of the Dalvik virtual machine”
very readable for c# developers, so existing examples and documentation are accessible

What is Mono?
Open source implementation of the CLR
Linux, MacOS X, Solaris, BSD, Wii, PS3
Started in 2001, purchased by Novell in 2003, released in 2004
'binary compatible' with Microsoft .NET
Existing .NET assemblies will run
Includes the framework
http://www.mono-project.com/
http://github.com/mono

What is MonoTouch? Mono ('Silverlight subset') + iOS API bindings + Xcode/Interface Builder parser + Static (AOT) compiler = Native iPhone/iPad application http://monotouch.net/ Released Sept 2009

MonoTouch System Req's
To play in the simulator ( FREE )
Intel-based Mac OSX (latest : Snow Leopard)
Apple's iPhone SDK (Simulator) ^
Mono for OSX
MonoTouch Trial (and MonoDevelop IDE) ^
To get onto your iPhone/iPad (and into the AppStore)
Apple Developer Program membership (USD99) ^
MonoTouch Prof or Enterprise license (USD399+)

What is Mono for Android? Mono ('Silverlight subset') + Android API bindings + 'AXML' intellisense support + Visual Studio plug-in (or MonoDevelop) = Android application http://mono-android.net/ Released April 2011

Mono for Android System Req's
To play in the simulator ( FREE )
Mac OSX with MonoDevelop OR Windows (VisualStudio 2010 or MonoDevelop)
Oracle's Java SDK
Google's Android SDK
Mono for Android Trial (and MonoDevelop IDE)
To get onto a device
Mono for Android Prof or Enterprise license (USD399+)
To get onto Android Market
Google Developer account (USD25)

What is Mono for WP7?

What is Mono for WP7? Kidding! Just grab the Windows Phone 7 Developer Tools (with Visual Studio 2010 Express) and use the real .NET Framework :-) There will be other sessions about WP7... just keep in mind that the non-UI code you write there can run on iOS & Android thanks to Mono :-)

Details!
Debugging
Linking
UI
iOS
Android
Navigation
Databinding
F.A.Q.

Debugging
'soft debugger' gets embedded in your app
Can be configured (IP address, port)
Binaries are much larger (of course)
Allows breakpoints, step-through, call stack
Works via TCP/IP, so you can debug the Simulator AND the device (untethered, so long as wifi is enabled).

Linking
Mono compiler strips out unused classes/libraries
Mobile devices – size matters!
Trap for young players: it might strip out stuff you want to keep!
Classes/methods/properties used via Reflection
Classes/methods/properties used in serialization operations
By default it's disabled in DEBUG, so stuff will work there and mysteriously break in RELEASE [ Preserve (AllMembers = true )]

Binding to iOS Native Controls 1
MonoTouch.* namespaces 'map' to the native iPhone OS SDK 'frameworks', eg.
MonoTouch.UIKit contains
UITableView, UITextBox/UITextBlock, UIButton
MonoTouch.MapKit contains
MKMapView, MKUserLocation
MonoTouch.CoreLocation
CLLocationCoordinate2D
etc...

Binding to iOS Native Controls 2
Layouts are generally 'absolute positioned'
More like Windows Forms
Views can be nested; custom views can be created
You may end up 'measuring' text to get tight layouts
UITableView gets used a LOT
Two ways to build:
Xcode / Interface Builder
Programmatically ← my preference

Interface Builder integration 1
Interface Builder is like the Visual Studio designer for ASPX and XAML – except it creates .XIB files

Interface Builder integration 2
.designer.cs behaves similarly to .NET – detects XIB changes and generates partial classes provide a hook for your GUI controls

Binding to Android Native Controls 1
Android.* namespaces 'map' to the native Android SDK classes, eg.
Android.Widget contains
ListView, Button, ImageView, TextView
Android.App contains
Activity, Dialog, Application
etc...
but some things (eg. Map) still not quite there

Binding to Android Native Controls 2
Layout is generally 'relative'
More like XAML [LinearLayout ~= StackPanel]
Doesn't mean things can't overlap!
Custom views can be created and referenced in your axml (namespace trick)
Two ways to build:
axml in the /Layout/ folder ← my preference
programmatically

Android UI Designer
There isn't one! (of the same quality. Options include DroidDraw)
Resource.Designer.cs
Intellisense for UI elements (from .axml to c#)
.axml is used to enable intellisense
NOT a full partial-class linking axml-Activity *
FindViewById<T> is used to wire up yourself
* http://betasoftware.blogspot.com/2011/02/automated-monodroid-layout-t4-edition.html

Navigation
Getting from screen to screen
StartActivity()
Intent
SetClass typeof(AnActivity)
PutExtra
Can also 'trigger' other applications
PushViewController()
UIViewController
Subclass and pass instance
… also UITabBar items

Databinding (lists)
More work that you are used to...
BaseAdapter
GetView
Count
GetItem
(.ItemClick is attached to the ListView itself)
UITableViewSource
GetCell
RowsInSection
RowSelected

'translation'

F.A.Q.
Questions I've been asked in the past:
Filesystem
Settings
Sqlite
WebClient
Incoming connections
Interfacing with the device (call, gps, camera)

Example: RestGuide Runs on Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7 github.com/conceptdev

Example: MIX11 Runs on Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7 mix11.confapp.com

Any questions?

Professional iPhone w/ MonoTouch

http://conceptdev.blogspot.com	908
http://www.go-mono.com	170
http://conceptdev.blogspot.com.au	16
http://go-mono.com	12
http://conceptdev.blogspot.de	11
http://conceptdev.blogspot.in	9
http://twitter.com	9
http://paper.li	7
http://conceptdev.blogspot.fr	7
http://conceptdev.blogspot.mx	6
http://conceptdev.blogspot.co.uk	5
http://conceptdev.blogspot.se	5
http://www.rxx.co.il	5
http://conceptdev.blogspot.ca	4
http://www.techgig.com	4
http://conceptdev.blogspot.com.es	4
http://go-mono.net	4
http://www.go-mono.org	3
https://twitter.com	2
http://www.twylah.com	2
http://conceptdev.blogspot.jp	2
http://conceptdev.blogspot.pt	1
http://www.onlydoo.com	1
http://us-w1.rockmelt.com	1
http://conceptdev.blogspot.com.br	1

Cross-platform mobile dev with Mono

by Craig Dunn on May 07, 2011

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