Creating a New Surface Duo Xamarin.Android App Project

[njsokalski]

I am new to Xamarin & Android, coming from a UWP background. I would like to see a video or step-by-step tutorial that includes:

1. Project configuration changes necessary for apps optimized for Surface Duo, including:

The Xamarin.DuoSdk NuGet package

App Configuration, such as Properties, AssemblyInfo.cs, & AndroidManifest.xml

2. Standard code changes

Any Attributes in codebehind files (such as MainActivity.cs)

Adding commonly implemented event handlers for dual-screen apps (such as when an app is spanned or unspanned)

Adjustments in UI files (such as activity_main.xml) that are often used for dual-screen apps (such as an appropriate place to put TwoPaneView)

Like I said, I am new to both Xamarin and Android, but I think most developers will have an easier time optimizing their apps for Surface Duo & dual screen once they are confident the basics are set up (since like everything else, it's easy to forget certain hidden things you didn't need before). I also think it would be nice if there was a Surface Duo Xamarin.Android Template in Visual Studio 2019 (possibly as part of the Xamarin.DuoSdk NuGet package).

[#2]

Hi @njsokalski and welcome onboard :)

Just as a lesson learned videos are outdated as soon as they get published. Thr SDK is IMHO still rapidly evolving.

I can recommand you the samples section (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dual-screen/xamarin/samples).

Also the "Use the SDK" provides a simple getting started with all you need, including the first event handler (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dual-screen/xamarin/use-sdk).

If you have any other question, let us know!

[#3]

@njsokalski you might be interested in Microsoft Learn.

There is a dual-screen module, which is part of a series on Xamarin.Forms. Following these modules will help you understand the basics of Android and Xamarin.Forms, as well as the specifics of developing for the Surface Duo.

[#4]

@njsokalski 

Did you have any luck to get started with Microsoft Surface Duo development? If not, maybe we can assist you :).

[#5]

@tscholzeI sort of threw the Duo part on the back burner for a while as we wait for MAUI near the end of 2021. I have a lot of learning to do before I'd be able to efficiently use a lot of the stuff, so I decided to work more on the basics of Xamarin, since the other stuff will probably be easier to understand and more useful if I do that first. And hopefully there will be more templates for dual-screen stuff in the future as well, so right now I am sort of "practicing" as I make my transition from UWP to Xamarin.Forms & hopefully, at some point, MAUI. Thank you for your help.

[#6]

@njsokalski 

Sounds like a great idea. I hope that MAUI will be production ready with version 1 but I think it is as always "wait and see" how many iterations wie have to wait until we can move from Forms to Maui and if there will be a Duo SDK.

Have fun!