Xamarin Component: ZXing.Net.Mobile Barcode Scanner

If you are looking for a free Xamarin component for Barcode Scanner, ZXing.Net.Mobile is what you are looking for.
Get it from: https://components.xamarin.com/view/zxing.net.mobile

Problem Encountered:
I was having 1 little problem when try using ZXing.Net.Mobile barcode scanner in my code. I got the following error:

Error	1	 cannot find symbol
symbol  : class OnActionExpandListener
location: class android.support.v4.view.MenuItemCompat
		android.support.v4.view.MenuItemCompat.OnActionExpandListener
	D:\Projects\Hybrid Dev\AnacleMobile\AnacleMobile.Droid\obj\Debug\android\src\mono\android\support\v4\view\MenuItemCompat_OnActionExpandListenerImplementor.java	8	41	AnacleMobile.Droid

It turns out the problem was because ZXing.Net.Mobile requires you to reference get and add Xamarin.Android.Support.V4 into reference. And coincidentally, I have added Mono.Android.Support.V4 into reference as well and apparently, you can’t have both Mono.Android.Support.V4 and Xamarin.Android.Support.V4 as in reference. So in this case I just remove Mono.Android.Support.V4 from reference and it compiled fine.

Solution Source: URL.

Xamarin/Android: Use ViewHolder In BaseAdapter Class

I was having a lot problem with Android ListView using Adapters lately. The original implementation was horrible causing the ListView to generate a lot of duplicate item.

Purpose of Code: I had this checklist page where it supposed to load a list of checklist item from server database and populate the item into ListView on the app.

1. Original code.
Problem Description: the display is weird and it’s causing display of duplicate items here and there.

...
public override View GetView(int position, View view, ViewGroup parent)
{
    GetChecklistItem cli = checklistItems[position];

    if (view != null)
        return view;
    if (view == null)
    {
        view = context.LayoutInflater.Inflate(AnacleAndroid.Resource.Layout.ChecklistRow, null);
    }

    TextView objectName = (TextView)view.FindViewById(AndroidApp.Resource.Id.lblObjectName);
    EditText remarks = (EditText)view.FindViewById(AndroidApp.Resource.Id.checklistRemarks);
    RadioGroup radio = (RadioGroup)view.FindViewById(AndroidApp.Resource.Id.radioGroup);
    objectName.Text = cli.ObjectName;
    if (cli.ChecklistType.HasValue)
    {
        if (cli.HasSingleTextboxField == 1 || cli.ChecklistType == ChecklistItemType.Remarks || cli.ChecklistType == ChecklistItemType.SingleLineFreeText)
        {
            remarks.Visibility = ViewStates.Visible;
            remarks.Text = cli.Remarks;
            remarks.TextChanged += delegate(object sender, Android.Text.TextChangedEventArgs e)
            {
                editChecklist.RemarksTextChangedClick(sender, e, cli);
            };
        }
        else
        {
            // otherwise hide the remark control
            remarks.Visibility = ViewStates.Gone;
        }
        if (cli.ChecklistType == ChecklistItemType.Choice)
        {
            // If checklist type is a choice. Split the ResponseName string and create radio button for each response for user to select
            //radio.
            string[] noOfRb = cli.ResponseName.Split(',');
            foreach (string tempRb in noOfRb)
            {
                RadioButton newRb = new RadioButton(this.context);
                newRb.Text = tempRb;
                newRb.TextSize = 16;
                newRb.Checked = (cli.SelectedResponse != null && cli.SelectedResponse.Equals(tempRb.Trim()));
                newRb.Click += delegate(object sender, EventArgs e)
                {
                    editChecklist.RadioButtonClick(sender, e, cli);
                };
                radio.AddView(newRb, new ViewGroup.LayoutParams(ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WrapContent, ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WrapContent));
            }
        }
        else
        {
            // Otherwise hide the RadioGroup control
            radio.Visibility = ViewStates.Gone;
        }
    }
    return view;
}
...

After Googling around, I found some answers. It has something to the Android always repainting the ListView. So I have to have a a way to store the control without the android having to look up for control every time it trigger the GetView(…). And the answer is ViewHolder. For more details please refer to this URL.

2. Fix 1 Using ViewHolder
Problem Description: The dynamic radio button keep duplicating like crazy every time user scroll up or down.

// ViewHolder Class
private class ViewHolderItem : Java.Lang.Object
{
	public TextView ObjectName;
	public EditText Remarks;
	public RadioGroup Options;
}
...
public override View GetView(int position, View view, ViewGroup parent)
{
	ViewHolderItem viewHolder;
	
	if (view == null)
	{
		view = context.LayoutInflater.Inflate(AnacleAndroid.Resource.Layout.ChecklistRow, null);
		viewHolder = new ViewHolderItem();
		viewHolder.ObjectName = (TextView)view.FindViewById(AnacleAndroid.Resource.Id.lblObjectName);
		viewHolder.Remarks = (EditText)view.FindViewById(AnacleAndroid.Resource.Id.checklistRemarks);
		viewHolder.Options = (RadioGroup)view.FindViewById(AnacleAndroid.Resource.Id.radioGroup);

		view.Tag = viewHolder;
	}
	else
	{
		viewHolder = (ViewHolderItem)view.Tag;
	}
	
	GetChecklistItem cli = checklistItems[position];
	
	if (cli != null)
	{
		viewHolder.ObjectName.Text = cli.ObjectName;
		viewHolder.ObjectName.Tag = cli.ObjectID;
		viewHolder.Remarks.Visibility = ViewStates.Visible;
		viewHolder.Options.Visibility = ViewStates.Visible;

		if (cli.ChecklistType.HasValue)
		{
			if (cli.HasSingleTextboxField == 1 || cli.ChecklistType == ChecklistItemType.Remarks || cli.ChecklistType == ChecklistItemType.SingleLineFreeText)
			{
				viewHolder.Remarks.Visibility = ViewStates.Visible;
				viewHolder.Remarks.Text = cli.Remarks;
				viewHolder.Remarks.TextChanged += delegate(object sender, Android.Text.TextChangedEventArgs e)
				{
					editChecklist.RemarksTextChangedClick(sender, e, cli);
				};
			}
			else
				viewHolder.Remarks.Visibility = ViewStates.Gone;
		}

		if (cli.ChecklistType == ChecklistItemType.Choice)
		{
			//radio.
			string[] noOfRb = cli.ResponseName.Split(',');

			foreach (string tempRb in noOfRb)
			{
				RadioButton newRb = new RadioButton(this.context);
				newRb.Text = tempRb;
				newRb.TextSize = 16;
				newRb.Checked = (cli.SelectedResponse != null && cli.SelectedResponse.Equals(tempRb.Trim()));
				newRb.Click += delegate(object sender, EventArgs e)
				{
					editChecklist.RadioButtonClick(sender, e, cli);
				};
				viewHolder.Options.AddView(newRb, new ViewGroup.LayoutParams(ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WrapContent, ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WrapContent));
			}
		}
		else
			viewHolder.Options.Visibility = ViewStates.Gone;
	}
	
	return view;
}
...

So then I tried moving the value and assignment and radio button creation into the view building if section.

3. Fix 2 Using ViewHolder
Problem Description: Yay! the radio button duplication problem disappears. However, another problem pops out right away. It turns out this fix causes the listview to display not in order of the item list stored. And the order keeps getting messed up every time I scroll up or down.

// ViewHolder Class
private class ViewHolderItem : Java.Lang.Object
{
	public TextView ObjectName;
	public EditText Remarks;
	public RadioGroup Options;
}
...
public override View GetView(int position, View view, ViewGroup parent)
{
	ViewHolderItem viewHolder;
	GetChecklistItem cli = checklistItems[position];
	if (view == null)
	{
		view = context.LayoutInflater.Inflate(AnacleAndroid.Resource.Layout.ChecklistRow, null);
		viewHolder = new ViewHolderItem();
		viewHolder.ObjectName = (TextView)view.FindViewById(AnacleAndroid.Resource.Id.lblObjectName);
		viewHolder.Remarks = (EditText)view.FindViewById(AnacleAndroid.Resource.Id.checklistRemarks);
		viewHolder.Options = (RadioGroup)view.FindViewById(AnacleAndroid.Resource.Id.radioGroup);
		
		if (cli != null)
		{
			viewHolder.ObjectName.Text = cli.ObjectName;
			viewHolder.ObjectName.Tag = cli.ObjectID;
			viewHolder.Remarks.Visibility = ViewStates.Visible;
			viewHolder.Options.Visibility = ViewStates.Visible;

			if (cli.ChecklistType.HasValue)
			{
				if (cli.HasSingleTextboxField == 1 || cli.ChecklistType == ChecklistItemType.Remarks || cli.ChecklistType == ChecklistItemType.SingleLineFreeText)
				{
					viewHolder.Remarks.Visibility = ViewStates.Visible;
					viewHolder.Remarks.Text = cli.Remarks;
					viewHolder.Remarks.TextChanged += delegate(object sender, Android.Text.TextChangedEventArgs e)
					{
						editChecklist.RemarksTextChangedClick(sender, e, cli);
					};
				}
				else
					viewHolder.Remarks.Visibility = ViewStates.Gone;
			}

			if (cli.ChecklistType == ChecklistItemType.Choice)
			{
				//radio.
				string[] noOfRb = cli.ResponseName.Split(',');

				foreach (string tempRb in noOfRb)
				{
					RadioButton newRb = new RadioButton(this.context);
					newRb.Text = tempRb;
					newRb.TextSize = 16;
					newRb.Checked = (cli.SelectedResponse != null && cli.SelectedResponse.Equals(tempRb.Trim()));
					newRb.Click += delegate(object sender, EventArgs e)
					{
						editChecklist.RadioButtonClick(sender, e, cli);
					};
					viewHolder.Options.AddView(newRb, new ViewGroup.LayoutParams(ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WrapContent, ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WrapContent));
				}
			}
			else
				viewHolder.Options.Visibility = ViewStates.Gone;
		}

		view.Tag = viewHolder;
	}
	else
	{
		viewHolder = (ViewHolderItem)view.Tag;
	}
	
	return view;
}
...

Solution Description: The problem again turns out to have something to do with the repainting of the android ListView during scrolling. The value setting and building of radio buttons has to be after the view initialization if-else. So then I figured it out! Since the view is stored means the radio button created dynamically added into the RadioGroup will also be stored. Then if the scrolling causing the repainting calling the GetView again it will trigger another another radio button creation and add into RadioGroup without removing the previous Radio button. So the magic was just to clear all child view in the Options RadioGroup before adding the Radio Button.

4. Final Fix Using ViewHolder. (Full Code)

public class ChecklistAdapter : BaseAdapter<GetChecklistItem>
{
    private class ViewHolderItem : Java.Lang.Object
    {
        public TextView ObjectName;
        public EditText Remarks;
        public RadioGroup Options;
    }

    List<GetChecklistItem> checklistItems;
    Activity context;
    EditChecklist editChecklist;
    
    public ChecklistAdapter(Activity context, List<GetChecklistItem> newList) : base()
    {
        this.context = context;
        this.checklistItems = newList;
        editChecklist = (EditChecklist)context;
    }
    public override long GetItemId(int position)
    {
        return position;
    }
    public override GetChecklistItem this[int position]
    {
        get { return checklistItems[position]; }
    }
    public override int Count
    {
        get { return checklistItems.Count; }
    }

    public override View GetView(int position, View view, ViewGroup parent)
    {
        ViewHolderItem viewHolder;

        if (view == null)
        {
            view = context.LayoutInflater.Inflate(AnacleAndroid.Resource.Layout.ChecklistRow, null);
            viewHolder = new ViewHolderItem();
            viewHolder.ObjectName = (TextView)view.FindViewById(AndroidApp.Resource.Id.lblObjectName);
            viewHolder.Remarks = (EditText)view.FindViewById(AndroidApp.Resource.Id.checklistRemarks);
            viewHolder.Options = (RadioGroup)view.FindViewById(AndroidApp.Resource.Id.radioGroup);

            view.Tag = viewHolder;
        }
        else
        {
            viewHolder = (ViewHolderItem)view.Tag;
        }

        GetChecklistItem cli = checklistItems[position];

        if (cli != null)
        {
            viewHolder.ObjectName.Text = cli.ObjectName;
            viewHolder.ObjectName.Tag = cli.ObjectID;
            viewHolder.Remarks.Visibility = ViewStates.Visible;
            viewHolder.Options.Visibility = ViewStates.Visible;

            if (cli.ChecklistType.HasValue)
            {
                if (cli.HasSingleTextboxField == 1 || cli.ChecklistType == ChecklistItemType.Remarks || cli.ChecklistType == ChecklistItemType.SingleLineFreeText)
                {
                    viewHolder.Remarks.Visibility = ViewStates.Visible;
                    viewHolder.Remarks.Text = cli.Remarks;
                    viewHolder.Remarks.TextChanged += delegate(object sender, Android.Text.TextChangedEventArgs e)
                    {
                        editChecklist.RemarksTextChangedClick(sender, e, cli);
                    };
                }
                else
                    viewHolder.Remarks.Visibility = ViewStates.Gone;
            }

            if (cli.ChecklistType == ChecklistItemType.Choice)
            {
                //radio.
                string[] noOfRb = cli.ResponseName.Split(',');
				
				// important to remove all vew under the view group before repopulating it
                if (viewHolder.Options != null && viewHolder.Options.ChildCount > 0)
                    viewHolder.Options.RemoveAllViews();

                foreach (string tempRb in noOfRb)
                {
                    RadioButton newRb = new RadioButton(this.context);
                    newRb.Text = tempRb;
                    newRb.TextSize = 16;
                    newRb.Checked = (cli.SelectedResponse != null && cli.SelectedResponse.Equals(tempRb.Trim()));
                    newRb.Click += delegate(object sender, EventArgs e)
                    {
                        editChecklist.RadioButtonClick(sender, e, cli);
                    };
                    viewHolder.Options.AddView(newRb, new ViewGroup.LayoutParams(ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WrapContent, ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WrapContent));
                }
            }
            else
                viewHolder.Options.Visibility = ViewStates.Gone;
        }
        
        return view;
    }

    public override void NotifyDataSetChanged()
    {
        base.NotifyDataSetChanged();
    }
}

Xamarin Adroid: Retain Instance of Webview Content On Rotation

I’m developing an android hybrid app using C# in VS 2013. The app make use of WebView which was giving me problem with rotation. Every time the screen rotate from landscape to portrait the app will auto refresh to back login page. After googling a bit, I found that when screen orientation change android’s activity will refresh. Hence, I need to save the instance of WebView when the activity about to get refresh on screen orientation change and reload the save WebView when the activity reinitialize.

This is the URL to source of the solution: http://twigstechtips.blogspot.com/2013/08/android-retain-instance-of-webview.html

The URL above gave the fix in Java. Below is my converted version to C# when using Xamarin.

1.   Add ConfigurationChanges setting to the activity. In Solution above, it was added to the manifest xml however, I find that in Xamarin C# you can just add it in to the Activity tag.

[Activity(Label = Global.Config.MainLabel, MainLauncher = true, Icon = "@drawable/icon", Theme = Global.Config.MainTheme, ConfigurationChanges = Android.Content.PM.ConfigChanges.Orientation | Android.Content.PM.ConfigChanges.KeyboardHidden | Android.Content.PM.ConfigChanges.Orientation | Android.Content.PM.ConfigChanges.ScreenSize)]
public class MainActivity : Activity
{

2. Override Activity.onSaveInstanceState() and save the state of the webview in this method. FYI, I stored my WebView in Html class.

/// <summary>
/// Handles when Main Activity needed to be refreshed e.g screen rotation
/// </summary>
protected override void OnSaveInstanceState(Bundle outState)
{
    base.OnSaveInstanceState(outState);
    // Save WebView State
    Html.wv.SaveState(outState);
}

3. Load save WebView state (if any) in OnCreate function.

protected override void OnCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
{
   base.OnCreate(savedInstanceState);
   SetContentView(Resource.Layout.Main);
   WebView wv = FindViewById<WebView>(Resource.Id.localWebView);

   if (savedInstanceState != null)
   {
       // Restore WebView saved state (if any)
       wv.RestoreState(savedInstanceState);
       Html.wv = wv;
       Html.context = this;
   }
   else
   {
       // Initialize WebView
       wv.SetWebChromeClient(new HybridWebChromeClient(this));
       Html.Initialize(this, wv);
       new AppLogin().Show();
   }
}

This is very simple solution to implement. Hope it helps.