Platform specific visual adjustments

Idiom adjustments

Idiom specific adjustments can be done from C# code, for example for changing the layout orientation whether the view is shown or a phone or a tablet.

if (Device.Idiom == TargetIdiom.Phone) 
{
    this.panel.Orientation = StackOrientation.Vertical;
} 
else 
{
    this.panel.Orientation = StackOrientation.Horizontal;
}

Those functionalities are also available directly from XAML code :

<StackLayout x:Name="panel">
  <StackLayout.Orientation>
    <OnIdiom x:TypeArguments="StackOrientation">
      <OnIdiom.Phone>Vertical</OnIdiom.Phone>
      <OnIdiom.Tablet>Horizontal</OnIdiom.Tablet>
    </OnIdiom>
  </StackLayout.Orientation>
</StackLayout>

Platform adjustments

Adjustments can be done for specific platforms from C# code, for example for changing padding for all the targeted platforms.

if (Device.OS == TargetPlatform.iOS) 
{
    panel.Padding = new Thickness (10);
}
else
{
    panel.Padding = new Thickness (20);
}

An helper method is also available for shortened C# declarations :

panel.Padding = new Thickness (Device.OnPlatform(10,20,0));

Those functionalities are also available directly from XAML code :

<StackLayout x:Name="panel">
  <StackLayout.Padding>
    <OnPlatform x:TypeArguments="Thickness"
      iOS="10"
      Android="20" />
  </StackLayout.Padding>
</StackLayout>

Using styles

When working with XAML, using a centralized Style allows you to update a set of styled views from one place. All the idiom and platform adjustements can also be integrated to your styles.

<Style TargetType="StackLayout">
  <Setter Property="Padding">
    <Setter.Value>
      <OnPlatform x:TypeArguments="Thickness" 
                  iOS="10" 
                  Android="20"/>
    </Setter.Value>
  </Setter>
</Style>

Using custom views

You can create custom views that can be integrated to your page thanks to those adjustment tools.

Select File > New > File... > Forms > Forms ContentView (Xaml) and create a view for each specific layout : TabletHome.xamland PhoneHome.xaml.

Then select File > New > File... > Forms > Forms ContentPage and create a HomePage.cs that contains :

using Xamarin.Forms;

public class HomePage : ContentPage
{
    public HomePage()
    {
        if (Device.Idiom == TargetIdiom.Phone)
        {
            Content = new PhoneHome();
        }
        else
        {
            Content = new TabletHome();
        }

    }
}

You now have a HomePage that creates a different view hierarchy for Phone and Tablet idioms.