Introduction

Every application has some essential controls, whether it is a Web app or Desktop app or a Smart Phone app. And, they are as essential since you can't imagine a single app without them.

And in this demonstration we are taking on a few of them.

So, this time we have chosen the Edit Text Control.



So, what do we with an EditText (or a TextBox) in any application?

Right, we get the data the user has inserted. I know, it is something lame. Since this is a beginner's stage where we are learning how to accept the text.

So, let's start the edit text.

Procedures

Step 1

After creating a successful Blank Android Project, we will first design a XML page that describes the layout of your app's activity.



I would recommend you to do this by XML code. Since it will deal with the inner and outer of the UI.

Within that Liner Layout, create a TextView first then a EditBox and a Button.

So, it will be like the following:

<code>

  1. <code>
  2. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
  3. <LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
  4. android:orientation="vertical"
  5. android:layout_width="fill_parent"
  6. android:layout_height="fill_parent"
  7. android:minWidth="25px"
  8. android:minHeight="25px">
  9. <TextView
  10. android:id="@+id/myLabel"
  11. android:layout_width="wrap_content"
  12. android:layout_height="wrap_content"
  13. android:text="Put Your Name here :" />
  14. <EditText
  15. android:id="@+id/myEditBox"
  16. android:layout_width="match_parent"
  17. android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
  18. <Button
  19. android:id="@+id/myButton"
  20. android:layout_width="match_parent"
  21. android:layout_height="wrap_content"
  22. android:text="Hey! Click Me" />
  23. </LinearLayout>
  24. </code>

Step 2

We have done the layout. Now to code the backend file. So, open your MainActivity.cs file that is in the root folder of your project.

Note: Delete the unused commands like Button and its event.

Before we code, grasp the concept first.

Whatever control we have in a XML page (in other words UI Page). In a C# file we will map every single control we have in a XML file.

It is not mandatory at all, but make sure those controls are mapped that you want to use in a C# file.



In .NET App development, we rarely do this because Visual Studio is quite intelligent in this.

So, first we will map our controls.

Since we have three controls here: TextView, EditBox and Button.

  1. //Intialize the Content Here
  2. myLabel = FindViewById<TextView>(Resource.Id.myLabel);
  3. myEditBox = FindViewById<EditText>(Resource.Id.myEditBox);
  4. myButton = FindViewById<Button>(Resource.Id.myButton);

And, globally define the references of the controls.

  1. // Refrences
  2. TextView myLabel;
  3. EditText myEditBox;
  4. Button myButton;

Step 3


We will now create the click event for that button. When we click on that, it will show the contents of the Edit Box.

// We will now code the Button's Click Event
  1. // Now, we will code the Button's Click Event
  2. myButton.Click += myButton_Click;
Note: Press <TAB> and <TAB>.

That will generate the event handler method.
  1. void myButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
  2. {
  3. string message = "Hello !! "+myEditBox.Text.ToString()+" How are You Buddy.";
  5. // Make a Toast PopUp Box
  6. Toast.MakeText(this, message,ToastLength.Long).Show();
  7. }
Here, we have created a toast pop-up using the Toast class.

Output Window



Conclusion

Everything is easy here, we can do this in a single click when we are dealing with a native C# application. But, this time we have a Xamarin app. So, there is much more to do. Apart from this, if you experience any problem then try to solve it from the enclosed source file, or drop a message wherever you find me.

Until then, keep living your days.