Dev Express Charts in .NET MAUI

Introduction

Supercharge your .NET MAUI projects with Devexpress Charts! This blog will explain to you how to implement the chart in .NET MAUI projects using Dev Express, a lifetime free plugin. This plugin has many customizations and will directly skip into the implementation part.

Quick Links

• Project Setup
• Install Plugin
• Implementation
• Demo
• Download Code

Project Setup

• Launch Visual Studio 2022, and in the start window click Create a new project to create a new project.

• In the Create a new project window, select MAUI in the All project types drop-down, select the .NET MAUI App template, and click the Next button.

• In the Configure your new project window, name your project, choose a suitable location for it, and click the Next button.
  

• In the Additional Information window, click the Create button.
  

• Once the project is created, we can able to see the Android, iOS, Windows, and other running options in the toolbar. Press the emulator or run button to build and run the app.

Install Plugin

• Library Requirement: The Dev Express's Nuget link should be mapped as a package source and we need to install "DevExpress.Maui.Charts" into our project.
• Installation via NuGet: Obtain the Charts library by searching for "DevExpress.Maui.Charts" in the NuGet Package Manager.
• User Interface Guidance: Open the NuGet Package Manager interface to facilitate the installation process.
• Visual Confirmation: The library, once searched, should appear as "DevExpress.Maui.Charts" in the NuGet interface.

Implementation

• First, we need to open "MauiProgram.cs" and include the following namespace and line to allow the app to use the Chart Library.

  using DevExpress.Maui;

  .UseDevExpress()

• Open the MainPage.xaml file and add the following namespace. (the page will be replaced according to you).

  xmlns:dxc="clr-namespace:DevExpress.Maui.Charts;assembly=DevExpress.Maui.Charts"

• Then, remove the default content and add an instance of the ChartView class to the page.

  <ContentPage xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2021/maui"
               xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml"
               xmlns:dxc="clr-namespace:DevExpress.Maui.Charts;assembly=DevExpress.Maui.Charts"
               x:Class="ScatterChartGetStarted.MainPage">
      <dxc:ChartView/>
  </ContentPage>

• Consider removing the event handlers from the code behind the default content. It is advisable to eliminate default styles (such as fonts, colors, and other settings) in the App.xaml file as well.
• In this instance, the chart features a line series displaying the annual GDP for three countries. Generate a ViewModel.cs file that includes the following classes.

  public class ViewModel {
      public CountryGdp GdpValueForUSA { get; }
      public CountryGdp GdpValueForChina { get; }
      public CountryGdp GdpValueForJapan { get; }
  
      public ViewModel() {
          GdpValueForUSA = new CountryGdp(
              "USA",
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2020, 1, 1), 20.93),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2019, 1, 1), 21.43),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2018, 1, 1), 20.58),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2017, 1, 1), 19.391),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2016, 1, 1), 18.624),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2015, 1, 1), 18.121),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2014, 1, 1), 17.428),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2013, 1, 1), 16.692),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2012, 1, 1), 16.155),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2011, 1, 1), 15.518),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2010, 1, 1), 14.964)
          );
          GdpValueForChina = new CountryGdp(
              "China",
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2020, 1, 1), 14.72),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2019, 1, 1), 14.34),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2018, 1, 1), 13.89),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2017, 1, 1), 12.238),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2016, 1, 1), 11.191),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2015, 1, 1), 11.065),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2014, 1, 1), 10.482),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2013, 1, 1), 9.607),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2012, 1, 1), 8.561),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2011, 1, 1), 7.573),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2010, 1, 1), 6.101)
          );
          GdpValueForJapan = new CountryGdp(
              "Japan",
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2020, 1, 1), 4.888),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2019, 1, 1), 5.082),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2018, 1, 1), 4.955),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2017, 1, 1), 4.872),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2016, 1, 1), 4.949),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2015, 1, 1), 4.395),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2014, 1, 1), 4.850),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2013, 1, 1), 5.156),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2012, 1, 1), 6.203),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2011, 1, 1), 6.156),
              new GdpValue(new DateTime(2010, 1, 1), 5.700)
          );
      }
  }
  
  public class CountryGdp {
      public string CountryName { get; }
      public IList<GdpValue> Values { get; }
  
      public CountryGdp(string country, params GdpValue[] values) {
          this.CountryName = country;
          this.Values = new List<GdpValue>(values);
      }
  }
  
  public class GdpValue {
      public DateTime Year { get; }
      public double Value { get; }
  
      public GdpValue(DateTime year, double value) {
          this.Year = year;
          this.Value = value;
      }
  }

• In the MainPage.xaml file, incorporate three LineSeries objects into the ChartView.Series collection. To establish a connection between the series and data, assign each LineSeries object's Data property to a SeriesDataAdapter object. Utilize the adapter's properties to indicate the data source and fields containing arguments and values for each series.
• Additionally, define a local XAML namespace referring to a CLR namespace encompassing the view model. Subsequently, employ the page's BindingContext property to link the view model with the view.

  <ContentPage xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2021/maui"
               xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml"  
               xmlns:dxc="clr-namespace:DevExpress.Maui.Charts;assembly=DevExpress.Maui.Charts"
               xmlns:ios="clr-namespace:Microsoft.Maui.Controls.PlatformConfiguration.iOSSpecific;assembly=Microsoft.Maui.Controls"
               ios:Page.UseSafeArea="True"
               xmlns:local="clr-namespace:MauiDevExpress"
               x:Class="MauiDevExpress.MainPage">
      <ContentPage.BindingContext>
          <local:ViewModel/>
      </ContentPage.BindingContext>
      <dxc:ChartView>
          <dxc:ChartView.Series>
              <dxc:LineSeries DisplayName="{Binding GdpValueForUSA.CountryName}">
                  <dxc:LineSeries.Data>
                      <dxc:SeriesDataAdapter DataSource="{Binding GdpValueForUSA.Values}"
                                             ArgumentDataMember="Year">
                          <dxc:ValueDataMember Type="Value" Member="Value"/>
                      </dxc:SeriesDataAdapter>
                  </dxc:LineSeries.Data>
              </dxc:LineSeries>
  
              <dxc:LineSeries DisplayName="{Binding GdpValueForChina.CountryName}">
                  <dxc:LineSeries.Data>
                      <dxc:SeriesDataAdapter DataSource="{Binding GdpValueForChina.Values}"
                                             ArgumentDataMember="Year">
                          <dxc:ValueDataMember Type="Value" Member="Value"/>
                      </dxc:SeriesDataAdapter>
                  </dxc:LineSeries.Data>
              </dxc:LineSeries>
  
              <dxc:LineSeries DisplayName="{Binding GdpValueForJapan.CountryName}">
                  <dxc:LineSeries.Data>
                      <dxc:SeriesDataAdapter DataSource="{Binding GdpValueForJapan.Values}"
                                             ArgumentDataMember="Year">
                          <dxc:ValueDataMember Type="Value" Member="Value"/>
                      </dxc:SeriesDataAdapter>
                  </dxc:LineSeries.Data>
              </dxc:LineSeries>
          </dxc:ChartView.Series>
      </dxc:ChartView>
  </ContentPage>

• Configure the X-axis to display labels for years by assigning a DateTimeAxisX object with the specified settings to the ChartView.AxisX property.

  <dxc:ChartView> <dxc:ChartView.AxisX>
      <dxc:DateTimeAxisX MeasureUnit="Year" GridAlignment="Year"
      GridSpacing="2"/> </dxc:ChartView.AxisX> </dxc:ChartView>

• Configure the title and labels on the Y-axis. Set the ChartView.AxisY property to a NumericAxisY object and specify this object’s Title and Label properties.

  <dxc:ChartView> 
  <!-- The X-axis config is here. -->
      <dxc:ChartView.AxisY>
          <dxc:NumericAxisY>
              <dxc:NumericAxisY.Title>
                  <dxc:AxisTitle Text="Trillions of US$">
                      <dxc:AxisTitle.Style>
                          <dxc:TitleStyle>
                              <dxc:TitleStyle.TextStyle>
                                  <dxc:TextStyle Size="16"/>
                              </dxc:TitleStyle.TextStyle>
                          </dxc:TitleStyle>
                      </dxc:AxisTitle.Style>
                  </dxc:AxisTitle>
              </dxc:NumericAxisY.Title>
              <dxc:NumericAxisY.Label>
                  <dxc:AxisLabel TextFormat="#.#" Position="Inside"/>
              </dxc:NumericAxisY.Label>
          </dxc:NumericAxisY>
      </dxc:ChartView.AxisY>
  </dxc:ChartView>

• Configure the legend position and orientation. Set the ChartView.Legend property to a Legend object, and specify this object’s properties as follows.

  <dxc:ChartView>
      <dxc:ChartView.Legend>
          <dxc:Legend VerticalPosition="TopOutside" 
                      HorizontalPosition="Center" 
                      Orientation="LeftToRight"/>
      </dxc:ChartView.Legend>
  </dxc:ChartView>

• Establish the chart to showcase a series point hint as a crosshair cursor by setting the ChartView.Hint property to a Hint object and assigning a CrosshairHintBehavior object to Hint.Behavior. Subsequently, define the hint's content, data format, and visibility options. Set the LineSeries.HintOptions property to a SeriesCrosshairOptions object with the specified settings.

  <ContentPage.Resources>
      <dxc:SeriesCrosshairOptions x:Key="lineSeriesHintOptions"
                                  PointTextPattern="{}{S}: {V}M"
                                  ShowInLabel="True"
                                  AxisLabelVisible="True"
                                  AxisLineVisible="True"/>
  </ContentPage.Resources>
  <dxc:ChartView>
      <dxc:ChartView.Hint>
          <dxc:Hint>
              <dxc:Hint.Behavior>
                  <dxc:CrosshairHintBehavior GroupHeaderTextPattern="{}{A$YYYY}" 
                                             MaxSeriesCount="3"/>
              </dxc:Hint.Behavior>
          </dxc:Hint>
      </dxc:ChartView.Hint>
  
      <dxc:ChartView.Series>
          <dxc:LineSeries HintOptions="{StaticResource lineSeriesHintOptions}">
              <!--Series Data-->
          </dxc:LineSeries>
          <dxc:LineSeries HintOptions="{StaticResource lineSeriesHintOptions}">
              <!--Series Data-->
          </dxc:LineSeries>
          <dxc:LineSeries HintOptions="{StaticResource lineSeriesHintOptions}">
              <!--Series Data-->
          </dxc:LineSeries>
      </dxc:ChartView.Series>    
  </dxc:ChartView>

• Set the LineSeries.MarkersVisible property to True to display point markers. To change the line series appearance, set the LineSeries.Style property to a LineSeriesStyle object. This object’s Stroke, StrokeThickness, MarkerSize, and MarkerStyle properties allow you to configure the appearance of the series line and point markers.

  <dxc:LineSeries MarkersVisible="True">
      <!--Series Data-->
      <dxc:LineSeries.Style>
          <dxc:LineSeriesStyle Stroke="#7145a7" StrokeThickness="2" MarkerSize="8">
              <dxc:LineSeriesStyle.MarkerStyle>
                  <dxc:MarkerStyle Fill="#7145a7"/>
              </dxc:LineSeriesStyle.MarkerStyle>
          </dxc:LineSeriesStyle>
      </dxc:LineSeries.Style>
  </dxc:LineSeries>

Demo

Download Code

You can download the code from GitHub. If you have any doubts, feel free to post a comment. If you liked this article, and it is useful to you, do like, share the article & star the repository on GitHub.