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MultilineEdit Class

A multi-line text editor.

Namespace: DevExpress.XamarinForms.Editors

Assembly: DevExpress.XamarinForms.Editors.dll

NuGet Package: DevExpress.XamarinForms.Editors

Declaration

public class MultilineEdit :
    TextEditBase

Remarks

MultilineEdit is an editor that can display multiple lines of text. If the cursor reaches the right edge, the editor expands vertically and text wraps onto a new line. The MinLineCount property specifies the number of lines that the editor contains initially, and MaxLineCount is the number of lines to which the editor is allowed to grow.

The multi-line editor initially displays the input box and the default clear icon.

Multiline Editor

You can also add the following optional elements:

Multiline Editor Elements

1. Label    2. Placeholder    3. Custom Icon    4. Character Counter    5. Help Text    6. Error Message

Input Text

Use the Text property to obtain or set the text entered in the editor.

To manage the cursor position and text selection, use the CursorPosition and SelectionLength properties. You can also use the CursorColor property to customize the color of the input cursor.

The ReturnType property allows you to change the appearance of the return button on the keyboard. When a user taps this button, the Completed event occurs.

Use the following properties to change the input text appearance and alignment:

Property

Description

TextColor / DisabledTextColor

Specify the text color for different states of the editor.

TextFontSize
TextFontFamily
TextFontAttributes

Configure the font settings.

TextHorizontalAlignment

Gets or sets the horizontal alignment of text entered in the editor.

Label

A label is the editor’s input prompt string (LabelText). Editors display this string inside the edit box (when the editor is empty and not focused) or at the top of the editor.

To pin the label to the top edge of the editor box, set the IsLabelFloating property to false.

To customize the label’s appearance settings, use the following properties:

Property

Description

LabelColor / FocusedLabelColor
DisabledLabelColor / ErrorColor

Specify the label color for each state of the text editor.

LabelFontSize
TextFontFamily
TextFontAttributes

Configure the label font settings.

Placeholder

A placeholder (PlaceholderText) is the input prompt string displayed within the text box when the editor is empty.

To specify the placeholder text color, use the PlaceholderColor property.

Help Text and Error Message

You can display the following labels below an editor:

The BottomTextTopIndent property specifies the indent between the editor’s bottom border and the help or error text.

To specify the color and font attributes for the help/error text, use the following properties:

Property

Description

HelpTextColor
DisabledHelpTextColor

Specify the help text color for different states of an editor.

ErrorColor

Specifies the error message text color.

BottomTextFontSize
BottomTextFontFamily
BottomTextFontAttributes

Specify font settings.

If HelpText is not set, ErrorText appears as an additional line below the edit box and page content shifts down. To prevent this behavior, set the ReserveBottomTextLine property to true.

Autofill

Use the editor’s AutofillContentType property to specify how an autofill service can populate this editor with user data. Note that the device should have an enabled autofill service that contains the required values (names, dates, passwords, and so on).

See the AutofillContentType enumeration for a list of available hints and their equivalents on the Android and iOS platforms. Note that some hints are only available on Android or iOS.

Icons

The text editor can display icons within its box.

  • Clear icon - removes text entered in the editor.
  • Error icon - appears in the error state (HasError is true).
  • Custom icons - can be shown on the left or right within the box.

Text Editor - Icons

Use the following members to manage the editor’s icons:

Icon

Property

Description

Clear Icon

ClearIconVisibility

Specifies when the clear icon is displayed.

ClearIcon

Specifies the clear icon image.

ClearIconClicked / ClearIconCommand

Allow you to assign an additional action to the clear icon.

Error Icon

ErrorIcon

Specifies the error icon image.

ErrorIconClicked / ErrorIconCommand

Allow you to perform an action when a user clicks the error icon.

ErrorIconColor

Gets or sets the color of an icon displayed when HasError is set to true.

Custom Icons

StartIcon / EndIcon

Specify a custom icon.

StartIconClicked / StartIconCommand
EndIconClicked / EndIconCommand

Allow you to perform an action when a user clicks a custom icon.

StartIconColor / EndIconColor

Specify icon colors.

IsStartIconVisible / IsEndIconVisible

Specify whether an icon is visible.

Common

IconColor / DisabledIconColor

Specify icon colors for different states of the text editor.

IconIndent

Gets or sets the distance between an icon and input text (affix).

IconSpacing

Gets or sets the distance between icons.

IconVerticalAlignment

Gets or sets the vertical alignment of icons.

User Interaction

Editors raise the following events on user interaction:

  • Tap - Fires when the user taps the editor.
  • DoubleTap - Fires when the user double taps the editor.
  • LongPress - Fires when the user presses and holds the editor.

Character Counter

If you limit input string length (MaxCharacterCount), the editor displays a character counter under the text box.

Use the MaxCharacterCountOverflowMode property to prevent users from entering more characters than MaxCharacterCount.

To specify the space between the character counter and help text, use the CharacterCounterIndent property.

Editor Appearance

The text editor is displayed as follows depending on the specified BoxMode and the current state:

Editor State

BoxMode = Outlined (default)

BoxMode = Filled

Inactive

Focused

Activated

Error

Disabled

Use the following properties to change the appearance of the edit box and its borders:

Property

Description

BorderColor
DisabledBorderColor
FocusedBorderColor

Specify the border color for each state of the editor.

ErrorColor

Specifies the color of the edit box borders, label, and error icon and error message if there is an input error.

BorderThickness
DisabledBorderThickness
FocusedBorderThickness

Specify the border thickness for each state of the editor.

CornerMode

Specifies whether edit box corners are rounded or cut.

CornerRadius

Specifies the radius of the edit box corners.

BackgroundColor
DisabledBackgroundColor

Specifies the edit box fill color.

BoxPadding

Specifies the amount of space between edit box borders and content.

The CursorColor property specifies the color of the input cursor. To specify the text color, use the TextColor property.

Implements

Xamarin.Forms.IElementController

Inheritance

See Also