Keep entry focus on button click

Question

Hi,

I want to keep focus in an Entry control in order to keep the keyboard open when I press a button next to it.
I've tried to do it by calling Entry.Focus() when I press the button but it causes the keyboard to move up and down. I would rather the keyboard stays up all the time.
Is there any way to achieve this?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Hello,​

Welcome to our Microsoft Q&A platform!

I would rather the keyboard stays up all the time.

It just could be achieved in Android, I cannot find a way to achieve it in iOS.

In android, you can create a custom renderer for entry firstly.

   using Android.App;  
   using Android.Content;  
   using Android.OS;  
   using Android.Runtime;  
   using Android.Views;  
   using Android.Widget;  
   using App82.Droid;  
   using System;  
   using System.Collections.Generic;  
   using System.Linq;  
   using System.Text;  
   using Xamarin.Forms;  
   using Xamarin.Forms.Platform.Android;  
     
   [assembly: ExportRenderer(typeof(Entry), typeof(EntryCustomRenderer))]  
   namespace App82.Droid  
   {  
       public class EntryCustomRenderer : EntryRenderer  
       {  
           public EntryCustomRenderer(Context context) : base(context)  
           {  
           }  
       }  
   }  

Then Add following code to the MainActivity.cs.

   public class MainActivity : global::Xamarin.Forms.Platform.Android.FormsAppCompatActivity  
       {  
           protected override void OnCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)  
           {  
               base.OnCreate(savedInstanceState);  
     
               Xamarin.Essentials.Platform.Init(this, savedInstanceState);  
               global::Xamarin.Forms.Forms.Init(this, savedInstanceState);  
               LoadApplication(new App());  
           }  
           public override void OnRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode, string[] permissions, [GeneratedEnum] Android.Content.PM.Permission[] grantResults)  
           {  
               Xamarin.Essentials.Platform.OnRequestPermissionsResult(requestCode, permissions, grantResults);  
     
               base.OnRequestPermissionsResult(requestCode, permissions, grantResults);  
           }  
     
           private bool _lieAboutCurrentFocus;  
           public override bool DispatchTouchEvent(MotionEvent ev)  
           {  
               var focused = CurrentFocus;  
               bool customEntryRendererFocused = focused != null && focused.Parent is EntryCustomRenderer;  
     
               _lieAboutCurrentFocus = customEntryRendererFocused;  
               var result = base.DispatchTouchEvent(ev);  
               _lieAboutCurrentFocus = false;  
     
               return result;  
           }  
     
           public override Android.Views.View CurrentFocus  
           {  
               get  
               {  
                   if (_lieAboutCurrentFocus)  
                   {  
                       return null;  
                   }  
     
                   return base.CurrentFocus;  
               }  
           }  
       }  

Best Regards,

Leon Lu

---

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Answer 2

Try to use following custom renderer in iOS, please use actual device to make a test.

using App82.iOS;
using Foundation;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using UIKit;
using Xamarin.Forms;
using Xamarin.Forms.Platform.iOS;

[assembly: ExportRenderer(typeof(Entry), typeof(CustomEditorRenderer))]
namespace App82.iOS
{
  public  class CustomEditorRenderer: EntryRenderer
    {
        protected override void OnElementChanged(ElementChangedEventArgs<Entry> e)
        {
            base.OnElementChanged(e);
            var element = this.Element as Entry;

            Control.InputAccessoryView = null;
            Control.ShouldEndEditing += MYDisableHidingKeyboard;

            //  Control.ShouldEndEditing += DisableHidingKeyboard;

            MessagingCenter.Subscribe<MainPage>(this, "FocusKeyboardStatus", (sender) =>
            {

                if (Control != null)
                {
                    Control.ShouldEndEditing += MYEnableHidingKeyboard;
                }

                MessagingCenter.Unsubscribe<MainPage>(this, "FocusKeyboardStatus");
            });
        }

        private bool MYEnableHidingKeyboard(UITextField textField)
        {
            return true;
        }

        private bool MYDisableHidingKeyboard(UITextField textField)
        {
            return false;
        }

        //  public delegate bool UITextFieldCondition(UITextField textField);
        //private bool DisableHidingKeyboard(UITextView textView)
        //{
        //    return false;
        //}


    }
}