AcquireTokenHandlerBase.cs: === Token Acquisition started:
12-31 12:19:55.341 I/        ( 4651): 	Authority: https://login.microsoftonline.com/M365x947151.onmicrosoft.com/
12-31 12:19:55.341 I/        ( 4651): 	Resource: https://graph.windows.net
12-31 12:19:55.341 I/        ( 4651): 	ClientId: 8f580ff3-2ab3-469b-bd43-158c581757da
12-31 12:19:55.341 I/        ( 4651): 	CacheType: null
12-31 12:19:55.341 I/        ( 4651): 	Authentication Target: User
12-31 12:19:55.341 I/        ( 4651): 	
12-31 12:19:55.463 V/        ( 4651): 2017-12-31T17:19:55.4308620Z: 1663fe86-17e1-4842-b23e-ca25a43dde8d - AcquireTokenHandlerBase.cs: Loading from cache.
12-31 12:19:55.481 V/        ( 4651): 2017-12-31T17:19:55.4809390Z: 1663fe86-17e1-4842-b23e-ca25a43dde8d - TokenCache.cs: Looking up cache for a token...
12-31 12:19:55.537 I/        ( 4651): 2017-12-31T17:19:55.5378480Z: 1663fe86-17e1-4842-b23e-ca25a43dde8d - TokenCache.cs: No matching token was found in the cache
12-31 12:19:55.729 D/Mono    ( 4651): DllImport attempting to load: '/system/lib64/liblog.so'.
12-31 12:19:55.730 D/Mono    ( 4651): DllImport loaded library '/system/lib64/liblog.so'.
12-31 12:19:55.730 D/Mono    ( 4651): DllImport searching in: '/system/lib64/liblog.so' ('/system/lib64/liblog.so').
12-31 12:19:55.730 D/Mono    ( 4651): Searching for '__android_log_print'.
12-31 12:19:55.730 D/Mono    ( 4651): Probing '__android_log_print'.
12-31 12:19:55.730 D/Mono    ( 4651): Found as '__android_log_print'.
12-31 12:19:55.736 W/monodroid( 4651): JNIEnv.FindClass(Type) caught unexpected exception: Java.Lang.ClassNotFoundException: md5673452a39546f0a71deda1ad064ecc65.AuthenticationAgentActivity ---> Java.Lang.ClassNotFoundException: Didn't find class "md5673452a39546f0a71deda1ad064ecc65.AuthenticationAgentActivity" on path: DexPathList[[zip file "/data/app/com.devfish.xamarin.ADALForForms-1/base.apk"],nativeLibraryDirectories=[/data/app/com.devfish.xamarin.ADALForForms-1/lib/x86_64, /system/fake-libs64, /data/app/com.devfish.xamarin.ADALForForms-1/base.apk!/lib/x86_64, /system/lib64, /vendor/lib64]]
12-31 12:19:55.736 W/monodroid( 4651):    --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
12-31 12:19:55.736 W/monodroid( 4651):   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw () [0x0000c] in :0 
12-31 12:19:55.736 W/monodroid( 4651):   at Java.Interop.JniEnvironment+StaticMethods.CallStaticObjectMethod (Java.Interop.JniObjectReference type, Java.Interop.JniMethodInfo method, Java.Interop.JniArgumentValue* args) [0x00069] in :0 
12-31 12:19:55.736 W/monodroid( 4651):   at Android.Runtime.JNIEnv.CallStaticObjectMethod (System.IntPtr jclass, System.IntPtr jmethod, Android.Runtime.JValue* parms) [0x0000e] in :0 
12-31 12:19:55.736 W/monodroid( 4651):   at Android.Runtime.JNIEnv.CallStaticObjectMethod (System.IntPtr jclass, System.IntPtr jmethod, Android.Runtime.JValue[] parms) [0x00017] in :0 
12-31 12:19:55.736 W/monodroid( 4651):   at Android.Runtime.JNIEnv.FindClass (System.String classname) [0x0003d] in :0 
12-31 12:19:55.736 W/monodroid( 4651):   at Android.Runtime.JNIEnv.FindClass (System.Type type) [0x00015] in :0 
12-31 12:19:55.736 W/monodroid( 4651):   --- End of managed Java.Lang.ClassNotFoundException stack trace ---
12-31 12:19:55.736 W/monodroid( 4651): java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: md5673452a39546f0a71deda1ad064ecc65.AuthenticationAgentActivity
12-31 12:19:55.736 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at java.lang.Class.classForName(Native Method)
12-31 12:19:55.736 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at java.lang.Class.forName(Class.java:400)
12-31 12:19:55.736 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at md5270abb39e60627f0f200893b490a1ade.ButtonRenderer_ButtonClickListener.n_onClick(Native Method)
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at md5270abb39e60627f0f200893b490a1ade.ButtonRenderer_ButtonClickListener.onClick(ButtonRenderer_ButtonClickListener.java:30)
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at android.view.View.performClick(View.java:5637)
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at android.view.View$PerformClick.run(View.java:22429)
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at android.os.Handler.handleCallback(Handler.java:751)
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:95)
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:154)
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:6119)
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:886)
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:776)
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: Didn't find class "md5673452a39546f0a71deda1ad064ecc65.AuthenticationAgentActivity" on path: DexPathList[[zip file "/data/app/com.devfish.xamarin.ADALForForms-1/base.apk"],nativeLibraryDirectories=[/data/app/com.devfish.xamarin.ADALForForms-1/lib/x86_64, /system/fake-libs64, /data/app/com.devfish.xamarin.ADALForForms-1/base.apk!/lib/x86_64, /system/lib64, /vendor/lib64]]
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at dalvik.system.BaseDexClassLoader.findClass(BaseDexClassLoader.java:56)
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:380)
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): 	at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:312)
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): 	... 13 more
12-31 12:19:55.737 W/monodroid( 4651): 
12-31 12:19:55.859 E/        ( 4651): 2017-12-31T17:19:55.8588900Z: 1663fe86-17e1-4842-b23e-ca25a43dde8d - AcquireTokenHandlerBase.cs: Microsoft.IdentityModel.Clients.ActiveDirectory.AdalException: authentication_ui_failed: The browser based authentication dialog failed to complete ---> Java.Lang.ClassNotFoundException: md5673452a39546f0a71deda1ad064ecc65.AuthenticationAgentActivity ---> Java.Lang.ClassNotFoundException: Didn't find class "md5673452a39546f0a71deda1ad064ecc65.AuthenticationAgentActivity" on path: DexPathList[[zip file "/data/app/com.devfish.xamarin.ADALForForms-1/base.apk"],nativeLibraryDirectories=[/data/app/com.devfish.xamarin.ADALForForms-1/lib/x86_64, /system/fake-libs64, /data/app/com.devfish.xamarin.ADALForForms-1/base.apk!/lib/x86_64, /system/lib64, /vendor/lib64]]
12-31 12:19:55.859 E/        ( 4651):    --- End of inner exception stack trace ---

public static DataTable ExecuteDataTable(SqlConnection conn, CommandType cmdType, string cmdText, SqlParameter[] cmdParms)
 {
 DataTable dt = new DataTable();
 // just doing this cause dr.load fails
 dt.Columns.Add("CustomerID");
 dt.Columns.Add("CustomerName");
 SqlDataReader dr = ExecuteReader(conn, cmdType, cmdText, cmdParms);
 // as of now dr.Load throws a big nasty exception saying its not supported. wip.
 // dt.Load(dr);
 while (dr.Read())
 {
 dt.Rows.Add(dr[0], dr[1]);
 }
 return dt;
 }

public static DataTable ExecuteDataTableSqlDA(SqlConnection conn, CommandType cmdType, string cmdText, SqlParameter[] cmdParms)
 {
 System.Data.DataTable dt = new DataTable();
 System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataAdapter da = new SqlDataAdapter(cmdText, conn);
 da.Fill(dt);
 return dt;
 }

• Build up a Sql Server and install Northwind. Yes, Northwind. Sql Server install steps, and configuring Northwind are a bit beyond the scope of this article. Old school!  But Northwind download is at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=23654 . The .mdb didn't like Sql Express 2016, but the scripts to create Northwind ran fine via Sql Management Studio.
• Create a connection string to your Sql Server. https://www.connectionstrings.com/sql-server/  is a great resource to figure this out. My connection string is "Server=DESKTOP-PPD5M0F\SQLEXPRESS;Database=northwind;User Id=donald_reader;Password=yessurethisismypassword;".
• Visual Studio 2017 Access - Open up Visual Studio 2017 15.2 or later. I strongly recommend you have all the updates installed. My version of VS2017 for this exercise is 15.2 (26430.6) release.
• Create a new ASP.NET Core Project File > New > Templates > Visual C# > .NET Core > ASP.NET Core Web Application (.NET Core) I named mine sqlclientplay11, and the solution sqlclientplay11SLN. The "11" referencing framwwork 1.1.
• Select "Empty" web project.
• Leave docker support unchecked, and auth to "no authenticate".
• Open Startup.cs, change "Hello World!" to "Hello devfish".
• Give it a run via F5 (debug>go). You should see output with "hello devfish".  Woohoo.  We've got ASP.NET Core 1.1 up and running.
• Add System.Data.Common and System.Data.SqlClient to the project's nuget packages. This add's direct Sql Server access to our project.
• Add a file called SqlHelper.cs to your project. Direct file link : https://github.com/jhealy/aspdotnetcore/blob/master/SqlClientPlay11/SqlClientPlay11/SQLHelper.cs
• Add Customer.cs to your project. Direct file link:  https://github.com/jhealy/aspdotnetcore/blob/master/SqlClientPlay11/SqlClientPlay11/Customer.cs
• Add CustomersRepository.cs to your project.  Direct file link: https://github.com/jhealy/aspdotnetcore/blob/master/SqlClientPlay11/SqlClientPlay11/CustomersRepository.cs
• Modify startup.cs as follows in the snippet at the end of this document.
• Give the project a run and you should hopefully see ASP.NET Core using SqlClient.

public void Configure(IApplicationBuilder app, IHostingEnvironment env, ILoggerFactory loggerFactory)
 {
 loggerFactory.AddConsole();
if (env.IsDevelopment())
 {
 app.UseDeveloperExceptionPage();
 }

app.Run(async (context) =>
 {
 await context.Response.WriteAsync("Hello devfish!");
 await context.Response.WriteAsync("SQLCLIENT DIRECT SQL");
 await context.Response.WriteAsync(CustomerTable());
 });
 }

public string CustomerTable()
 {
 string retval;
 string header = @"SqlDbReader Fetch";
 string footer = @"done...";

StringBuilder sbBody = new StringBuilder(1024);
 List list = CustomersRepository.GetAllCustomers();
 foreach (Customer c in list)
 {
 sbBody.AppendFormat(@"{0}::{1}
 ", c.CustomerId, c.CompanyName);
 }
 retval = $@"{header}
 {sbBody}
 {footer}";
 return retval;
 }

• My OneNote with my study notes and some pasted code samples
• Visual Studio 2017 with Android and IOS PCL project
• Visual Studio 2017 with Android Native Project - base
• Visual Studio 2017 with iOS Native Project - base
• Mac crossover connected to PC with VS Mac on latest update
• Browser on "bing" ready to search when I got vague

NOTE: If you are using Xamarin Forms 4.1 or later, and creating a new project, you should start new Xamarin Forms projects with the Blank Xaml App ( Xamarin.Forms Portable ) instead of the Blank App ( Xamarin.Forms Portable ). I'll detail the differences in a future post, but suffice it to say that the Blank Xaml App template in Xamarin 4.1 uses a full App.xaml as a default file in the template, versus pre 4.1 App.cs.

SETUP OUR APP.XAML

• Create a Blank App ( Xamarin.Forms Portable ) in Visual Studio and name it "HelloXamarinForms"
• Rename App.cs to App.cs.saveme - this is a precautionary measure for us "just in case"
• Add a new Xaml form to the page and name it "App.xaml"
• Modify App.xaml.cs so that the class App inherits from Application
• Add a call to InitializeComponent() to the constructor
• Modify the App.MainPage initialization line to point to a new startup page we will created named UseGlobalResourceDictPage.xaml .

App.xaml.cs

public partial class App : Application
{
    public App()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
        MainPage = new UseGlobalResourceDictPage(); 
    }
...
}

ADD GLOBAL RESOURCES

• Modify App.xaml to resemble the following. This is our application level resource dictionary.

App.xaml

<Application xmlns="https://xamarin.com/schemas/2014/forms"
            xmlns:x="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml"
            x:Class="HelloXamarinForms.App">
<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
    <Color x:Key="PageBackgroundColor">Yellow</Color>
    <Color x:Key="HeadingTextColor">Black</Color>
    <Color x:Key="NormalTextColor">Blue</Color>
    <Style x:Key="LabelPageHeadingStyle" TargetType="Label">
        <Setter Property="FontAttributes" Value="Bold" />
        <Setter Property="HorizontalOptions" Value="Center" />
        <Setter Property="TextColor" Value="{StaticResource HeadingTextColor}" />
    </Style>
</ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>
</Application>

USE GLOBAL RESOURCES

• Add a new Xaml form called "UseGlobalResourceDictPage" to our project
• Modify the Xaml of UseGlobalResourceDictPage to match the following. Note the use of StaticResources applying styles to our Buttons and Labels.

UseGlobalResourceDictPage.xaml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<ContentPage xmlns="https://xamarin.com/schemas/2014/forms"
             xmlns:x="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml"
             x:Class="HelloXamarinForms.ResDictUseApplicationLevelPage">
    <StackLayout>
    <StackLayout.Resources>
      <ResourceDictionary>
        <Style x:Key="LabelNormalStyle" TargetType="Label">
          <Setter Property="TextColor" Value="{StaticResource NormalTextColor}" />
        </Style>
        <Style x:Key="MediumBoldText" TargetType="Button">
          <Setter Property="FontSize" Value="Medium" />
          <Setter Property="FontAttributes" Value="Bold" />
        </Style>
      </ResourceDictionary>
    </StackLayout.Resources>
    <Label Text="ResourceDictionary Demo" Style="{StaticResource LabelPageHeadingStyle}" />
    <Label Text="This app demonstrates consuming resources that have been defined in resource dictionaries."
           Style="{StaticResource LabelNormalStyle}" />
    <Button Text="Navigate" 
            TextColor="{StaticResource NormalTextColor}"
            HorizontalOptions="Center"
            Style="{StaticResource MediumBoldText}" />
  </StackLayout>
</ContentPage>

ENJOY

RESOURCES

• Falafel on Creating Global Resources for Xamarin Forms - https://blog.falafel.com/creating-global-resources-for-xamarin-forms-apps/
• Application Resources documentation - https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/windows.ui.xaml.application.resources.aspx

Esteemed Xamarin evangelist James Montemagno ( https://twitter.com/JamesMontemagno ) has a fantastic cross  platform plugin for working with connectivity scenarios in Xamarin. The plugin works with iOS, Windows UWP, Android, using Forms as well as native targets. The repository has full source code for the plugin. The repo also has some lightweight samples as well.

• IsConnected - Is there an active Internet connection
• ConnectionStatus changes - React when bandwidth or connection status changes
• ConnectionTypes - Enumerate available connection types
• Bandwidths - Enumerate available bandwidths
• IsReachable - Is machine or URL reachable
• IsRemoteReachable - Is host by IP or URL reachable

RESOURCES

• Connectivity Plugin for Xamarin - https://github.com/jamesmontemagno/Xamarin.Plugins/tree/master/Connectivity
• Connecity Plugin All APIs Sample - https://github.com/jhealy/Connectivity-Plugin-Sample

WordPress is a very popular platform. Using Azure plus Web Apps plus the Azure Marketplace you can easily spin up a WordPress site without having to touch any code. The provisioning process takes care of code installation, Web App initialization, and even creating a MySQL database for you.

For one of my engagements I was asked to come up ways to spin up online properties like blogs with little or no code. Accordingly, I've recorded a video of provisioning WordPress into a Web App in Azure. WordPress is an easy to work with, PHP driven blogging platform.

Watch the video below for a walk through using a Stop and Go tutorial format. After completing the video tutorial you will have stood up a complete blog in the cloud with no coding required.