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Xamarin.Forms TwoPaneView layout

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The TwoPaneView class represents a container with two views that size and position content in the available space, either side-by-side or top-to-bottom. TwoPaneView inherits from Grid so the easiest way to think about these properties is as if they are being applied to a grid.

Set up TwoPaneView

Follow these instructions to create a dual-screen layout in your app:

  1. Follow the get started instructions to add the NuGet and configure the Android MainActivity class.

  2. Start with a basic TwoPaneView using the following XAML:

    <ContentPage
    xmlns:dualScreen="clr-namespace:Xamarin.Forms.DualScreen;assembly=Xamarin.Forms.DualScreen">
    <dualScreen:TwoPaneView>
        <dualScreen:TwoPaneView.Pane1>
            <StackLayout>
                <Label Text="Pane1 Content" />
            </StackLayout>
        </dualScreen:TwoPaneView.Pane1>
        <dualScreen:TwoPaneView.Pane2>
            <StackLayout>
                <Label Text="Pane2 Content" />
            </StackLayout>
        </dualScreen:TwoPaneView.Pane2>
    </dualScreen:TwoPaneView>
</ContentPage>

Tip

The above XAML omits many common attributes from the ContentPage element. When adding a TwoPaneView to your app, remember to declare the xmlns:dualScreen namespace as shown.

Understand TwoPaneView modes

Only one of these modes can be active:

  • SinglePane only one pane is currently visible.
  • Wide the two panes are laid out horizontally. One pane is on the left and the other is on the right. When on two screens this is the mode when the device is portrait.
  • Tall the two panes are laid out vertically. One pane is on top and the other is on bottom. When on two screens this is the mode when the device is landscape.

Control TwoPaneView when it's only on one screen

The following properties apply when the TwoPaneView is occupying a single screen:

  • MinTallModeHeight indicates the minimum height the control must be to enter tall mode.
  • MinWideModeWidth indicates the minimum width the control must be to enter wide mode.
  • Pane1Length sets the width of Pane1 in Wide mode, the height of Pane1 in Tall mode, and has no effect in SinglePane mode.
  • Pane2Length sets the width of Pane2 in Wide mode, the height of Pane2 in Tall mode, and has no effect in SinglePane mode.

Important

If the TwoPaneView is spanned across two screens these properties have no effect.

Properties that apply when on one screen or two

The following properties apply when the TwoPaneView is occupying a single screen or two screens:

  • TallModeConfiguration indicates, when in tall mode, the Top/Bottom arrangement or if you only want a single pane visible as defined by the TwoPaneViewPriority.
  • WideModeConfiguration indicates, when in wide mode, the Left/Right arrangement or if you only want a single pane visible as defined by the TwoPaneViewPriority.
  • PanePriority determines whether to show Pane1 or Pane2 if in SinglePane mode.