How to integrate android native embedding in .NET MAUI DataGrid (SfDataGrid) ?

To create a .NET MAUI DataGrid in a native embedded Android application, you need to follow a series of steps. This article will guide you through the process.

Step 1: Create a new .NET Android application
Create a new .NET Android application in Visual Studio. Syncfusion® .NET MAUI components are available in nuget.org. To add SfDataGrid to your project, open the NuGet package manager in Visual Studio and search for Syncfusion.Maui.DataGrid, then install it.

Step 2: Enable .NET MAUI support
First, enable .NET MAUI support in the native app’s project file. Enable support by adding true to the node in the project file.

[XAML]

<PropertyGroup>
 . . . 
 <Nullable>enable</Nullable> 
 <UseMaui>true</UseMaui> 
 <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings> 
 . . . 
 </PropertyGroup>

Step 3: Initialize .NET MAUI
The pattern for initializing .NET MAUI in a native app project is to create a MauiAppBuilder object and invoke the UseMauiEmbedding method. Additionally, configure it to set up Syncfusion® Core components within the .NET MAUI app.

[C#]

protected override void OnCreate(Bundle? savedInstanceState)
{
     base.OnCreate(savedInstanceState);
     MauiAppBuilder builder = MauiApp.CreateBuilder();
     builder.UseMauiEmbedding<microsoft.maui.controls.application>();
     builder.ConfigureSyncfusionCore();
}

Then, create a MauiApp object by invoking the Build() method on the MauiAppBuilder object. In addition, a MauiContext object should be made from the MauiApp object. The MauiContext object will be used when converting .NET MAUI controls to native types.

[C#]

protected override void OnCreate(Bundle? savedInstanceState)
{
     base.OnCreate(savedInstanceState);
     MauiAppBuilder builder = MauiApp.CreateBuilder();
     builder.UseMauiEmbedding<microsoft.maui.controls.application>();
     builder.ConfigureSyncfusionCore();
     MauiApp mauiApp = builder.Build();
     MauiContext _mauiContext = new MauiContext(mauiApp.Services, this);
}

Step 4: Initialize DataGrid
Now, let us define a simple data model representing data in the DataGrid.

[C#]

public class OrderInfo
{
    public string OrderID { get; set; }

    public string CustomerID { get; set; }

    public string Customer {  get; set; }

    public string ShipCity {  get; set; }

    public string ShipCountry { get; set; }

    public OrderInfo(string orderId, string customerId, string country, string customer, string shipCity)
    {
        this.OrderID = orderId;
        this.CustomerID = customerId;
        this.Customer = customer;
        this.ShipCountry = country;
        this.ShipCity = shipCity;
    }
}

Next, create a view model class and initialize an ObservableCollection of OrderInfo objects.

[C#]

public class OrderInfoRepository
{
    private ObservableCollection<OrderInfo> orderInfo;
    public ObservableCollection<OrderInfo> OrderInfoCollection
    {
        get { return orderInfo; }
        set { this.orderInfo = value; }
    }

    public OrderInfoRepository()
    {
        orderInfo = new ObservableCollection<OrderInfo>();
        this.GenerateOrders();
    }

    public void GenerateOrders()
    {
        orderInfo.Add(new OrderInfo("1001", "Maria Anders", "Germany", "ALFKI", "Berlin"));
        orderInfo.Add(new OrderInfo("1002", "Ana Trujillo", "Mexico", "ANATR", "Mexico D.F."));
        orderInfo.Add(new OrderInfo("1003", "Ant Fuller", "Mexico", "ANTON", "Mexico D.F."));
        orderInfo.Add(new OrderInfo("1004", "Thomas Hardy", "UK", "AROUT", "London"));
        orderInfo.Add(new OrderInfo("1005", "Tim Adams", "Sweden", "BERGS", "London"));
        orderInfo.Add(new OrderInfo("1006", "Hanna Moos", "Germany", "BLAUS", "Mannheim"));
        orderInfo.Add(new OrderInfo("1007", "Andrew Fuller", "France", "BLONP", "Strasbourg"));
        orderInfo.Add(new OrderInfo("1008", "Martin King", "Spain", "BOLID", "Madrid"));
        orderInfo.Add(new OrderInfo("1009", "Lenny Lin", "France", "BONAP", "Marsiella"));
        orderInfo.Add(new OrderInfo("1010", "John Carter", "Canada", "BOTTM", "Lenny Lin"));
        orderInfo.Add(new OrderInfo("1011", "Laura King", "UK", "AROUT", "London"));
        orderInfo.Add(new OrderInfo("1012", "Anne Wilson", "Germany", "BLAUS", "Mannheim"));
        orderInfo.Add(new OrderInfo("1013", "Martin King", "France", "BLONP", "Strasbourg"));
        orderInfo.Add(new OrderInfo("1014", "Gina Irene", "UK", "AROUT", "London"));
    }
}

Bind the OrderInfoCollection property of the view model to the dataGrid.ItemsSource.

[C#]

public class MainActivity : Activity
{
    protected override void OnCreate(Bundle? savedInstanceState)
    {
     ...
        // - create the DataGrid control
        SfDataGrid datagrid = new SfDataGrid();
        OrderInfoRepository viewModel = new OrderInfoRepository();
        datagrid.ItemsSource = viewModel.OrderInfoCollection;
        datagrid.GridLinesVisibility = GridLinesVisibility.Both;
        datagrid.HeaderGridLinesVisibility = GridLinesVisibility.Both;
     ...
   }
}

Step 5: Convert the .NET MAUI control to an Android View object
Convert the dataGrid to an Android platform-specific view using the ToPlatform method. Set the content view of the current activity with the mauiView.

[C#]

protected override void OnCreate(Bundle? savedInstanceState)
{
     base.OnCreate(savedInstanceState);
    
    // Initialize .NET MAUI and create MauiContext
    MauiAppBuilder builder = MauiApp.CreateBuilder();
    builder.UseMauiEmbedding<Microsoft.Maui.Controls.Application>();
    builder.ConfigureSyncfusionCore();
    MauiApp mauiApp = builder.Build();
    MauiContext _mauiContext = new MauiContext(mauiApp.Services, this);
    
    // Create the DataGrid control
    SfDataGrid dataGrid = new SfDataGrid();
    OrderInfoRepository viewModel = new OrderInfoRepository();
    dataGrid.ItemsSource = viewModel.OrderInfoCollection;
    dataGrid.GridLinesVisibility = GridLinesVisibility.Both;
    dataGrid.HeaderGridLinesVisibility = GridLinesVisibility.Both;

    // Convert the DataGrid to an Android platform-specific view
    Android.Views.View mauiView = dataGrid.ToPlatform(_mauiContext);
    SetContentView(mauiView);
}

Output

Download the complete sample from GitHub

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed learning how to integrate Android native embedding in .NET MAUI DataGrid.

You can refer to our .NET MAUI DataGrid feature tour page to learn about its other groundbreaking feature representations. Explore our .NET MAUI DataGrid Documentation to understand how to present and manipulate data.

For current customers, check out our .NET MAUI components on the License and Downloads page. If you are new to Syncfusion®, try our 30-day free trial to explore our .NET MAUI DataGrid and other .NET MAUI components.

Please let us know in the comments section if you have any queries or require clarification. You can also contact us through our support forums, Direct-Trac or feedback portal, or the feedback portal. We are always happy to assist you!