Create Android Navigation Drawer Layout Using Support Design

Let’s start,

Step 1: Open Visual Studio->New Project->Templates->Visual C#->Android->Blank app,then Give the project name and project location.

Step 2: Go to Solution Explorer-> Project Name-> Components, right click to Get More Components, open new dialog box. This dialog box is required to search the Design, add Android Support Design Library Packages.

Step 3: Add Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar. Create styles.xml file. Go to Solution Explorer-> Project Name->Resources->values, right click to Add->New Item, open new dialog box. Select XML file and give the name for styles.xml,

Step 4: Create colors.xml file. Go to Solution Explorer-> Project Name->Resources->values. Right click to Add->New, open new dialog box. Select XML file give for colors.xml.

 

Step 5: Open Solution Explorer-> Project Name->Resources->values->colors.xml. Click to open Design View and the code, given below,

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> 
 <resources> 
 <color name="window_background">#8AA5B9</color> 
 </resources>

Step 6: Open Solution Explorer-> Project Name->Resources->values->styles.xml. Click to open Design View and the code, given below,

 

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> 
 <resources> 
 <style name="Theme.DesignDemo" parent="Base.Theme.DesignDemo"> 
 
 </style> 
 <style name="Base.Theme.DesignDemo" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar"> 
 <item name="colorPrimary">#2196F3</item> <item name="colorPrimaryDark">#1976D2</item> <item name="android:windowBackground">@color/window_background</item> 
 </style> 
 </resources> 

Step 7: Open Solution Explorer-> Project Name->Resources->values->Strings.xml. Click to open Design View and the code, given below

<string name="drawer_open">Open</string> 
<string name="drawer_close">Close</string>

Step 8: Open the menu list to add one XML file. Go to Solution Explorer-> Project Name->Resources-> right click to Add->New Folder and give the name to the menu.

Step 9: Open Solution Explorer-> Project Name->Resources->menu. Right click to Add->New Item, open new Dialog box. Select XML file and give the name for nav_menu.xml,

Step 10: Open Solution Explorer-> Project Name->Resources->menu->nav_menu.xml. Click to open Design View and the code, given below,

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> 
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"> 
<group android:checkableBehavior="single"> 
<item 
android:id="@+id/nav_home" 
android:icon="@drawable/ic_dashboard" 
android:title="Home" /> 
<item 
android:id="@+id/nav_messages" 
android:icon="@drawable/ic_event" 
android:title="Messages" /> 
<item 
android:id="@+id/nav_friends" 
android:icon="@drawable/ic_headset" 
android:title="Friends" /> 
<item 
android:id="@+id/nav_discussion" 
android:icon="@drawable/ic_forum" 
android:title="Discussion" /> 
</group> 
<item 
android:title="Sub items"> 
<menu> 
<item 
android:icon="@drawable/ic_dashboard" 
android:title="Sub item 1" /> 
<item 
android:icon="@drawable/ic_forum" 
android:title="Sub item 2" /> 
<item 
android:icon="@drawable/ic_done" 
android:title="Sub item 5" /> </menu> 
</item> 
</menu>

Step 11: Open Solution Explorer-> Project Name->Resources->layout. Right click to Add->New Item and open the new Dialog box. Select axml file and give name for nav_header.axml.

Step 12: Open Solution Explorer-> Project Name->Resources->Layout->nav_header.axml. Click to open Design View and the code, given below,

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> 
 <LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" 
 xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto" 
 android:layout_width="match_parent" 
 android:layout_height="210dp" 
 android:background="#0099ff" 
 android:padding="16dp" 
 android:orientation="vertical" 
 android:gravity="bottom"> 
 <TextView 
 android:text="User Name" 
 android:layout_width="match_parent" 
 android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
 android:id="@+id/navheader_username" 
 android:textAppearance="@style/TextAppearance.AppCompat.Body1" /> 
 </LinearLayout>

Step 13: Open Solution Explorer-> Project Name->Resources->layout, right click to Add->New Item. Open new Dialog box. Select axml file and give the name for toolbar.axml,

Step 14: Open Solution Explorer-> Project Name->Resources->Layout->toolbar.axml. Click to open Design View and the code, given below,

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> 
<android.support.design.widget.CoordinatorLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" 
 xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto" 
 android:id="@+id/main_content" 
 android:layout_width="match_parent" 
 android:layout_height="match_parent"> 
 <android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout 
 android:id="@+id/appbar" 
 android:layout_width="match_parent" 
 android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
 android:theme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark.ActionBar"> 
 <android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar 
 android:id="@+id/toolbar" 
 android:layout_width="match_parent" 
 android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
 android:elevation="4dp" 
 android:background="?attr/colorPrimary" /> 
 </android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout> 
</android.support.design.widget.CoordinatorLayout>

Step 15: Open Solution Explorer-> Project Name->Resources->Layout->Main.axml. Click to open Design View and the code, given below,

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> 
 <LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" 
 android:orientation="vertical" 
 android:layout_width="match_parent" 
 android:layout_height="match_parent"> 
 <android.support.v4.widget.DrawerLayout xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto" 
 android:id="@+id/drawer_layout" 
 android:layout_height="match_parent" 
 android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
 android:fitsSystemWindows="true"> 
 <LinearLayout 
 android:layout_width="match_parent" 
 android:layout_height="match_parent" 
 android:orientation="vertical"> 
 <include layout="@layout/toolbar" /> 
 </LinearLayout> 
 <android.support.design.widget.NavigationView 
 android:id="@+id/nav_view" 
 android:layout_height="match_parent" 
 android:layout_width="300dp" 
 android:layout_gravity="start" 
 android:fitsSystemWindows="true" 
 app:headerLayout="@layout/nav_header" /> 
 </android.support.v4.widget.DrawerLayout> 
 </LinearLayout>

Step 16: After Design view creation, open Solution Explorer-> Project Name->MainActivity.cs  and the steps, given below:

Step 17: Add below Namespaces and Theme Name,

 using Android.Support.V7.App; 
 using Android.Support.V4.Widget; 
 using V7Toolbar = Android.Support.V7.Widget.Toolbar; 
 using Android.Support.Design.Widget; 
 [Activity(Theme = "@style/Theme.DesignDemo"])

Step 18: Create Drawer Layout and Navigation View variable, declare the Drawer Layout and Navigation View within the OnCreate().before to change the Activity to AppCompatActivity.

 protected override void OnCreate(Bundle bundle) 
 { 
 base.OnCreate(bundle); 
 // Set our view from the "main" layout resource 
 SetContentView(Resource.Layout.Main); 
 drawerLayout = FindViewById < DrawerLayout > (Resource.Id.drawer_layout); 
 // Create ActionBarDrawerToggle button and add it to the toolbar 
 var toolbar = FindViewById < V7Toolbar > (Resource.Id.toolbar); 
 SetSupportActionBar(toolbar); 
 var drawerToggle = new ActionBarDrawerToggle(this, drawerLayout, toolbar, Resource.String.drawer_open, Resource.String.drawer_close); 
 drawerLayout.SetDrawerListener(drawerToggle); 
 drawerToggle.SyncState(); 
 navigationView = FindViewById < NavigationView > (Resource.Id.nav_view); 
 setupDrawerContent(navigationView); //Calling Function 
 } 
 void setupDrawerContent(NavigationView navigationView) 
 { 
 navigationView.NavigationItemSelected += (sender, e) => 
 { 
 e.MenuItem.SetChecked(true); 
 drawerLayout.CloseDrawers(); 
 }; 
 } 
 public override bool OnCreateOptionsMenu(IMenu menu) 
 { 
 navigationView.InflateMenu(Resource.Menu.nav_menu); //Navigation Drawer Layout Menu Creation 
 return true; 
 }

Step 19: Press F5 or build and run the Application.

 

Download Source Code Here

Finally, we successfully created Xamarin Android Navigation Drawer Layout Android Support Design.

9 Comments

  • if you want only item selected to be true , must change code to this code:

    var size = navigationView.Menu.Size();
    for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
    {
    var item= navigationView.Menu.GetItem(i).SetChecked(false);
    if (item.HasSubMenu)
    {
    for (int j = 0; j < item.SubMenu.Size(); j++)
    {
    item.SubMenu.GetItem(j).SetChecked(false);
    }
    }
    }
    e.MenuItem.SetChecked(true);

    drawerLayout.CloseDrawers();

    • Thanks

    • What Issues you are facing ?

  • How to write Code for menu items in navigation
    Like home ,message etc

    • Use below code :-

      HomeNavigationView.NavigationItemSelected += HomeNavigationView_NavigationItemSelected;

      private void HomeNavigationView_NavigationItemSelected(object sender, NavigationView.NavigationItemSelectedEventArgs e)
      {
      var menuItem = e.MenuItem;
      Intent intent;
      switch (menuItem.ItemId)
      {
      case Resource.Id.nav:
      intent = new Intent(this, typeof(PageName));
      StartActivity(intent);
      break;
      }
      }

  • Hello? I have errors with android manifest file and I cannot solve them even though all steps have been followed?

    • Hi ..May I know the Error?

  • Sorted it out, it just kept opening an android manifest from another open project which I did not realise but eventually started working so thank you!

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