How to set up ACR User Dialogs in a .NET MAUI application?

Install the Acr.UserDialogs.Maui NuGet package and add .UseUserDialogs() in your MauiProgram.cs, as detailed in the README setup section for MAUI users. Ensure you reference the package in each platform project for proper functionality.

ACR User Dialogs or Xamarin.Essentials for displaying dialogs?

ACR User Dialogs supports a wider range of dialog types like action sheets and progress indicators, but Xamarin.Essentials is actively maintained by Microsoft with a more limited set. Choose based on feature needs and maintenance preferences for your cross-platform .NET app.

Why does ACR User Dialogs crash when the app goes to the background?

The library does not manage window states; it presents dialogs directly, so platform exceptions can occur if dialogs are called during backgrounding. As per FAQ #6, you need to manually dismiss dialogs before state changes to avoid issues.

Can I customize the appearance of toasts in ACR User Dialogs?

No, customization is very limited. The README states in FAQ #8 that it wasn't designed for this, so for styled dialogs, you'd need to override implementations or use a different library focused on customization.

Is ACR User Dialogs still being updated?

No, as of March 2021, it's in lockdown with no new features added. Only community PRs are reviewed, so for active development and bug fixes, consider alternatives like .NET MAUI's built-in dialogs or other maintained libraries.

How to handle loading dialogs during page navigation in ACR User Dialogs?

Hide progress dialogs before navigating, as recommended in FAQ #3, to avoid exceptions or improper display. The library doesn't automate this, so you must manage dialog lifecycle manually in your code.

Open-Awesome

userdialogs

C#v6.5.1

A cross-platform .NET library for displaying native user dialogs (alerts, confirmations, progress, toasts, etc.) from shared code.

GitHub

992 stars357 forks0 contributors

What is userdialogs?

ACR User Dialogs is a cross-platform .NET library that allows developers to display native user interface dialogs—such as alerts, confirmations, progress indicators, toasts, and pickers—from shared or portable .NET code. It solves the problem of platform-specific UI code by providing a unified API that works across Android, iOS, and other .NET environments.

Target Audience

.NET developers building cross-platform mobile or desktop applications with MAUI, Xamarin, or other .NET frameworks who need consistent native dialog interactions.

Value Proposition

Developers choose ACR User Dialogs for its simplicity and native integration—it offers a straightforward API for common dialogs without the overhead of custom UI code, leveraging platform-native components for a consistent user experience.

Overview

A cross platform library that allows you to call for standard user dialogs from a core .net standard library, Actionsheets, alerts, confirmations, loading, login, progress, prompt, toast... async just for fun

Use Cases

Best For

Displaying native alerts and confirmations in cross-platform .NET apps
Showing loading or progress indicators during async operations
Presenting toast notifications in mobile applications
Using date and time pickers with native UI on each platform
Implementing login or input prompts in shared code
Creating action sheets for selection menus in mobile apps

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring deep customization of dialog aesthetics and behavior
Applications that need automatic dialog lifecycle management during app state transitions
Teams seeking an actively maintained library with regular updates and new features

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cross-Platform Consistency

Offers a unified API for common dialogs like alerts, toasts, and pickers, ensuring native look and feel on Android, iOS, and .NET without platform-specific code, as described in the key features.

Native UI Integration

Leverages platform-native components such as Android's AndHUD and iOS's BTProgressHUD for progress dialogs, providing authentic user experiences per the README's powered-by section.

Asynchronous by Design

All dialog calls are asynchronous, preventing UI blocking and simplifying async operations in shared code, as highlighted in the key features for non-blocking interactions.

Straightforward Setup

Simple initialization for MAUI and other platforms with minimal configuration, such as adding .UseUserDialogs() in MauiProgram.cs, as shown in the setup instructions.

Cons

Inactive Maintenance

The library entered lockdown in March 2021, meaning no new features are added and issue support is limited to community PRs, reducing its suitability for evolving projects.

No State Management

Does not handle app backgrounding or navigation automatically, leading to potential exceptions if dialogs are called during state changes, as admitted in FAQs #6 and #7.

Limited Customization Options

Explicitly not designed for custom styling or behavior overrides per FAQ #8, restricting use to standard native dialogs without flexibility for tailored UI.

Frequently Asked Questions

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