How does MvvmCross handle language file updates using One-Time binding

Overview of One-Time Binding in MvvmCross

One-Time binding in MvvmCross is a binding mode that transfers values from the ViewModel to the View. This transfer occurs only when the binding source is set, and it does not actively monitor change messages or events from the ViewModel. Once the initial transfer is complete, the binding does not perform any updates unless the binding source itself is reset[1].

Handling Language File Updates

When using One-Time binding for language files, MvvmCross typically sets the text once when the language is selected. This is because it's common for users to select a language at the start of the application, and it's uncommon for them to change it frequently. However, if the language needs to be updated dynamically, One-Time binding alone is not sufficient, as it does not automatically update the text when the language changes.

Dynamic Language Updates

To handle dynamic language updates, you would typically need to implement additional logic. This could involve resetting the binding source when the language changes or using a different binding mode that supports updates, such as Two-Way binding, although this is less common for static text.

Using MvvmCross.Plugin.ResxLocalization

For managing language files, MvvmCross provides the `MvvmCross.Plugin.ResxLocalization` plugin, which allows you to store strings in `.resx` files for different languages. This plugin helps manage localized strings and can be integrated with the application's IoC container to provide access to localized resources from ViewModels and Views[4].

To update the language dynamically with this plugin, you would need to implement logic that updates the UI when the language changes. This might involve manually updating the text properties of UI elements or using a more dynamic binding approach that reacts to language changes.

Conclusion

While One-Time binding is suitable for setting static text from language files initially, handling dynamic language updates requires additional implementation steps. MvvmCross provides tools like the `ResxLocalization` plugin to manage localized resources, but you need to implement the logic to update the UI when the language changes.

In summary, MvvmCross's One-Time binding is not designed to automatically handle language updates, but with the right additional logic and plugins, you can achieve dynamic language support in your application.