Are there any built-in tools in Visual Studio for diagnosing MvvmCross binding errors

XAML Data Binding Diagnostics

While not specifically designed for MvvmCross, Visual Studio's XAML Binding Failures tool window can help diagnose data binding issues in XAML-based projects. This tool is available in Visual Studio 2019 version 16.8 and later, including Visual Studio 2022. To access it, go to Debug > Windows > XAML Binding Failures during a debugging session. This tool window lists binding failures, provides file locations, and allows you to navigate directly to the failed bindings in your XAML files[1].

General Debugging Techniques

For MvvmCross projects, which often involve platforms like Xamarin Forms or UWP, you can use general debugging techniques:

1. DebugTrace: Implement a custom `DebugTrace` class in your MvvmCross project to log trace messages during debugging. This can help identify binding issues by monitoring the data flow between the View and ViewModel[2].

2. PresentationTraceSources.TraceLevel: Although more commonly used in WPF, you can set the `PresentationTraceSources.TraceLevel` attached property on bindings to increase verbosity and gain more insight into binding operations. However, this is not typically used in MvvmCross projects[3].

3. Third-Party Tools: Tools like Snoop for WPF or similar visual tree inspectors can be adapted or used as inspiration for debugging MvvmCross bindings, though they might not be directly applicable.

4. Manual Debugging: Use breakpoints in your ViewModel and View code to manually inspect the data flow and binding operations. This can help identify where bindings are failing.

5. MvvmCross Documentation and Community: Refer to MvvmCross documentation and community forums for specific guidance on handling binding issues in MvvmCross projects[4][5].

In summary, while Visual Studio does not have specific tools for MvvmCross binding errors, you can leverage general XAML debugging tools and techniques to troubleshoot binding issues in your projects.