How do I handle email composition in a Xamarin.Forms app using MvvmCross

Step 1: Install MvvmCross Email Plugin

First, you need to install the MvvmCross Email plugin in your project. This can be done via NuGet Package Manager in Visual Studio. Search for the MvvmCross Email plugin and install it in your Xamarin.Forms project.

Step 2: Implement Email Composition

To compose an email, you will use the `IMvxComposeEmailTask` interface provided by the MvvmCross Email plugin. This interface allows you to compose an email with a recipient, subject, and body.

csharp
using MvvmCross.Plugin.Email;

public class EmailService
{
    private readonly IMvxComposeEmailTask _emailTask;

    public EmailService(IMvxComposeEmailTask emailTask)
    {
        _emailTask = emailTask;
    }

    public void ComposeEmail(string to, string cc, string subject, string body, bool isHtml)
    {
        _emailTask.ComposeEmail(to, cc, subject, body, isHtml);
    }
}

Step 3: Register the Email Service

You need to register the `EmailService` in the MvvmCross IoC container so that it can be injected into your ViewModels. This is typically done in the `Initialize` method of your App class.

csharp
public class App : MvxApplication
{
    public override void Initialize()
    {
        CreatableTypes()
            .EndingWith("Service")
            .AsInterfaces()
            .RegisterAsLazySingleton();

        // Ensure the Email plugin is registered
        Mvx.IoCProvider.RegisterSingleton(new MvxComposeEmailTask());
    }
}

Step 4: Use the Email Service in Your ViewModel

Now, you can inject the `EmailService` into your ViewModel and use it to compose emails.

csharp
using MvvmCross.ViewModels;

public class MainViewModel : MvxViewModel
{
    private readonly EmailService _emailService;

    public MainViewModel(EmailService emailService)
    {
        _emailService = emailService;
    }

    public async Task SendEmail()
    {
        _emailService.ComposeEmail("
 <script language='JavaScript' type='text/javascript'>
 <!--
 var prefix = 'm&#97;&#105;lt&#111;:';
 var suffix = '';
 var attribs = '';
 var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '=';
 var addy98962 = 'r&#101;c&#105;p&#105;&#101;nt' + '&#64;';
 addy98962 = addy98962 + '&#101;x&#97;mpl&#101;' + '&#46;' + 'c&#111;m';
 document.write( '<a ' + path + '\'' + prefix + addy98962 + suffix + '\'' + attribs + '>' );
 document.write( addy98962 );
 document.write( '<\/a>' );
 //-->
 </script><script language='JavaScript' type='text/javascript'>
 <!--
 document.write( '<span style=\'display: none;\'>' );
 //-->
 </script>This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 <script language='JavaScript' type='text/javascript'>
 <!--
 document.write( '</' );
 document.write( 'span>' );
 //-->
 </script>", "", "Test Email", "This is a test email.", false);
    }
}

Step 5: Bind the Send Email Action to Your View

Finally, you need to bind the `SendEmail` action to a button or another UI element in your Xamarin.Forms view.

xml


    

And in your ViewModel:

csharp
public ICommand SendEmailCommand => new MvxCommand(async () => await SendEmail());

This setup allows users to compose and send emails directly from your Xamarin.Forms app using MvvmCross. However, note that on some platforms like Windows UWP and WPF, the email composition will simply open the default email client with a "mailto:" link, as these platforms do not support direct email sending without user interaction[2].