MvvmCross.Plugin.BLE and Plugin.BLE both handle asynchronous BLE calls, but they differ in their approach to managing these calls and integrating with the MvvmCross framework.
MvvmCross.Plugin.BLE
1. Dependency Injection: MvvmCross.Plugin.BLE uses MvvmCross's dependency injection system to manage instances of `IBluetoothLE` and `IAdapter`. These are registered as lazy-initialized singletons, allowing them to be resolved and injected into view models or other components as needed[1].
2. Service Registration: The plugin registers these services so that they can be easily accessed throughout the application. This simplifies the process of obtaining a Bluetooth adapter or managing Bluetooth operations within the app[1].
3. Exception Handling: While MvvmCross.Plugin.BLE does not explicitly handle asynchronous exceptions differently, it is recommended to surround BLE calls with try-catch blocks due to the potential for exceptions, especially on Android[1].
4. Integration with MvvmCross: The plugin is designed to work seamlessly with MvvmCross, allowing for easy integration into MvvmCross-based applications. This includes support for features like state restoration and background modes on iOS[1].
Plugin.BLE
1. Direct Access: Plugin.BLE provides direct access to Bluetooth functionality without the need for dependency injection. Users can simply access the `CrossBluetoothLE.Current` instance to manage Bluetooth operations[2].
2. Async Operations: Plugin.BLE supports asynchronous operations like connecting to devices, reading/writing characteristics, and handling notifications. However, it requires careful management of these async calls to avoid issues like Gatt errors on Android[2].
3. Exception Handling: Plugin.BLE emphasizes the importance of surrounding async BLE calls with try-catch blocks to handle exceptions that may occur during operations. This is crucial due to the unpredictable nature of BLE interactions[2].
4. General Best Practices: The plugin encourages best practices such as avoiding concurrent BLE operations while scanning, stopping scans once the desired device is found, and not caching characteristic or service instances between connections[2].
Key Differences
- Dependency Injection: MvvmCross.Plugin.BLE uses dependency injection, which simplifies service management in MvvmCross applications, while Plugin.BLE does not require this.
- Integration: MvvmCross.Plugin.BLE is specifically designed for MvvmCross applications, providing integration with its features, whereas Plugin.BLE is more versatile and can be used in any Xamarin or MAUI project.
- Async Call Management: Both plugins require careful management of async calls, but MvvmCross.Plugin.BLE relies on MvvmCross's service management, potentially simplifying error handling in a structured framework.
In summary, while both plugins handle asynchronous BLE calls similarly in terms of requiring careful management and exception handling, MvvmCross.Plugin.BLE integrates more tightly with the MvvmCross framework, leveraging its dependency injection and service management features.
Citations:[1] https://www.nuget.org/packages/MvvmCross.Plugin.BLE/
[2] https://www.nuget.org/packages/Plugin.BLE/
[3] https://stackoverflow.com/questions/36522920
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfGuLsKeOeE
[5] https://www.reddit.com/r/dotnet/comments/1bds6rj/why_there_is_no_good_crossplatform_bluetooth/
[6] https://github.com/xabre/xamarin-bluetooth-le/issues/524
[7] https://stackoverflow.com/questions/69735708/xamarin-plugin-ble-why-data-read-doesnt-change
[8] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2101489/using-plugin-ble-to-connect-reconnect-to-ble-devic