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Switching back and forth between VS for Windows and Mac
USMember ✭✭
I'm about to start a new project. For several years now I've been using VS on Windows to develop a Xamarin.Forms app primarily for iOS.
But, I'm finding that this is a bit wonky -- like failure to start builds, builds that don't get downloaded to target, etc.
I'm thinking of changing over to VS for Mac, but when I did that one time before, I got into an awful amount of updating (which is OK), but then ended up with the components on the Mac not being the "right" version for the VS on Windows.
I'll need to support both systems for some time. Short of getting a second Mac, is there hope?
Or, is there a table somewhere that lists the components revisions for the various VS & Xamarin.Forms versions?
Thanks for any help
Bob
Best Answer
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LandLu
Member, Xamarin Team Xamurai
Did you use the latest version of Visual Studio 2019?
It includes Xamarin iOS 14.0.0.0:
The latest version of VS for Mac also includes the same version of Xamarin iOS:
If you were using an old version of Visual Studio 2019, there will be an incompatible Xamarin iOS version issue.
We could also separately install the previous version of Xamarin iOS here:
https://github.com/xamarin/xamarin-macios/releasesis there a table somewhere that lists the components revisions for the various VS & Xamarin.Forms versions
Take a look at the release notes here:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/xamarin/xamarin-forms/release-notes/5
Answers
Did you use the latest version of Visual Studio 2019?
It includes Xamarin iOS 14.0.0.0:
The latest version of VS for Mac also includes the same version of Xamarin iOS:
If you were using an old version of Visual Studio 2019, there will be an incompatible Xamarin iOS version issue.
We could also separately install the previous version of Xamarin iOS here:
https://github.com/xamarin/xamarin-macios/releases
Take a look at the release notes here:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/xamarin/xamarin-forms/release-notes/
I'm going to be brave and try this. I've been using VS-Win 16.6.4, and holding because in the last syncing everything up has taken the better part of a day -- and I have this app that I can't afford to break by updating.
One big question -- I'm thinking I'll go to XCode 12, not 12.1 which is offered in the app store. I've been concerned mostly that it would be difficult to downgrade XCode -- is that a concern?
No. The latest version of Xamarin iOS has supported XCode 12:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/xamarin/ios/release-notes/14/14.0
Thank you @LandLu -- your answers are always helpful.
Update here: I updated VS for Mac and VS for Windows to latest (8.7.8 and 17.6.7, respectively). Downloaded XCode 12.0 and installed. Everything works.
So my NEED is satisfied, but I do have the generic issue of -- how can I know which VS Mac matches a VS Win (and which XCode is required), so I can use either when developing. It it all in the release notes? If so, I can't spot it.
Am I the only one who wants to do this? I'm looking forward to handling my Win app, so would like to have a consistent set. Also, using Windows connected to Mac has been how I work, but now I'm thinking of doing most work on Mac instead. But want to maintain a fall-back position.