Fresh from the Press

Mobile Apps Development, Technology

How to Run a Xamarin.Forms iOS App from Windows (Using Visual Studio 2019)

This is a brief overview of techniques used to run Xamarin.Forms apps on iOS from a Windows PC. This will allow you to test your apps on iOS devices without being part of the Apple Developer Program. This simulator testing is valuable and convenient, it is also essential to test your apps to verify that they function properly before deploying them to Apple Store.

Required Tools: Windows PC, Macintosh Computer, Xamarin.Forms (Installed on the PC and Mac), Visual Studio 2019 (PC only), XCode (Mac only).

Let’s begin. On the Mac, navigate to “System Preferences” and then to “Sharing.” Ensure that “Remote Login” is enabled and “All users” is selected. Leave this window open as we will need it later.

MAC IDE – Enable Remote Login

Back on the PC, open Visual Studio, and create a new project. Select the “Mobile App (Xamarin.Forms)” template. Then click next.

Create a New Project on Windows Using VS 2019

Continue through the setup wizard as normal until you reach this screen. Ensure that the “iOS” platform is enabled.

New Project Configuration on Windows

Once the project is created, click on the “Pair to Mac” button at the top right of the screen.

Pair to MAC

This window should appear. If your Mac is already listed, simply click on it and then “Connect.” If your Mac is not listed, click “Add Mac…” and enter the Mac’s IP address.

This step will likely cause the most headache and confusion. If you run into any problems, double-check that both computers are connected to the same network, both computers are powered on and awake, and that all your software is up to date.

But if everything goes according to plan, your Mac should now be successfully paired to Visual Studio.

Pair to MAC using IP Address

Once we have paired to a Mac, it’s time to run our app. At the top of Visual Studio, click the “Solution Platforms” dropdown and choose “iPhone Simulator.” Next, click the “Startup Projects” dropdown and choose “<yourProjectName>.iOS” Last, click the “Device” dropdown and select your preferred iPhone emulator.

Build Configuration in VS

The final step, click “Run” and your iPhone emulator should startup on the Mac. After a couple of moments, your app should open on the emulator.

iPhone Simulator

In summary, We hope this is helpful to you. Mobile app development is a tremendous market that businesses need to invest in. Aside from publicity, entrepreneurs can use this platform to connect to customers on a personal level and to be relevant in younger generations.

Contact Agile Tech if you want to develop mobile apps for your business so you can improve your communication with your clients and employees. We’ll design it, develop it, deploy it, and maintain it for you.

Lead Through Crisis
Clients, Company

Leading Through Crisis

Leading through a crisis presents its fair share of challenges. Whether you are the leader of an organization, team, or your family, you must adopt a unique set of skills and behaviors to lead effectively. Some of the most common issues that you may experience include operational challenges, unmotivated team members, and supply chain problems.

Approaches and Behaviors to Successfully Lead in Crisis

1. Quick Decision Making

In times of crisis, speed is more important than precision. The situation is unpredictable, and things change by the hour. As a leader, you must always be able to determine what is essential. Even though anxiety and emotions may run high, you should be able to make a decision even with minimal information. Define your priorities and pay attention to them when making decisions.

2. Composure

During a crisis, your team members are likely to be overwhelmed with stress. It is the responsibility of leaders to remain brave and composed. Even though it is normal to be scared, putting on a brave face will encourage your team to stay strong. Maintain a positive and pleasant attitude until the end of the crisis.

3. Accountability

A successful leader must remain accountable in times of crisis. You can demonstrate accountability through your actions – lead by example. Set the pace for leadership and performance excellence. Take responsibility, and encourages your team members to own up to their responsibilities.

4. Empathy

Remain empathetic throughout the process. Even though you should encourage productivity, understand that your employees may be going through a rough time, and listen to them. Develop a mantra encouraging them to do their best regardless of the circumstances.

5. Proper Communication

Communicate with your team members regularly and effectively. Come up with clear communication platforms and use them well. Let your team members know what you know. If you don’t have sufficient information, you may promise to get back to them later. The goal should be to build credibility and maintain constant communication.

6. Resilient

Lastly, you must be resilient. Do this by reframing a negative situation into a positive solution. Be accepting of the change. Nobody likes changes. They can be uncomfortable and unnerving, but you have to allow for the discomfort and do your best to embrace it. Resilient leaders are continuously learning. We are human, which means we’ll not have all the answers. Gaining a new perspective and gaining new understandings are important, and even more critical is being able to apply what you learn during times of change.

Working Remotely
Clients, Company

How to Be Effective When Working Remotely During COVID-19

As the concern for COVID-19 continues to grow, many employees have to work from home. Even though remote working is a fairly old concept, it is new for many people. To get through this difficult time, organizations’ leaders must be able to adapt and horn new skills. Some of the most important skills to get your team through this period include empathy, good communication skills, and composure. Working remotely presents unique challenges that require creative solutions. The following tips may help you when working remotely.

1. Replicate the Work Environment

Try to create a formal office at home. Replicating your work environment puts you in work-mode. Arrange your desk and physical media to look like your office at work. Establish a clear workspace. Treat it as a professional zone and avoid using it for any other activities. It is an instinctive way to associate the area with work.

2. Scheduling

Project managers and leaders may have a hard time trying to meet deadlines during the COVID-19 crisis. Without proper scheduling, employees may be unable to perform at maximum efficiency. Set up a clear schedule and stick to it. It keeps your team members on track and reminds them that you are still on target.

3. Don’t Compromise Your Goals

Even when going through a crisis, you should stick to your goal. Members of your team will naturally frighten and often lose their motivation. As a leader, I suggest that you keep reminding them about your objectives and why they are important. Sticking to a clear goal may encourage them to remain productive.

4. Plan Ahead

Do not fall into the trap of seeking short-term solutions. While all team leaders must find short-term solutions for emerging problems, you may want to look at the bigger picture. Anticipate future problems and plan for them. No one knows how long the situation will last so you must be prepared at all times.

5. Create an Accountability Plan

When working remotely, the lines of communication and accountability can get blurry. Create a system for all team members to give you updates on their work progress. You should be able to communicate your expectations with ease. If you don’t already have an accountability plan, I recommend that you create one as soon as possible.

6. Check-In

Check-in with your team members often. Even though it is important to ask about their progress at work, you should also ask about their mental state. Start every workday with a call or chat. Maintain a connection with your employees encourages them to stay in contact.

7. Stay Positive

All team leaders must maintain a positive attitude at all times. They should demonstrate patience and willingness to trust their team members. Even though it is important to push your goal, you must remain positive. Focus on results rather than the number of hours that employees put in.

8. Create a Work-plan

Come up with a work plan that answers any questions that may come up when working remotely. The work-plan should answer the following questions.

  • The responsibilities that employees can perform when working remotely
  • How remote working will impact the operations of employees
  • What are your goals?
  • What communication options are available? Contact all employees and find out how they can communicate.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog, and I hope everyone stays safe and healthy. If you have any questions or feedback about remote work, contact us at Agile Tech to find out more.

Xamarin Architect Feature
Mobile Apps Development

Building Fast, Data-Driven Mobile Apps Using Xamarin

Using Xamarin.Forms, .NET developers can create mobile apps user interfaces faster. This is done by extending the Xamarin framework with a shared abstraction of the common UI objects of each platform. In this article, I will share more about how Xamarin.Forms work and whether or not this can benefit you with your cross-platform efforts.

What is Xamarin.Forms?

Reports show that mobile apps are projected to hit $581.9 billion in revenue in 2020. (Statista) and this number is still growing. This shows the importance of mobile applications, especially to a business with an online presence. Having a mobile application is a necessity.

Business owners who do not have a mobile app yet may choose to develop mobile-friendly websites. You can include design features that are readable on a mobile device. You can achieve this by building a website that is responsive using Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Stylesheet (CSS), and JavaScript. This may be a very valid approach for your particular needs, but you are limited on what native mobile device features can offer. Depending on your needs for access to device-specific features, you could develop applications in the software development environments provided by each platform provider, Objective-C or Swift for iOS development, and Java or Kotlin for Android.

If you know web development, you may consider going hybrid and develop just a single code that allows you to run on multiple platforms. You can accomplish this by having the native web view component on each platform with open-source SDK such as Ionic. Ionic is built as a set of Web Components, allowing the user to choose any user interface framework, such as Angular, React or Vue.js. The only drawback is — as an interpreted language, JavaScript has some performance bottlenecks so not really ideal for the hybrid approach.

If you have skills with C# or F#, Xamarin will work best for you. Xamarin allows you to create an abstraction layer using the native platform and helps you develop the app in a more common language. While not as robust, it isn’t that bad as you are able to develop a common language. So where does Xamarin.Forms come in?

Defining Xamarin

Using the .NET framework, you can create applications across several platforms with Xamarin. You can do the development using Windows or Apple (iOS) operating systems. Everything is accomplished through the Mono framework and allows you to share a common library.

When developing the Xamarin project using the iOS platform, you will first need to create a Visual Studio project. With iOS, you start with an application logic within the project, creating interaction and using the MVC design pattern. All this using the .NET Framework. You can also take this one step further through a shared library project. Using the Windows operating system, you will be creating a .NET project by selecting the Xamarin platform.

What is Xamarin.Forms?

With each project, Xamarin.Forms create an abstraction that provides a common API and allows your shared project to reference native UI objects. Because the shared library can interact and create with the presentation layer, you can then move the user interface into the shared library. Application flow and business logic have been moved to the shared library too, which means that communication with the device has been lost as the platform’s application logic no longer drives the application. Communication through a proxy is needed since the shared logic is not able to communicate with the device features. The image below shows how the library is being shared by both Android and iOS.

Xamarin Architecture, Shared Components

Xamarin.Essentials — a library, works well with Xamarin.Forms. It’s a NuGet package that also creates abstraction and allows you to communicate features with the common API. This is a good picture – however, you may need platform-specific logic developed still. Don’t worry though as Xamarin is extremely flexible. A Xamarin.Forms application declares the user interface in one or more XAML files. Here we see a very basic XAML file. Xamarin.Forms can be built up and referenced programmatically, but for now, let’s focus on the XAML declarations.

Summary

Although Xamarin.Forms and Xamarin.Essentials can be used independently, they also work well together. With Xamarin.Forms, you can get started with developing your own mobile applications. With Xamarin.Forms, you can jump right into the development of your application. If you are interested in a deeper dive into the full Xamarin ecosystem, please contact our team at Agile Tech. We have done many Xamarin applications for our clients. Below are a couple of sample screenshots of our work.

Android app for Zebra
Android and iOS mobile apps
Website Design
Web Design

Creative Web Design Trends for a Fuller User Experience

Innovative website designing services offered in Jacksonville ensures a fine balance between aesthetics and software by incorporating new and bold features.

Serifs and Black and White Palette

While serifs are popular with the print medium they are now finding a way into websites. Bold, unconventional and decorative, serifs are a great way to emphasize something and make it stand out. The options are impressive and can be made to adapt to company branding. Different colors are used to gain visual attention and create the website mood. The latest trend used in Website Design in Jacksonville Fl is black and white along with small traces of other colors to create a bold, assertive and interesting impression.

Organic Shapes and Glitch Art

A favorite way of structuring a site has been to use geometrical shapes and systematic grids. This is slowly being replaced by smooth lines and natural shapes that are asymmetrical. Based on nature, these lines are spontaneous and imperfect. Microsoft.NET developers in Florida use this trend to give the impression of casual comfort and accessibility. Retro style glitches such as warped and double-exposed images are making a comeback. Not only does it draw the viewer’s eye to an idea but it’s quite an appealing experience too.

Micro-interactions

Newer website designs in Jacksonville FL are incorporating features that involve human interaction in small ways. Animations, beeps, icons, chimes are small ways that very subtly involve the user and make the site seem smarter. It also helps to transmit information or messages about usage and actions.

With new technological advancements, websites are becoming increasingly creative, smarter, interactive and illustrative.

ADA
Web Design

Four Principles to ADA Compliance for Websites

Website Accessibility and Modern ADA Requirements

Creating websites that are truly accessible to all users requires a certain degree of experience. Website accessibility is an important issue in the modern world. All people need to be able to use the Internet. While many people will care about issues related to website accessibility and ADA compliance, they still might not know very much about website ADA principles personally. Working with the developers who specialize in creating more accessible websites can immensely help to address the issue. Our websites are developed according to modern ADA requirements.

The Challenges That People With Disabilities May Face Online

Most of the information online is presented visually. As such, people who have vision impairments will often struggle when they perform tasks online. Some websites will be difficult for people with moderate vision impairments to use, because the websites will use a small font. Websites that are color-coded in any way will be difficult for people to use if they have issues with color blindness.

It’s important to remember that people who have severe vision problems will use keyboard shortcuts when they visit websites. They will not use the mouse, since this would mean that they would have to follow the cursor on the screen at the same time. Visually impaired people will rely on their sense of touch when using the keyboard, and they will also make use of screen reader technology while using the Internet in general. For them, website accessibility means being able to use all of these different tools and more.

More and more websites are now using auditory data rather than visual data, which is valuable for visually impaired people. However, it’s making things more difficult for people who suffer from hearing impairments. Some of these people will need access to volume controls that have a different sound range. People who have partial hearing might be able to benefit from those accommodations. Other people will need to have written transcripts of videos that they can access, as well as other visual accommodations.

Agency Management Information Systems
Mobile Apps Development

Agency Information Management System

Agile Tech recently developed a system for Florida Department of Health. The system is called Agency Information Management System (AIMS) which is used to gather, organize, and analyzes the information within an organization,, then reports data to help in the decision making processes. It employs software development to create a system that will improve your organization’s efficiency for making you edge out the competition.

The Management Information System comes in many forms with each designed to fulfill a specific goal. For example, Management Reporting System provides the entire company’s financial data, while the inventory control system tracks anything involving inventory such as sales, restocking, spoilage, returns etc.

Agile Tech is an IT company that specializes in designing agency management information systems for various organizations by employing web application database development. It aims to transform the current MS Access AIMS into a Web-based application with SQL Server backend to manage clients and provider’s information, appointments, invoices, and reports.

Agile Tech has developed AIMS systems for many organizations including Florida Department of Health. The Department has noted a significant improvement in operation efficiency after the installation of the new AIMS system.

designing agency management information systems

Core problems faced by organizations not using the new AMIS

Most organizations are still using the MS Access AIMS to run their operations despite the many limitations that it presents. Some of these problems include:

1. Unreliability

Microsoft Access management information system is not reliable. It does not provide the enterprise quality reliability that your business needs to operate efficiently. It may not detect and identify trouble warnings within your organization’s operations early enough.

2. Data Security

Information is vital for the proper functioning of any organization. Some companies store trade secrets within their computer systems which would, therefore, need to be protected from getting into the wrong hands. The new AMIS provided by Agile Tech covers data security effectively: you will never worry about data breach ever again.

3. Limited Cloud-based File Sharing

With the current Microsoft Access Management Information System application, it is difficult to distribute information within an organization. This slows operations within the organization limiting your productivity and profitability range. Cloud-based sharing of files enables efficient distribution of important information within and between organizations.

4. Accessibility

Microsoft Access 2010 has accessibility issues making it difficult to handle your operations effectively. There are better management information systems that employ the latest technology applications to ensure improved user experience.

Agile Tech proposed solutions

• Proposed Architecture

Agile Tech proposes to develop a web-based application with SQL Server backend that provides a visual display of the data; allowing users to input, edit and view information, generate reports and most importantly reduce the time and improve efficiency.

Microsoft Access management information system

• Replacing MS Access 2010

Through software development and web application database development, Agile Tech will build an engaging, dynamic and cross-platform Web Application that will replace MS Access forms and reports.

• Flexible Reporting

Agile Tech proposes a new management information system that will implement flexible reporting with the export/download to excel option.

• Technology Stacks

The web application will apply the following programming languages: Javascript, Bootstrap, HTML5, and CSS3 for the UI layer. The Database will be the Microsoft SQL Server 2012/2014/2017. The presentation layer will include controllers, views and view models. The business layer will include business services and Business Utilities/ Helpers. The technology stacks are user-friendly.

If you want to be efficient in your operations and decision-making processes, then you should apply the new Agency Management Information Management System that is proposed by Agile Tech Company.

mobile apps development florida
Mobile Apps Development

3 Quick Quality Tips About Mobile App Development

Are you looking to develop mobile applications? Do you need your mobile apps to go viral? If you are looking for a professional and committed mobile app development company, then you can go for mobile apps development Florida along with report developer in Jacksonville. Develop quality mobile apps following these extraordinary quality quick tips. Have a look:

  • Cross-platform Accessibility
  • High Scalability
  • Real-time Data Distribution

Let us discuss the details in detail:

Cross-platform Accessibility:While developing an application, always think about the future requirements of your customers or end-users. You can contact “Agile Tech” for mobile apps development Florida as well as software application development services.

High Scalability: Do not limit the scalability to the certain number of users. High scalability means more usage, space, speed, databases, etc. needs to be introduced initially itself. You can go for database developer in Jacksonville for such services.

Real-time Data Distribution:Any customer will look for the notification of latest update when they will go for a mobile application. Make sure your customers get the latest updates of any applications such as such as movie tickets booking; flight bookings, etc. There must be different data distribution methods that allow your applications to send the latest information to your users.

“Agile Tech” has gained a lot of trust among its customers and have made a special place in the industry. Hence, you can feel free to connect with them without a hitch.

 

 

 

 

 

Web Design

Data Visualization through Google Map

Google Maps allows you to quickly and easily create data visualization and plot analytic markers on a map. Whether you would like to visualize monthly sales, target sales, re-seller count or location of your project site; all of these can be done using Google Map API.

Having spatial data such as latitude and longitude is not particularly meaningful to see; unless you know where 47 degrees latitude 250 degrees longitude located on the earth, it doesn’t really make much sense. This is where maps play an important role in translating spatial data in a meaningful way.Read more

Technology

Software Architecture Simplified

Introduction

Software Engineering is a growing discipline and has become a part of its natural progression with both new and improved development methodologies that emerge each year. Before starting a project, organizations should be conscious of the risks involved. So, what are the measures that need to be taken for software practitioners to achieve success; will selecting appropriate architecture helps ease the process? Certainly; architecture sets the very foundation for success in our application. Selecting the right architecture is important. If we choose the wrong architecture, we may have to rewrite a portion of the application. Therefore, if we plan ahead, we may have to only make changes to the architecture configuration that will alter the application behavior to achieve that success.

Read more