Is there a way I can customize a label that I use often?

Question

In my Xamarin XAML I use this many times:

<Label Text="{x:Static local:FontAwesome.FACheck}" FontFamily="FontAwesome" 
   XAlign="Center" FontSize="13" 
   TextColor="#1E90FF" />

Is there a way using C# that I can create a custom version of Label and use that so I don't have to keep specifying the Font and other things?

Answer 1

Maybe, you can use a Style in your App.xaml.

<Application xmlns="http://xamarin.com/schemas/2014/forms"
             xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml"
             x:Class="YourAPp.App">
    <Application.Resources>
       <ResourceDictionary>
            <Style x:Key="FACheck" TargetType="Label">
                <Setter Property="Text" Value="{x:Static local:FontAwesome.FACheck}"/>
                <Setter Property="FontFamily" Value="FontAwesome"/>
                <Setter Property="XAlign" Value="Center"/>
                <Setter Property="FontSize" Value="13"/>
                <Setter Property="TextColor" Value="#1E90FF"/>
            </Style>
       <ResourceDictionary>
    </Application.Resources>
</Application>

And then in your pages, you just need to use it wherever you need to place this label.

<Label Style="{StaticResource FACheck}"/>

In case you want to define your resources in C#

public class App : Application
{
    public App ()
    {

            //Begin - Style code

            var faCheckStyle = new Style(typeof(Label))
            {
                Setters = {
                    new Setter { Property = Label.TextProperty,   Value = FontAwesome.FAChcek },
                    new Setter { Property = Label.FontFamilyProperty, Value = "FontAwesome" },
                    new Setter { Property = Label.XAlignProperty, Value = "FontAwesome" },
                    new Setter { Property = Label.FontSizeProperty, Value = 13 },
                    new Setter { Property = Label.TextColorProperty, Value = Color.FromHex("#1E90FF") }
                 }
            };
            Resources = new ResourceDictionary();
            Resources.Add("FACheck", faCheckStyle);      

            //End Style code
    }
    ...
}

Answer 2

Create your class and use it everywhere

public class MyAwesomeLabel : Xamarin.Forms.Label
{
    public MyAwesomeLabel()
    {
        FontFamily = "FontAwesome";
        XAlign = Xamarin.Forms.TextAlignment.Center; //deprecated BTW
        FontSize = 13;
        TextColor = Color.FromHex(0x1E90FF);
        //etc
    }
}