寻求Xamarin.iOS下USB/串口设备通信的.NET库解决方案

Hey there! I’ve worked with USB communication in Xamarin.iOS before, so let me break down what you need to know:

1. USB Communication in Xamarin.iOS #

Unlike Android, Xamarin.iOS doesn’t have a ton of pre-built third-party libraries for USB, but you can absolutely use Apple’s native External Accessory framework directly (Xamarin provides bindings for it out of the box). Here’s how to get started:

• First, configure your Info.plist: iOS requires you to declare the specific communication protocols your app supports for USB devices. Add this entry to your Info.plist:

  <key>UISupportedExternalAccessoryProtocols</key>
  <array>
      <string>com.your-device.v1</string> <!-- Replace with your device's actual protocol -->
  </array>
  

• Scan for connected USB devices: Use EAAccessoryManager to detect connected accessories that match your declared protocol:

  var accessoryManager = EAAccessoryManager.SharedAccessoryManager;
  var connectedAccessories = accessoryManager.ConnectedAccessories;
  
  foreach (var accessory in connectedAccessories)
  {
      if (accessory.ProtocolStrings.Contains("com.your-device.v1"))
      {
          // Create a session to establish communication
          using var session = new EASession(accessory, "com.your-device.v1");
          
          // Use session.InputStream to read incoming data from the device
          // Use session.OutputStream to send data to the device
          // Remember to handle stream events (like new data availability) asynchronously
      }
  }
  

• Community wrappers: If you want to avoid direct native binding work, check NuGet for lightweight community packages that wrap the External Accessory framework (search for terms like "Xamarin.iOS USB accessory"). Just confirm compatibility with your Xamarin.iOS version before installing.

2. Can Bluetooth Libraries Be Used for USB Communication? #

Short answer: No. Bluetooth and USB are entirely separate hardware and software protocols. Bluetooth libraries for Xamarin.iOS rely on Apple’s CoreBluetooth framework, which is built exclusively for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) or Classic Bluetooth devices. USB communication uses the External Accessory framework, which has no overlap with Bluetooth APIs. You can’t repurpose a Bluetooth library to talk to a USB device—stick to the USB-specific tools mentioned above.

Quick Tips #

• Verify your USB device supports Apple’s External Accessory protocol (most iOS-compatible USB devices do, but check with the manufacturer if unsure).
• For newer iOS versions, enable the "External Accessory" capability in your Xamarin project settings to ensure proper permissions.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者DevVidem