Placeholder Margin on Xamarin Forms Editor using Custom Renderer - xamarin

Question

I've an Editor on a page in my Xamarin Forms Project and I'm looking to amend the placeholder text position by adding a slight margin.
I was able to add a margin to the text the user types (but not the placeholder) using "TextContainerInset" in my iOS Custom renderer.
protected override void OnElementChanged(ElementChangedEventArgs<Editor> e)
{
base.OnElementChanged(e);
this.Control.InputAccessoryView = null;
this.Control.Layer.CornerRadius = 10;
this.Control.Layer.BorderColor = UIColor.LightGray.CGColor;
this.Control.Layer.BorderWidth = (nfloat)0.5;
this.Control.TextContainerInset = new UIEdgeInsets(15,15,15,15);
}
However, this inset doesn't apply to the placeholder position.
Is there a way to move the placeholder position using the custom renderer?

Answer 1

You could set the padding like:
public class MyEntryRenderer : EntryRenderer
{
protected override void OnElementChanged (ElementChangedEventArgs<Entry> e)
{
base.OnElementChanged (e);
if (Control != null) {
Control.LeftView = new UIView(new CGRect(0,0,15,0));
Control.LeftViewMode = UITextFieldViewMode.Always;
Control.RightView = new UIView(new CGRect(0, 0, 15, 0));
Control.RightViewMode = UITextFieldViewMode.Always;
}
}
}
Workaournd for editor:
warp the editor in the frame and set the padding like:
<StackLayout Margin="20">
<Frame CornerRadius="10" BorderColor="Gray" HeightRequest="50" Padding="5,10,5,10" HasShadow="False">
<Editor Placeholder="Enter the editor text" ></Editor>
</Frame>
</StackLayout>

Answer 2

The underlying UITextView does not implement the Placeholder. However if you look at the EditorRenderer code which derives from UITextView, Xamarin has implemented the Placeholder there.
private UILabel _placeholderLabel;
By using reflection, I can get a pointer to the UILabel _placeholderLabel, but I can't for the life of me move it.
If someone can help me move the UILabel, I believe we have the answer!
protected override void OnElementChanged(ElementChangedEventArgs<Editor> e)
{
base.OnElementChanged(e);
if (Control != null)
{
editor = e.NewElement as EditorEx;
//Use reflection to access private placeholder in parent
//https://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/6f0898/how-to-access-a-private-member-of-a-class-from-other-class/
System.Reflection.FieldInfo receivedObject = typeof(EditorRenderer).GetFields(System.Reflection.BindingFlags.NonPublic | System.Reflection.BindingFlags.Instance)[1];
_placeholderLabel = receivedObject.GetValue(this) as UILabel;
_placeholderLabel.Text = "move me!!; //this works
_placeholderLabel.BackgroundColor = UIColor.Green; //this works
//put it on another message to see if that solves it (it doesn't)
Device.BeginInvokeOnMainThread(() =>
{
//HELP NEEDED HERE!!!
//_placeholderLabel.Frame = new CGRect(-15, -10, 500, 30); //doesn't work
//_placeholderLabel.Bounds = new CGRect(-15, -10, 500, 30); //doesn't work
_placeholderLabel.LayoutMargins = new UIEdgeInsets(-15, -10, 5, 5); //doesn't work
});
}
}