Settings.bundle/Root.plist doesn't get included in iOS bundle. Maui.Storage.Preferences has no methods to save "shared" settings into device settings.

[belmonmi]

Description

Settings.bundle/Root.plist in iOS and Xamarin Forms is used to have "shared" setting for an application that user can modify by going to iPhone/iPad device settings. .Net MAUI is ignoring that file under Platforms/iOS/ folder.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Create new .Net MAUI application.
2. Under Platforms/iOS folder create "Settings.bundle" folder
3. Create new file "Root.plist" with some simple PSTitleValueSpecifier or PSGroupSpecifier, or any other valid iOS specifier with Title, Type, Key and Value.
4. Build the solution.
5. Run it on iOS simulator.
6. Go to device settings - no settings from your "Root.plist" only "Debug" settings that MAUI put there.

Version with bug

6.0.408 (current)

Last version that worked well

Unknown/Other

Affected platforms

iOS

Affected platform versions

iPhone 12 Pro iOS 15.5

Did you find any workaround?

No

Relevant log output

No response

[belmonmi]

[jfversluis]

Not 100% sure but this one looks very much like #8612

[belmonmi]

This is what I thought, but it is completely different. :) I already tried all possible variation of that but no luck. I still cannot populate shared iOS device settings. Using Preferences works to save and read the settings, but we need something similar to Xamarin Forms Settings.bundle/Root.plist functionality.
Thank you,
Michael.

[bivant]

Same issue
If try to apply workaround from #8612

	<ItemGroup Condition="$(TargetFramework.Contains('-ios'))">
		<MauiAsset Include="Platforms\iOS\Settings.bundle\Root.plist" LogicalName="Settings.bundle\Root.plist" />
	</ItemGroup>

The Root.plist has pre-defined by MAUI content only (in bin/Debug/net6.0-ios/iossimulator-x64/APP/Settings.bundle). If change the LogicalName path to Root2.plist - the file is present in the app-settings bundle but not used by iOS system as it checks Root.plist only.

https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/UserDefaults/Preferences/Preferences.html

The Settings Bundle
A Settings bundle has the name Settings.bundle and resides in the top-level directory of your app’s bundle.
...
When the user taps the row belonging to your app, Settings loads the Root.plist Settings page file for your Settings bundle and uses that file to build your app’s main page of preferences.

[rxDietel]

This works for me as a workaround:

  <ItemGroup Condition="$([MSBuild]::GetTargetPlatformIdentifier('$(TargetFramework)')) == 'ios'">
    <BundleResource Include="Platforms\iOS\Settings.bundle\Root.plist" Link="Settings.bundle\Root.plist" />
  </ItemGroup>

[bivant]

Hello @belmonmi
I confirm that @rxDietel workaround works. I think you can update the topic that workaround exists.
Looks like this

[belmonmi]

Hi @bivant ,

Finally I was able to connect my VS to Mac and try the solution. It is working. I can see the app setting in iPhone system settings now.
Thank you very much.

[rebuscao]

Hello, I tryed this workaround. It works and I can see the options in the config of the app but I lost the last part related to debug setting. This causes the app not connecting to debugger using local device on VS2022.

Maybe I need to add the default debug setting on my custom Root.plist but I don't know the exact setup.

Hello @belmonmi I confirm that @rxDietel workaround works. I think you can update the topic that workaround exists. Looks like this

[bivant]

Hello @rebuscao
The debug section is added automatically for me. No such values in Root.plist of the Settings.bundle
Have you tried the App delete/install, device restart? Maybe you build a release configuration?

[belmonmi]

@rxDietel workaround works. Thank you.

[Zhanglirong-Winnie]

Verified this issue with Visual Studio Enterprise 17.9.0 Preview 2. Can repro this issue.

[steven-pearson]

@rxDietel workaround works great, searched everywhere to find out why the settings would not deploy, was missing the Link= parameter.

MS should really add this to their docs.