Diagnostics

Run the application in Debug configuration and press the shortcut configured for Akbura diagnostics. This opens the Akbura component inspector independently of Avalonia Developer Tools.

Add the package​

Applications created with the akbura.app template already include diagnostics in Debug builds. No additional installation is required for those projects.

For an existing Akbura application, install the package from NuGet:

Because diagnostics is a development tool, keep its assets private and reference it only in Debug builds. The resulting project entry should be:

<ItemGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)' == 'Debug'">
    <PackageReference Include="Akbura.Diagnostics"
                      Version="12.0.4-alpha.6"
                      PrivateAssets="all" />
</ItemGroup>

PrivateAssets="all" prevents the development dependency from flowing to projects that reference your application or library. The Debug condition keeps diagnostics out of Release restore, build, and publish output.

Attach diagnostics​

Attach the diagnostics window from Application.Initialize() after the application resources have been loaded:

using Akbura.Diagnostics;
using Avalonia;
using Avalonia.Input;
using Avalonia.Markup.Xaml;

public partial class App : Application
{
    public override void Initialize()
    {
        AvaloniaXamlLoader.Load(this);

#if DEBUG
        this.AttachAkburaDevTools();
#endif
    }
}

The default toggle gesture is F12.

Use the options overload to choose another gesture. The Feature Gallery uses Ctrl+F12:

#if DEBUG
this.AttachAkburaDevTools(options =>
{
    options.ToggleGesture = new KeyGesture(
        Key.F12,
        KeyModifiers.Control);
});
#endif

Keep the call inside #if DEBUG so diagnostics is not attached in Release builds.

Use Akbura and Avalonia developer tools together​

Akbura diagnostics is not a replacement for Avalonia Developer Tools. The two tools inspect the application from different perspectives and are intended to complement each other.

Avalonia Developer Tools works with Avalonia's visual and logical trees. It is useful for inspecting controls, styles, bindings, layout, properties, and routed events.

Akbura diagnostics works with the Akbura component tree. It shows the component hierarchy and exposes component-specific data such as states, parameters, and injected services.

An Akbura component also participates in Avalonia's visual and logical trees, so the same component may be visible in both tools:

• use Avalonia Developer Tools to inspect how the component is represented and rendered by Avalonia;
• use Akbura diagnostics to inspect the component itself and its Akbura state.

Both tools can be attached to the same application:

public override void Initialize()
{
    AvaloniaXamlLoader.Load(this);

#if DEBUG
    this.AttachDeveloperTools();

    this.AttachAkburaDevTools(options =>
    {
        options.ToggleGesture = new KeyGesture(
            Key.F12,
            KeyModifiers.Control);
    });
#endif
}

In this example, Avalonia Developer Tools keeps its own shortcut, while Akbura diagnostics opens with Ctrl+F12.

Use the diagnostics window​

Run the application in Debug configuration and press the configured shortcut.

The diagnostics window lets you:

• browse the live Akbura component tree;
• inspect states, parameters, and injected services;
• edit values with the available input builders;
• apply a draft value or reload the current value from the component;
• switch to another compatible input builder from the editor selector.

Built-in input builders cover strings, numeric values, collections, and a universal fallback. The universal input accepts values supported by a .NET TypeConverter, a public Parse or TryParse method, or a JSON representation.

Configure application services​

A custom input builder can receive application services through InputRequest.Services:

this.AttachAkburaDevTools(options =>
{
    options.Services = serviceProvider;
});

Use this only when an editor needs application-specific data, such as a catalog of valid values.

Next step​

Continue with Custom input builders to add a specialized editor and give it priority over the built-in inputs.