How to add key NSBluetoothPeripheralUsageDescription to info.plist in a Windows Visual Studio xamarin.ios app

Question

I need to add BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY (ble) to my xamarin.ios app, which I build on windows Visual Studio paired to my Macbook. BLE on xamarin.ios requires NSBluetoothPeripheralUsageDescription in info.plist.

However, I can't figure out how to do it with the info.plist GUI in Visual Studio.

Answer 1

To add it, I opened info.plist with Notepad (or any text editor) and inserted the lines... NSBluetoothPeripheralUsageDescription
To test our device for BLE
...near the end.

Example...

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>CFBundleName</key>
    <string>BluetoothTest</string>
    <key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>
    <string>pl.wojciechkulik.BluetoothTest</string>
    <key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>
    <string>1.0</string>
    <key>CFBundleVersion</key>
    <string>1.0</string>
    <key>LSRequiresIPhoneOS</key>
    <true/>
    <key>MinimumOSVersion</key>
    <string>9.3</string>
    <key>UIDeviceFamily</key>
    <array>
        <integer>1</integer>
    </array>
    <key>UILaunchStoryboardName</key>
    <string>LaunchScreen</string>
    <key>UIMainStoryboardFile</key>
    <string>Main</string>
    <key>UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities</key>
    <array>
        <string>armv7</string>
    </array>
    <key>UISupportedInterfaceOrientations</key>
    <array>
        <string>UIInterfaceOrientationPortrait</string>
        <string>UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeLeft</string>
        <string>UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeRight</string>
    </array>
    <key>XSAppIconAssets</key>
    <string>Assets.xcassets/AppIcon.appiconset</string>
    <key>UIBackgroundModes</key>
    <array>
        <!--for connecting to devices (client)-->
        <string>bluetooth-central</string>

        <!--for server configurations if needed-->
        <string>bluetooth-peripheral</string>
    </array>

    <!--Description of the Bluetooth request message (required on iOS 10, deprecated)-->
    <key>NSBluetoothPeripheralUsageDescription</key>
    <string>YOUR CUSTOM MESSAGE</string>

    <!--Description of the Bluetooth request message (required on iOS 13)-->
    <key>NSBluetoothAlwaysUsageDescription</key>
    <string>YOUR CUSTOM MESSAGE</string></dict>
</plist>

Answer 2

However, I can't figure out how to do it with the info.plist GUI in Visual Studio.

There are two ways to add NSBluetoothPeripheralUsageDescription for info.plist in Visual Studio.

One is open with XML(Text)Editor

Then add it bellow <dict></dict> as follows:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    ...
    <key>NSBluetoothPeripheralUsageDescription</key>
    <string>Allow NSBluetoothPeripheralUsageDescription </string>
</dict>
</plist>

Another way is open with Generic Plist Editor :

Then can click + button to select Privacy - Bluetooth Peripheral Usage Description and type Value .

More info can refer to Setting Privacy Keys .