Define a collection inside XAML - xaml

Question

I want to create a Binding to a collection of strings defined inside XAML.
In WPF I could create an ArrayList as a resource with a key, ready to be used as the source of a Binding (using a StaticResource).
Is this possible in Xamarin Forms?
EDIT: I've tried with this XAML with the solution proposed by #Stephane Delcroix, but I'm getting an Unhandled Exception:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ContentPage xmlns="http://xamarin.com/schemas/2014/forms"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml"
xmlns:sys="clr-namespace:System;assembly=mscorlib"
x:Class="ReferenceApp.Views.GamesPage"
Title="Games">
<ContentPage.Resources>
<x:Array Type="{x:Type sys:String}" x:Key="array">
<x:String>Hello</x:String>
<x:String>World</x:String>
</x:Array>
</ContentPage.Resources>
<Grid />
</ContentPage>
However, the exception is not thrown if I remove the <x:Array >... </x:Array>
What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

I see that you are using the XF standard markup extensions. Your mistake seems to be in Type="{x:Type sys:String}", instead of sys:String you should write x:String which appears in the common xmlns:x
In this sample I fill a listview with strings
<ListView Margin="10">
<ListView.ItemsSource>
<x:Array Type="{x:Type x:String}">
<x:String>Hello</x:String>
<x:String>World</x:String>
</x:Array>
</ListView.ItemsSource>
<ListView.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<ViewCell>
<Label Text="{Binding}" />
</ViewCell>
</DataTemplate>
</ListView.ItemTemplate>
</ListView>

Answer 2

You can use the built-in x:Array
<x:Array Type="{x:Type sys:String}" x:Key="array">
<x:String>Hello</x:String>
<x:String>World</x:String>
</x:Array>
with sys defined as xmlns:sys="clr-namespace:System;assembly=mscorlib"
or any collection you like, e.g. List
<scg:List x:TypeArguments="{x:Type sys:String}" x:Key="genericList">
<x:String>Hello</x:String>
<x:String>World</x:String>
</scg:List>
with sys defined as before, and scg being xmlns:scg="clr-namespace:System.Collections.Generic;assembly=mscorlib"

Answer 3

This is an answer to the updated question.
<x:string> only supports constant values. You can address this issue with a Markup Extension
Its functionality is trivial: it returns its parameter.
using System;
using Xamarin.Forms.Xaml;
namespace YOURAPP.Extensions
{
public class StringExtension : IMarkupExtension
{
public string Value { get; set; }
public object ProvideValue(IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
{
return Value;
}
}
}
Use it like this in a view:
Add xmlns:ext="clr-namespace:YOURAPP.Extensions" to the root element
<ext:StringExtension Value="{anything here}" /> where you would otherwise want <x:string>
Note that this causes an Add to be called to the IEnumerable. For custom controls you would need initialization (to avoid a NullReferenceException) and and ObservableCollection to make sure that the view is updated on adding.