Overriding UILabel - iphone

Question

I have to present the currency and the price in a UILabel. In one label, but using different font sizes. Now it looks like this:
... and I did it overriding drawTextInRect: like this:
- (void)drawTextInRect:(CGRect)rect{
CGSize textSize = [self.text sizeWithFont:self.font];
textSize.width -= textSize.width/12;
CGRect analogRect = CGRectMake(0, 0, textSize.width, self.frame.size.height);
CGPoint centrino = self.center;
self.frame = analogRect;
self.center = centrino;
NSString *currency = [self.text substringWithRange:NSMakeRange(0, 3)];
NSString *amount = [self.text substringWithRange:NSMakeRange(3, self.text.length - 3)];
self.text = currency;
self.textAlignment = UITextAlignmentLeft;
self.font = [UIFont fontWithName:#"Helvetica-Bold" size:30.];
self.baselineAdjustment = UIBaselineAdjustmentAlignBaselines;
[super drawTextInRect:analogRect];
self.text = amount;
self.textAlignment = UITextAlignmentRight;
self.font = [UIFont fontWithName:#"Helvetica-Bold" size:40.];
[super drawTextInRect:analogRect];
}
Nice, isn't it?
But I need to align the currency and the price at the bottom, like this:
As you can see, I need to force "EUR" to go lower, because its size is smaller and it's centered, so it looks higher.
Please suggest a way to do this.
Thanks in advance!
NOTE:
Using 2 different labels is not good for me. I gotta do it in a single label.

Answer 1

Two ideas: 1) Since you're subclassing UILabel, you could put a second label for the currency type within the subclass' implementation, and your view would still think there's only a single label. 2) Since the NDA is lifted today on iOS 6, I'll suggest taking a look at attributed strings. Oh, and +1 for writing 'a UILabel' and not 'an UILabel.'

Answer 2

Ok, guys, thanks to everybody for your fast answers, but I have no time for researches, so I have found a newbie solution.
I feel shame but here is it:
- (void)setCurrencyAndPrice{
//set the labels' texts
[label_currency setText:#"EUR"];
[label_amount setText:#"12.34"];
//set the sizes to fit the content
[label_currency sizeToFit];
[label_amount sizeToFit];
//read the new frame of the labels
CGRect curRect = label_currency.frame;
CGRect amoRect = label_amount.frame;
//adjust the position of the price to the top-right
[label_amount setFrame:CGRectMake(320 - amoRect.size.width - 10, 0, amoRect.size.width, amoRect.size.height)];
//read again the price frame
amoRect = label_amount.frame;
//stick the currency to the price, spacing 10 pixels
[label_currency setFrame:CGRectMake(amoRect.origin.x - curRect.size.width - 10, 11, curRect.size.width, curRect.size.height)];
}
As you can see, nothing to override, just using 2 different labels - exactly what I did NOT want to do, but the time runs faster that I am coding.
Cheers!
P.S.: Although I have found the solution for myself, I like #MichaelMangold' idea, so I accept his answer.

Answer 3

Instead of using two UILabels, you can have one label with multiple text fonts styles and colors. Here is an example, may be that might help you :
UILabel *customLbl = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(50, 100, 200, 25)];
customLbl.backgroundColor = [UIColor yellowColor];
[self createTwoTextStyleInSingleUILabel:customLbl];// custom method calling
[self.view addSubview:customLbl];
Custom Method goes like this :
Before applying this method, add QuartzCore framework (needed for CALayers), and CoreText framework(needed for the attributed string.) in your project.
#import <QuartzCore/QuartzCore.h>
#import <CoreText/CoreText.h>
- (void)createTwoTextStyleInSingleUILabel: (UILabel *) myLabel{
NSString *firstText = NSLocalizedString(#"First text:", nil);
NSString *secondText = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%# %#",firstText,#"Second text"];
CATextLayer *myLabelTextLayer;
/* Create the text layer on demand */
if (!myLabelTextLayer) {
myLabelTextLayer = [[CATextLayer alloc] init];
myLabelTextLayer.backgroundColor = [UIColor clearColor].CGColor;
myLabelTextLayer.wrapped = NO;
CALayer *layer = myLabel.layer; //assign layer to your UILabel
myLabelTextLayer.frame = CGRectMake((layer.bounds.size.width-180)/2 + 10, (layer.bounds.size.height-30)/2 + 10, 180, 30);
myLabelTextLayer.contentsScale = [[UIScreen mainScreen] scale];
myLabelTextLayer.alignmentMode = kCAAlignmentCenter;
[layer addSublayer:myLabelTextLayer];
}
/* Create the attributes (for the attributed string) */
// customizing first string
CGFloat fontSize = 16;
UIFont *boldFont = [UIFont boldSystemFontOfSize:fontSize];
CTFontRef ctBoldFont = CTFontCreateWithName((__bridge CFStringRef)boldFont.fontName, boldFont.pointSize, NULL);
CGColorRef cgColor = [UIColor redColor].CGColor;
NSDictionary *attributes = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:
(__bridge id)ctBoldFont, (id)kCTFontAttributeName,
cgColor, (id)kCTForegroundColorAttributeName, nil];
CFRelease(ctBoldFont);
// customizing second string
UIFont *font = [UIFont systemFontOfSize:16];
CTFontRef ctFont = CTFontCreateWithName((__bridge CFStringRef)font.fontName, font.pointSize, NULL);
CGColorRef cgSubColor = [UIColor blackColor].CGColor;
NSDictionary *subAttributes = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:(__bridge id)ctFont, (id)kCTFontAttributeName,cgSubColor, (id)kCTForegroundColorAttributeName, nil];
CFRelease(ctFont);
/* Create the attributed string (text + attributes) */
NSMutableAttributedString *attrStr = [[NSMutableAttributedString alloc] initWithString:secondText attributes:attributes];
float lengthOfSecondString = 12.0; // length of second string including blank space inbetween text, space in front , space after text.. Be careful, your app may crash here if length is beyond the second text length (lengthOfSecondString = text length + blank spaces)
[attrStr addAttributes:subAttributes range:NSMakeRange(firstText.length, lengthOfSecondString)];
// you can add another subattribute in the similar way as above , if you want change the third textstring style
/* Set the attributes string in the text layer :) */
myLabelTextLayer.string = attrStr;
myLabelTextLayer.opacity = 1.0; //to remove blurr effect
}

Answer 4

This library will work for you https://github.com/AliSoftware/OHAttributedLabel

Answer 5

I'd build a UIView subclass called ValueUnitsLabel. Give it two labels and let it control framing, font sizes etc. It can also be smart about reading NSLocale.