Anywhere there is a UIButton in my app i would like it to have a specific background image. This background image will always be the same.
What i dont want to have to do is call a method on every button that i put into my UI.
Can i do this via a category or something similar?
You can't change global appearance of your button via simple code (in current SDK).
BUT, You can subclass your UIButton. For example:
.h
#interface MyButton : UIButton
#end
---
.m
#implementation MyButton
// your customization code
#end
And if you want to insert an UIButton instance like:
UIButton *button = // init your button
// customize your button
[self.view addSubview:button];
you have to change UIButton to MyButton
Mybutton *button= // init your button
[self.view addSubview:button];
Don't forget about #import "MyButton.h" in your .m / .h file.
EDIT: Where should you make customizations:
#implementation UIButton (MyCategory)
+ (id)buttonWithFrame:(CGRect)frame {
return [[[self alloc] initWithFrame:frame] autorelease];
}
- (id)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame {
if (self = [super initWithFrame:frame]) {
// HERE YOU CAN DO SOME CUSTOMIZATION
}
return self;
}
Then, somewhere in your viewController:
UIButton *btn = [[UIButton alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(x, y, width, height)];
or:
UIButton *btn = [UIButton buttonWithFrame:CGRectMake(x, y, width, height)];
Related
In my iOS App I have the below code snipped repeating over and over again in every class.
I have tried to cast the method into a NSObject class but I receive errors for the use of "navigationItem".
-(void)customDesign {
//background pattern
self.view.backgroundColor = [[UIColor alloc] initWithPatternImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"BG-pattern.png"]];
// nav bar
[self.navigationController.navigationBar setBackgroundImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"top_bar.png"] forBarMetrics:UIBarMetricsDefault];
//back button color #2974c3
[self.navigationController.navigationBar setTintColor:[UIColor colorWithRed:41.0/255.0f green:116.0/255.0f blue:195.0/255.0f alpha:1.0]];
//settings button
UIImage* settingsImage = [UIImage imageNamed:#"ButtonMenu.png"];
CGRect frameimg = CGRectMake(0, 0, settingsImage.size.width, settingsImage.size.height);
UIButton *uiSettingsButton = [[UIButton alloc] initWithFrame:frameimg];
[uiSettingsButton setBackgroundImage:settingsImage forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[uiSettingsButton addTarget:self action:#selector(menuButton) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
[uiSettingsButton setShowsTouchWhenHighlighted:YES];
//add buton to navbar
UIBarButtonItem *settingsButton = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithCustomView:uiSettingsButton];
self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = settingsButton;
}
You should be creating your own subclass of UIViewController or UITableViewController (whichever you're using) and place this code in your viewDidLoad method of that subclass. All the controllers that need this code can then extend your custom class. This will save you the hassle of having to write this code everywhere.
Your custom subclass:
#interface CustomViewController : UIViewController
#end
Your viewDidLoad method in the subclass:
#implementation CustomViewController
- (void)viewDidLoad {
[super viewDidLoad];
// all your custom code here...
}
#end
Extend your custom class for controllers you want to have common stuff done in:
#interface VisuallyChangedViewController : CustomViewController
#end
#implementation VisuallyChangedViewController
- (void)viewDidLoad {
[super viewDidLoad];
}
#end
I tried to subclass UIButton to include an activity indicator, but when i use initWithFrame:(since i'm subclassing uibutton i'm not using buttonWithType:) the button doesn't display. Also how would i set the button type in this case?:
my view controller:
ActivityIndicatorButton *button = [[ActivityIndicatorButton alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(10, 10, 300, 44)];
[button addTarget:self action:#selector(buttonPressed) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
[button setTitle:#"Older Posts..." forState: UIControlStateNormal];
[cell addSubview:button];
[button release];
my activityindicatorbutton class:
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#interface ActivityIndicatorButton : UIButton {
UIActivityIndicatorView *_activityView;
}
-(void)startAnimating;
-(void)stopAnimating;
#end
#implementation ActivityIndicatorButton
- (id)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame {
if (self=[super initWithFrame:frame]) {
_activityView = [[UIActivityIndicatorView alloc] initWithActivityIndicatorStyle:UIActivityIndicatorViewStyleGray];
_activityView.frame = CGRectOffset(_activityView.frame, 60.0f, 10.0f);
[self addSubview: _activityView];
}
return self;
}
-(void) dealloc{
[super dealloc];
[_activityView release];
_activityView = nil;
}
-(void)startAnimating {
[_activityView startAnimating];
}
-(void)stopAnimating {
[_activityView stopAnimating];
}
#end
Favour composition over inheritance.
Create a UIView which contains the components you need and add them to your view.
I ran into a similar situation, and agree with Jeff that you don't really need to subclass UIButton. I solved this by subclassing UIControl, and then overriding layoutSubviews to do all of the configuration of the views I wanted on my "button". It's a much more simple implementation that subclassing UIButton since there does seem to be some hidden mojo going on under the hood. My implementation looked like this:
- (id)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame {
self = [super initWithFrame:frame];
if (self) {
self.opaque = YES;
self.imageView = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectZero];
[self addSubview:self.imageView];
self.textLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectZero];
[self addSubview:self.textLabel];
}
return self;
}
And layoutSubviews looked like this:
- (void)layoutSubviews {
[super layoutSubviews];
// Get the size of the button
CGRect bounds = self.bounds;
// Configure the subviews of the "button"
...
}
I have created a custom class, preferring composition over inheritance and it works perfect. My custom class has a button and it knows it's MCContact object. Also it draws a proper button and calculates frames automatically using MCContact object, that is passed.
Header file sample:
#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
#protocol MCContactViewDelegate;
#interface MCContactView : UIView
{
}
#property (nonatomic, strong) MCContact *mcContact;
#property (nonatomic, weak) id <MCContactViewDelegate> delegate;
- (id)initWithContact:(MCContact*)mcContact delegate:(id <MCContactViewDelegate>)delegate;
#end
#protocol MCContactViewDelegate <NSObject>
- (void)contactViewButtonClicked:(MCContactView*)contactView;
#end
Implementation file:
#import "MCContactView.h"
#interface MCContactView()
{
UIButton *_button;
}
#end
#implementation MCContactView
- (id)initWithContact:(MCContact*)mcContact delegate:(id <MCContactViewDelegate>)delegate
{
self = [super initWithFrame:CGRectZero];
if (self) {
GetTheme();
_mcContact = mcContact;
_delegate = delegate;
_button = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeCustom];
UIImage *normalBackgroundImage = [[UIImage imageNamed:#"tokenNormal.png"] stretchableImageWithLeftCapWidth:12.5 topCapHeight:12.5];
[_button setBackgroundImage:normalBackgroundImage forState:UIControlStateNormal];
UIImage *highlightedBackgroundImage = [[UIImage imageNamed:#"tokenHighlighted.png"] stretchableImageWithLeftCapWidth:12.5 topCapHeight:12.5];
[_button setBackgroundImage:highlightedBackgroundImage forState:UIControlStateHighlighted];
_button.titleLabel.font = [theme contactButtonFont];
[_button setTitleColor:[theme contactButtonTextColor] forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[_button setTitleEdgeInsets:UIEdgeInsetsMake(4, 6, 4, 6)];
NSString *tokenString = ([allTrim(mcContact.name) length]>0) ? mcContact.name : mcContact.eMail;
[_button setTitle:tokenString forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[_button addTarget:self action:#selector(buttonClicked:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
CGSize size = [tokenString sizeWithFont:[theme contactButtonFont]];
size.width += 20;
if (size.width > 200) {
size.width = 200;
}
size.height = normalBackgroundImage.size.height;
[_button setFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, size.width, size.height)];
self.frame = _button.frame;
[self addSubview:_button];
}
return self;
}
- (void)buttonClicked:(id)sender
{
[self.delegate contactViewButtonClicked:self];
}
/*
// Only override drawRect: if you perform custom drawing.
// An empty implementation adversely affects performance during animation.
- (void)drawRect:(CGRect)rect
{
// Drawing code
}
*/
#end
You have a pretty obvious problem that concerns your dealloc method: [super dealloc]; must be called AT THE END of your implementation, or else the line after that will try to access a memory space (the ivar space) that has been already deallocated, so it's going to crash.
For the other problem, I'm not sure it's a good idea to put an activity monitor as the subview of a button in general...
You don’t really want to subclass UIButton. It’s a class cluster, so individual instances will be something like UIRoundRectButton or some other private Apple class. What are you trying to do that requires a subclass?
I am new to iPhone programming. And I have an issue. I need to create a custom user control that I will add to my UIScrollView dinamically. The control has an UITextField and an UIButton. See the code below:
#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
#interface FieldWithValueControl : UIView {
UITextField *txtTagName;
UIButton *addButton;
}
#property (nonatomic, readonly) UITextField *txtTagName;
#property (nonatomic, readonly) UIButton *addButton;
#end
#import "FieldWithValueControl.h"
#define ITEM_SPACING 10
#define ITEM_HEIGHT 20
#define SWITCHBOX_WIDTH 100
#define SCREEN_WIDTH 320
#define ITEM_FONT_SIZE 14
#define TEXTBOX_WIDTH 150
#implementation FieldWithValueControl
#synthesize txtTagName;
#synthesize addButton;
- (id)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame {
if (self = [super initWithFrame:frame]) {
// Initialization code
txtTagName = [[UITextField alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, TEXTBOX_WIDTH, ITEM_HEIGHT)];
txtTagName.borderStyle = UITextBorderStyleRoundedRect;
addButton = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeContactAdd];
[addButton setFrame:CGRectMake(ITEM_SPACING + TEXTBOX_WIDTH, 0, ITEM_HEIGHT, ITEM_HEIGHT)];
[addButton addTarget:self action:#selector(addButtonTouched:)
forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
[self addSubview:txtTagName];
[self addSubview:addButton];
}
return self;
}
- (void)addButtonTouched:sender
{
UIButton *button = (UIButton*)sender;
NSString *title = [button titleLabel].text;
}
- (void)drawRect:(CGRect)rect {
// Drawing code
}
- (void)dealloc {
[txtTagName release];
[addButton release];
[super dealloc];
}
#end
In my code I create an object of that class and add it to scrollView on form.
FieldWithValueControl *newTagControl = (FieldWithValueControl*)[[FieldWithValueControl alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(ITEM_SPACING, currentOffset + ITEM_SPACING, 0, 0)];
[scrollView addSubview:newTagControl];
The control looks fine, but if I click to the textbox or to the button nothing happens. Keyboard doesn't appear, the button is not clickable etc.
Set width and height values for your control more then 0:
FieldWithValueControl *newTagControl = [[FieldWithValueControl alloc] initWithFrame:
CGRectMake(ITEM_SPACING, currentOffset + ITEM_SPACING, 100, 200)];
try setting the delegate to self.
I have a button on a view which when pressed opens another second view. I want to set a label in the second view to change depending on the label of the button that was pressed. I have tried passing (id) sender in my switchViews function but that does not work. Please help!
On your second view controller, create a the UILabel as a property i.e.
#interface MyViewcontroller : UIViewController {
UILabel *titleLabel;
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UILabel *titleLabel;
and, in interface builder, attach it to the label that you want to change.
Then, in your first view controller's switchViews method, after you create your second view you can set the title like this :
...
MyViewController *newViewController = [[MyViewController alloc] initWithNibName:'something' bundle:nil];
newViewController.view.titleLabel.text = #"Your new title goes here";
...
Hope that helps.
Passing sender should work. Just cast sender to UIButton * and take title for the state with titleForState:. Here is working code:
- (void)applicationDidFinishLaunching:(UIApplication *)application {
[window makeKeyAndVisible];
UIButton * myButton = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeRoundedRect];
myButton.frame = CGRectMake(100, 100, 100,80);
[myButton setTitle:#"test title" forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[myButton addTarget:self action:#selector(myButtonClicked:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
[window addSubview:myButton];
}
- (void)myButtonClicked:(id)sender{
UIButton * clickedButton = (UIButton *)sender;
NSString * buttonTitle = [clickedButton titleForState:UIControlStateNormal];
NSLog(#"title: %#",buttonTitle);
UILabel * myLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(100, 250, 100,80)];
myLabel.text = buttonTitle;
[window addSubview:myLabel];
}
What I Want: A border indicating if a UIButton is selected or not.
Background: I've got some UIButtons using transparent images, not text. These are toggle buttons (i.e. can be on or off).
Problem: The UIButton class gives users no indication of whether a button is selected or not unless you change something else about the button. Since the image doesn't change with the state, I'd need two of every image, one normal, one selected and set one for each state of the button. This is annoying. I thought instead I'd change the background image, but this removes the pretty border on the button, I just get a rectangle of my background image, yuck.
Possible solutions I don't like:
1) Create a background that matches the UIButton border and use that for selected. I don't like this because they wont match perfectly and I'm picky.
2) Create two images for each button, essentially identical but with a different background. This seems like unnecessary work, and since this problem is coming up repeatedly, I want a solution for the future as well.
I hope somebody's figured out a decent solution to this by now. Thanks in advance.
Since UIButton has two image layers, an image and a background image, I think you could accomplish what you want by using just two background images for all your buttons. One image shows a border and the other does not. Swap the backgrounds out when the control state changed.
//
// TabBarSingleton.h
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#interface TabBarSingleton : UITabBarController <UITabBarControllerDelegate>{
NSRecursiveLock *barLock;
UIButton *Button;
UIButton *favoriteButton;
}
#property(nonatomic, retain) UIButton *Button;
#property(nonatomic, retain) UIButton *favoriteButton;
- (void) ButtonPressed;
- (void) favoriteButtonPressed;
#end
///////////////////////////////////
If you want the the borders only, then you have only one choice of using two images for the two states otherwise if your purpose is to differentiate between two states then you can do it by changing alpha a little bit of the selected button this will give the effect like toggle buttons, you can also disable the selected button and enable it again when the other button is pressed.
Hope this will give you a fair idea.
//
// TabBarSingleton.m
// Created by ArunDhwaj on 9/7/10.
// Copyright 2010 __MyCompanyName__. All rights reserved.
//
#import "TabBarSingleton.h"
#implementation TabBarSingleton
#synthesize Button, favoriteButton;
- (id) init
{
if (self = [super initWithNibName: nil bundle: nil])
{
barLock = [[NSRecursiveLock alloc] init];
}
self.delegate = self;
return self;
}
+ (TabBarSingleton *) defaultBar
{
}
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
NSLog(#"TabBarSingleton: viewDidLoad");
//Hiding TabBar
self.tabBar.hidden = YES;
//Creating a UIView, its frame is same as tabBar frme
CGRect tabbarFrame = self.tabBar.frame;
UIView* customTabbarView = [[UIView alloc] initWithFrame:tabbarFrame];
UIImageView *newsFeedImg = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"newsfeeds_normal.png"]];
newsFeedImg.frame = CGRectOffset(newsFeedImg.frame, 0, 1);
Button = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeCustom];
[Button setFrame:newsFeedImg.frame];
[Button setBackgroundImage:newsFeedImg.image forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[Button setBackgroundImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"newsfeeds_active.png"] forState:UIControlStateHighlighted];
[Button addTarget:self action:#selector(newsFeedsButtonPressed) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
[customTabbarView addSubview:Button];
//[newsFeedImg release];
CGRect newsFeedFrame = newsFeedImg.frame;
UIImageView *favoriteImg = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"favorites_normal.png"]];
favoriteImg.frame = CGRectMake(newsFeedFrame.size.width, newsFeedFrame.origin.y, newsFeedFrame.size.width, newsFeedFrame.size.height);
favoriteButton = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeCustom];
[favoriteButton setFrame:favoriteImg.frame];
[favoriteButton setBackgroundImage:favoriteImg.image forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[favoriteButton setBackgroundImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"favorites_active.png"] forState:UIControlStateHighlighted];
[favoriteButton addTarget:self action:#selector(favoriteButtonPressed) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
[customTabbarView addSubview: favoriteButton];
//[favoriteImg release];
[self.view addSubview:customTabbarView ];
[self newsFeedsButtonPressed];
}
- (void) newsFeedsButtonPressed
{
NSLog(#"TabBarSingleton: newsFeedsButtonPressed");
self.selectedIndex = 0;
//Keeping Highlighted newsFeed tab
UIImageView *newsFeedImg = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"newsfeeds_active.png"]];
[Button setImage: newsFeedImg.image forState:UIControlStateNormal];
//Keeping normal others tab icons
UIImageView *favoriteImg = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"favorites_normal.png"]];
[favoriteButton setImage: favoriteImg.image forState:UIControlStateNormal];
}
- (void) favoriteButtonPressed
{
NSLog(#"TabBarSingleton: favoriteButtonPressed");
self.selectedIndex = 1;
//Keeping Highlighted newsFeed tab
UIImageView *newsFeedImg = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"newsfeeds_normal.png"]];
[Button setImage: newsFeedImg.image forState:UIControlStateNormal];
//Keeping normal others tab icons
UIImageView *favoriteImg = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"favorites_active.png"]];
[favoriteButton setImage: favoriteImg.image forState:UIControlStateNormal];
#pragma mark UITabBarControllerDelegate
- (BOOL)tabBarController:(UITabBarController *)tabBarController shouldSelectViewController:(UIViewController *)viewController
{
NSLog(#"TabBarSingleton: shouldSelectViewController");
return YES;
}
- (void)tabBarController:(UITabBarController *)tabBarController didSelectViewController:(UIViewController *)viewController
{
NSLog(#"TabBarSingleton: didSelectViewController");
}
- (void) dealloc
{
//[barLock release];
[super dealloc];
}
#end