UISearchBar in iPhone/iPad application - iphone

Question

I have data like this...(All the data comes from .plist file...)
Searching Array - (
{
FirstName = "Ramesh";
LastName = "Bean";
EmpCode = 1001;
},
{
FirstName = "Rohan";
LastName = "Rathor";
EmpCode = 102;
},
{
FirstName = "Priya";
LastName = "Malhotra";
EmpCode = 103;
},
{
FirstName = "Mukesh";
LastName = "Sen";
EmpCode = 104;
},
{
FirstName = "Priya";
LastName = "Datta";
EmpCode = 105;
}
)
I want implement search data from this array on the basis of FirstName (key).
I am able to search data with the "FirstName(Key)"
but after filtering data suppose i clicked Row( in the data) which is displayed in the TableView. It Navigate me to New-Controller with all the information of that particular employee (like: FirstName,LastName,EmpCode).
How can i get information?
As i gone through the search sample codes.
Here is my search code...
NSString *searchText = searchBar.text;
NSMutableArray *searchArray = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
NSInteger TotalNoOfRecords=[self.SearchtableDataSource count];
for (int i=0;i<TotalNoOfRecords;i++)
{ NSDictionary *dictionary = [self.SearchtableDataSource objectAtIndex:i];
NSArray *array = [dictionary objectForKey:#"FirstName"];
[searchArray addObject:array];
}
for (NSString *sTemp in searchArray)
{
NSRange titleResultsRange = [sTemp rangeOfString:searchText options:NSCaseInsensitiveSearch];
if (titleResultsRange.length > 0)
{
[copyListOfItems addObject:sTemp];
}
}
How can i improve this code?....Please guide me... [searchArray release]; searchArray = nil;
How we maintain all the "Keys(FirstName,LastName,EmpCode)" in the searchArray please help me out? Thanks...

Answer 1

I think the best approach would be to make an array of NSDictionary which has value for three keys namely "FirstName", "LastName", "EmpCode"
now to filter the data according to "FirstName" use NSPredicate instead of for loop,
NSString *searchText = searchBar.text;
NSPredicate* predicate = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:#"FirstName like[cd] %#",searchText];
NSArray* filteredArray = [self.SearchtableDataSource filteredArrayUsingPredicate:predicate];
In method cellForRowAtIndexPath
NSDictionary* currentEmp = [filteredArray objectAtIndex:inddexPath.row];
display the information in this currentEmp.
Similarly in didSelectRowAtIndexPath
NSDictionary* currentEmp = [filteredArray objectAtIndex:inddexPath.row];
and pass this dictionary in the next ViewController in which u want to dispaly the detail of the current employ.
if u have two table views one that of searchDisplayController (showing the filtered result)
and one which is showing the whole result, then u can track this by having a BOOL variable tacking that is if filtering is active or not.

Answer 2

Here is what i have done and its working fine with me(tested it). I have taken one IBOutlet of UISearchBar so here is the code for ur .h file
#interface SearchForEmp : UIViewController<'UISearchDisplayDelegate,UISearchBarDelegate,UITableViewDelegate,UITableViewDataSource> {
IBOutlet UISearchBar* mySearchBar;
UISearchDisplayController* mySearchDisplayController;
NSMutableArray* allEmp;
NSMutableArray* filteredEmp;
BOOL isFilatering;
}
#end
Now in .m file
-(void)viewDidLoad
{
[super viewDidLoad];
mySearchDisplayController = [[UISearchDisplayController alloc] initWithSearchBar:mySearchBar contentsController:self];
mySearchDisplayController.searchResultsDelegate = self;
mySearchDisplayController.searchResultsDataSource = self;
mySearchDisplayController.delegate = self;
isFilatering = NO;
filteredEmp = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
allEmp = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
NSDictionary *temp;
for (int i = 0; i < 30; i++) {
temp = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:[NSString stringWithFormat:#"FirstName_%d",i],#"FirstName",[NSString stringWithFormat:#"LastName_%d",i],#"LastName",[NSNumber numberWithInt:1000+i],#"EmpCode",nil];
[allEmp addObject:temp];
}
}
for e.g purpose i have thake an array of 30 Dictionaries, each with a unique name.For table view data source and delegate .....
-(NSInteger)numberOfSectionsInTableView:(UITableView *)tableView
{
return 1;
}
-(NSInteger)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView numberOfRowsInSection:(NSInteger)section
{
if (isFilatering) {
return [filteredEmp count];
}
else {
return [allEmp count];
}
return [allEmp count];
}
-(UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
static NSString *CellIdentifier = #"Cell";
UITableViewCell* cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:CellIdentifier];
if (cell == nil)
{
cell = [[[UITableViewCell alloc] init] autorelease];
}
NSDictionary* temp;
if (isFilatering) {
temp = [filteredEmp objectAtIndex:indexPath.row];
}
else {
temp = [allEmp objectAtIndex:indexPath.row];
}
cell.textLabel.text = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%# %#",[temp objectForKey:#"FirstName"],[temp objectForKey:#"LastName"]];
return cell;
}
Now as far as searching is concerned here is what u need to do .......
-(void)searchBar:(UISearchBar *)searchBar textDidChange:(NSString *)searchText
{
NSPredicate* predicate = [[NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:#"self.FirstName contains %#",mySearchBar.text] retain];
filteredEmp = [[allEmp filteredArrayUsingPredicate:predicate] retain];
}
-(void) searchDisplayControllerWillBeginSearch:(UISearchDisplayController *)controller
{
isFilatering = YES;
}
-(void) searchDisplayControllerWillEndSearch:(UISearchDisplayController *)controller
{
isFilatering = NO;
}
I hope that helps you understanding the things, dont forget to add retain in line
filteredEmp = [[allEmp filteredArrayUsingPredicate:predicate] retain];
because method filteredArrayUsingPredicate: is an accessor method and its retain count is handled by the NSArray so have access to the filtered array u need to pass a retain msg to it.