How to handle long press on soft keyboard backspace button? - ios

When I long tap on default keyboard backspace button, sometime it will clear all text, is there any way to clear one by one character only

You can handle that using the textField shouldChangeCharactersIn delegate method as follow:
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
if string.isEmpty {
if range.length != 1 {
if let val: String = textField.text {
if !val.isEmpty {
let newStr: NSString = val as NSString
if newStr.length > 0 {
let updatedString: String = newStr.substring(to: newStr.length - 1)
textField.text = updatedString
}
}
}
return false
}
}
return true
}

Implement UITextFieldDelegate's textField(_:shouldChangeCharactersIn:replacementString:) method like so,
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
if string.isEmpty {
textField.text?.removeLast()
return false
}
return true
}

Related

iOS 13 Crash with SwipeKeyboard and textfield:shouldChangeCharactersIn:

In iOS 13, when implementing shouldChangeCharactersIn via the UITextfieldDelegate, the application crashes when using the swiping keyboard.
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
if let text = textField.text as NSString? {
let txtAfterUpdate = text.replacingCharacters(in: range, with: string)
textField.text = txtAfterUpdate
}
return false
}
Is this an Apple bug?
I was able to reproduce this - if you mutate the state of the text on a UITextField during swipe entry - and only during swipe entry, it'll attempt to reinsert the swiped content (even if you return false), which retriggers your delegate event, which kicks off the recursive cycle.
It's a bit of a hack but you could catch it with something like
private var lastEntry: String?
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
if string.count > 1 && string == lastEntry { // implies we're swiping or pasting
print("Caught unwanted recursion")
return
}
lastEntry = string
if let text = textField.text as NSString? {
let txtAfterUpdate = text.replacingCharacters(in: range, with: string)
textField.text = txtAfterUpdate
}
return false
}
It'll stop users from pasting/swiping the same thing twice in a row, but at least it'll let them swipe while Apple fixes their problem.
I used UIPasteboard to identify when the user is pasting and then leave the text as the user entered using the swipe like this:
public func textField(_ textField: UITextField,
shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange,
replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
//check if the user used swipe keyboard
if string.count > 1 && string != UIPasteboard.general.string ?? "" {
return true
}
//do the text treatment
return false
}
I also realized that the TextField only accepts static strings when using swipe keyboard.
Hope it Helps.
Before setting text you can reset delegate and after set it to self again.
But this solution has one problem if textfield is empty - text will be doubled.
Му code example:
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
let currentText: String = textField.text ?? ""
if #available(iOS 13, *) {
textField.delegate = nil
let resultText = editedText
textField.text = resultText
if currentText.isEmpty, textField.text != resultText {
textField.text = resultText
}
textField.delegate = self
} else {
textField.text = input.result
}
return false
}

Limit UITextField to Int input

I'm using shouldChangeCharactersIn to determine if the input of a given type of UITextField is an Int. No matter what character I input into said field, I get back:
input isn't a number
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
if let numberField = textField as? NumberField {
print("type is numberField")
if Int(numberField.text!) != nil {
print("input is a number")
typoFrequencySaveOut.isEnabled = true
typoFrequencySaveOut.backgroundColor = .green
return true
} else {
print("input isn't a number")
typoFrequencySaveOut.isEnabled = false
typoFrequencySaveOut.backgroundColor = .lightGray
return false
}
}
print("type is not number field")
return true
}
How else can I identify what data type is being entered into a UITextField?
You need to check the input not entire text:
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
...
var isEnglishNumber: Bool { return Int(string) != nil }
print(isEnglishNumber ? "isEnglishNumber" : "isNOTEnglishNumber")
...
return isEnglishNumber
}
Note that I removed codes that are not related to the original question, you can use the computed var isEnglishNumber in any way you like.

Force lowercase - ios swift

I would like to force lowercase in an UITextfield when the user is typing.
I came out so far with this code, but seems like it's not lowering characters.
func textField(textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersInRange range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
if string.characters.count == 0 {
return true
}
let currentText = textField.text ?? ""
let prospectiveText = (currentText as NSString).stringByReplacingCharactersInRange(range, withString: string.lowercaseString)
switch textField {
// Allow only lower-case vowels in this field,
// and limit its contents to a maximum of 6 characters.
case userNameTextField:
return prospectiveText.characters.count <= 27
default:
return true
}
}
First you should set following property on your textfield to restrict auto capitalisation:
textfield.autocapitalizationType = UITextAutocapitalizationType.None
And this is how you can restrict it further:
func textField(textField: UITextField!, shouldChangeCharactersInRange range: NSRange, replacementString string: String!) -> Bool {
if let _ = string.rangeOfCharacterFromSet(NSCharacterSet.uppercaseLetterCharacterSet()) {
// Do not allow upper case letters
return false
}
return true
}
UPDATED FOR SWIFT 4
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
if let _ = string.rangeOfCharacter(from: .uppercaseLetters) {
// Do not allow upper case letters
return false
}
return true
}
You could do like this and lowercase the entire string when something has changed.
textfield.addTarget(self, action: "textViewChanged", forControlEvents: .EditingChanged);
func textViewChanged(){
textfield.text = textfield.text?.lowercaseString;
}
for swift 3 users, the above code given by Abhinav is just converted to the following
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
if let _ = string.rangeOfCharacter(from:NSCharacterSet.uppercaseLetters) {
return false
}
return true
}
if you want to convert all input characters to lower case you should do this code:
Swift 4:
in override func viewDidLoad() add this:
textfield.addTarget(self, action: #selector(self.textFieldDidChange(_:)), for: UIControlEvents.editingChanged)
and then add this function to your class:
#objc func textFieldDidChange(_ textField: UITextField) {
if let text:String = textfield.text {
DispatchQueue.main.async {
self.textfield.text = text.lowercased()
}
}
}
it is necessary to change it in main thread.

How do I get the value of a UITextfield as characters are being typed in real time?

I am attempting to regulate the input of a UITextfield in real time, meaning as a user is typing. I have this character set that i need to compare to the input string, and while editing if an unwarranted character is typed in, I want to relay an alert. Here is my character set :
let acceptedChars = NSCharacterSet(charactersInString: "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ1234567890_")
now how do i capture a specific textfield in real time and track its input?
Try this:
func textField(textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersInRange range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
let invalidCharacters = NSCharacterSet(charactersInString: "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ1234567890_").invertedSet
if let range = string.rangeOfCharacterFromSet(invalidCharacters, options: nil, range:Range<String.Index>(start: string.startIndex, end: string.endIndex)) {
return false
}
return true
}
You can register your textField for value change event like this
textfield.addTarget(self, action:"textFieldDidChange", forControlEvents:UIControlEvents.EditingChanged)
func textFieldDidChange(){
// put your code
}
It will work for each chracter you have been typed in real time
var strings: NSString?
class ViewController: UIViewController,UITextFieldDelegate //set your textfield delegate
func textField(textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersInRange range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool
{ if(textField .isEqual(your textfield))
{
strings=string;
let acceptedChars = NSCharacterSet(charactersInString: "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ1234567890_").invertedSet;
if (strings!.rangeOfCharacterFromSet(acceptedChars.invertedSet).location != NSNotFound)
{
return true;
}
else
{
return false;
}
}
else
{
return true;
}
}
use below method
func textField(textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersInRange range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool
{
if textField.isEqual(<textField whose value to be copied>)
{
<TextField to be updated>.text = (textField.text as NSString).stringByReplacingCharactersInRange(range, withString: string)
}
return true
}
An Easy Delegate method and really more efficient is:
func textFieldDidChangeSelection(_ textField: UITextField) {
print(textField.text)
}

How shouldChangeCharactersInRange works in Swift?

I'm using shouldChangeCharactersInRange as a way of using on-the-fly type search.
However I'm having a problem, shouldChangeCharactersInRange gets called before the text field actually updates:
In Objective C, I solved this using using below:
-(BOOL)textField:(UITextField *)textField shouldChangeCharactersInRange:(NSRange)range replacementString:(NSString *)string
{
NSString * searchStr = [textField.text stringByReplacingCharactersInRange:range withString:string];
return YES;
}
However, I've tried writing this in Swift:
func textField(textField: UITextField!, shouldChangeCharactersInRange range: NSRange, replacementString string: String!) -> Bool {
let txtAfterUpdate:NSString = self.projectSearchTxtFld.text as NSString
txtAfterUpdate.stringByReplacingCharactersInRange(range, withString: string)
self.callMyMethod(txtAfterUpdate)
return true
}
The method still gets called before I get a value?
Swift 4, Swift 5
This method doesn't use NSString
// MARK: - UITextFieldDelegate
extension MyViewController: UITextFieldDelegate {
func textField(_ textField: UITextField,
shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange,
replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
if let text = textField.text,
let textRange = Range(range, in: text) {
let updatedText = text.replacingCharacters(in: textRange,
with: string)
myvalidator(text: updatedText)
}
return true
}
}
Note. Be careful when you use a secured text field.
stringByReplacingCharactersInRange return a new string, so how about:
func textField(textField: UITextField!, shouldChangeCharactersInRange range: NSRange, replacementString string: String!) -> Bool {
if let text = textField.text as NSString? {
let txtAfterUpdate = text.replacingCharacters(in: range, with: string)
self.callMyMethod(txtAfterUpdate)
}
return true
}
Swift 3 & 4
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
let textFieldText: NSString = (textField.text ?? "") as NSString
let txtAfterUpdate = textFieldText.replacingCharacters(in: range, with: string)
callMyMethod(txtAfterUpdate)
return true
}
func textFieldShouldClear(_ textField: UITextField) -> Bool {
callMyMethod("")
return true
}
Swift 2.2
func textField(textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersInRange range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
let textFieldText: NSString = textField.text ?? ""
let txtAfterUpdate = textFieldText.stringByReplacingCharactersInRange(range, withString: string)
callMyMethod(txtAfterUpdate)
return true
}
func textFieldShouldClear(textField: UITextField) -> Bool {
callMyMethod("")
return true
}
Though the textField.text property is an optional, it cannot be set to nil. Setting it to nil is changed to empty string within UITextField. In the code above, that is why textFieldText is set to empty string if textField.text is nil (via the nil coalescing operator ??).
Implementing textFieldShouldClear(_:) handles the case where the text field's clear button is visible and tapped.
In Swift 3 it would look like this:
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
let text: NSString = (textField.text ?? "") as NSString
let resultString = text.replacingCharacters(in: range, with: string)
return true
}
shouldChangeCharactersIn is called on every key press.
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
// get the current text, or use an empty string if that failed
let currentText = textField.text ?? ""
// attempt to read the range they are trying to change, or exit if we can't
guard let stringRange = Range(range, in: currentText) else { return false }
// add their new text to the existing text
let updatedText = currentText.replacingCharacters(in: stringRange, with: string)
// make sure the result is under 16 characters
return updatedText.count <= 16
}
shouldChangeCharactersInRange
func textField(textField: UITextField!, shouldChangeCharactersInRange range: NSRange, replacementString string: String!) -> Bool { }
This function is called when changes are made but UI is not updated and waiting for your choice
Take a look at returned bool value
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool
If you return true - it means that iOS accept changes(text, caret...)
If you return false - it means that you are responsible for all this stuff
Swift 3
If you want to pre-process the characters the user typed or pasted, the following solution workes like a charm
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
let strippedString = <change replacements string so it fits your requirement - strip, trim, etc>
// replace current content with stripped content
if let replaceStart = textField.position(from: textField.beginningOfDocument, offset: range.location),
let replaceEnd = textField.position(from: replaceStart, offset: range.length),
let textRange = textField.textRange(from: replaceStart, to: replaceEnd) {
textField.replace(textRange, withText: strippedString)
}
return false
}
Find it here: https://gist.github.com/Blackjacx/2198d86442ec9b9b05c0801f4e392047
This is essentially #Vyacheslav's answer independently arrived at for my own use case, just in case the stylistic approach resonates :-)
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn nsRange: NSRange, replacementString: String) -> Bool {
let range = Range(nsRange, in: textField.text!)!
let textWouldBecome = textField.text!.replacingCharacters(in: range, with: replacementString)
if textWouldBecome != eventModel.title {
self.navigationItem.setHidesBackButton(true, animated: true)
} else {
self.navigationItem.setHidesBackButton(false, animated: true)
}
return true
}
Replace eventModel.title with whatever you're checking for the change against obviously.
To get the exact text in the my UITextField component in Swift 3.0 I used:
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
let enteredTxt = textField.text! + string
doSomethingWithTxt(enteredTxt) //some custom method
}

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