Show keyboard automatically when UISearchController is loaded - ios

Question

I created a UISearchController in a table view controller. I segue to this table view controller using a push segue from another view controller. I want the keyboard to show up with the cursor in the search bar as soon as the table view controller is pushed.
I made the search controller active in the viewDidLoad method using
self.mySearchController.active = true
It does make the search controller active but this does not bring up the keyboard nor is the cursor placed in the search bar. I also tried
self.mySearchController.searchBar.becomeFirstResponder()
This line does not seem to have any effect.
How do I bring up the keyboard automatically/programmatically? Below is a more detailed version of my code
class PickAddressViewController: UITableViewController, UISearchResultsUpdating {
var searchText = ""
var mySearchController = UISearchController()
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
self.mySearchController = ({
let controller = UISearchController(searchResultsController: nil)
controller.searchResultsUpdater = self
controller.dimsBackgroundDuringPresentation = false
controller.searchBar.sizeToFit()
controller.searchBar.text = self.searchText
self.tableView.tableHeaderView = controller.searchBar
return controller
})()
self.mySearchController.active = true
self.mySearchController.searchBar.becomeFirstResponder()
}

Answer 1

BecomeFirstResponder is the way to go, but you should do it not in viewDidLoad. Look at following discussion for details - Cannot set searchBar as firstResponder

Answer 2

I also tried the suggestions listed in the link mentioned by Nikita Leonov. I needed to add make the class a UISearchControllerDelegate & UISearchBarDelegate and then it worked. I don't u
class PickAddressViewController: UITableViewController, UISearchControllerDelegate, UISearchBarDelegate, UISearchResultsUpdating {
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
self.mySearchController = ({
controller.searchBar.delegate = self
})()
self.mySearchController.active = true
self.mySearchController.delegate = self
}
func didPresentSearchController(searchController: UISearchController) {
self.mySearchController.searchBar.becomeFirstResponder()
}
…
}

Answer 3

Swift 5
in viewDidLoad:
searchViewController.delegate = self
in viewDidAppear:
searchViewController.isActive = true
This activates the SearchController
Define a delegate method:
extension MyViewController: UISearchControllerDelegate {
func didPresentSearchController(_ searchController: UISearchController) {
DispatchQueue.main.async {
searchController.searchBar.becomeFirstResponder()
}
}
}

Answer 4

Swift 3 solution in my case:
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
navigationItem.titleView = mySearchController.searchBar
mySearchController.searchResultsUpdater = self
mySearchController.delegate = self
}
override func viewDidAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
DispatchQueue.main.async {
self.mySearchController.isActive = true
}
}
func presentSearchController(_ searchController: UISearchController) {
mySearchController.searchBar.becomeFirstResponder()
}

Answer 5

override func viewDidAppear(animated: Bool) {
super.viewDidAppear(true)
self.navigationItem.titleView = searchController!.searchBar
dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), {
self.searchController?.active = true
self.searchController!.searchBar.becomeFirstResponder()
})
}
and this code
func presentSearchController(searchController: UISearchController) {
searchController.searchBar.becomeFirstResponder()
}
make sure you give
searchController?.delegate = self in viewDidLoad(). Tested on iOS 9.* device

Answer 6

Besides doing what the other users suggested, I also did the following, and it worked:
searchController.definesPresentationContext = true