Highlight or Underline Specific Word in a String - ios

Question

I would like to highlight or underline a specific set of words in a NSString. I am able to detect if the words exist, I'm just not able to get them highlighted.
NSString * wordString = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#", [self.myArray componentsJoinedByString:#"\n"]];
self.myLabel.text = wordString;
if ([wordString rangeOfString:#"Base Mix"].location == NSNotFound)
{
NSLog(#"string does not contain base mix");
}
else
{
NSLog(#"string contains base mix!");
NSMutableAttributedString * string = [[NSMutableAttributedString alloc] initWithString:wordString];
NSString * editedString = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%lu", (unsigned long)[wordString rangeOfString:#"Base Mix"].location];
NSRange theRange = NSMakeRange(0, [editedString length]);
[string beginEditing];
[string removeAttribute:NSForegroundColorAttributeName range:theRange];
[string addAttribute:NSForegroundColorAttributeName value:[UIColor greenColor] range:theRange];
[string endEditing];
[self.myLabel setAttributedText:string];
}
This code is closer to the right path. I do see a highlighted character, but it's the very first character in the string and not the words that I have searched for.

Answer 1

You can use the NSUnderlineStyleAttributeName and NSUnderlineColorAttributeName attributes. I think you can use it like this:
NSRange foundRange = [wordString rangeOfString:#"Base Mix"];
if (foundRange.location != NSNotFound)
{
[wordString beginEditing];
[wordString addAttribute:NSUnderlineStyleAttributeName value:[NSNumber numberWithInt:1] range:foundRange];
[wordString addAttribute:NSUnderlineColorAttributeName value:[NSColor redColor] range:foundRange];
[wordString endEditing];
}

Answer 2

You can use below code which relate to NSAttributed string. works only ios6+
NSString *tem = #"String with base Mix dfsdfsd ";
NSString *substring = #"base Mix";
NSRange range;
if ((range =[tem rangeOfString:substring]).location == NSNotFound)
{
NSLog(#"string does not contain base mix");
}
else
{
NSMutableAttributedString *temString=[[NSMutableAttributedString alloc]initWithString:tem];
[temString addAttribute:NSUnderlineStyleAttributeName
value:[NSNumber numberWithInt:1]
range:(NSRange){range.location,substring.length}];
NSLog(#"%#",temString);
self.yourLabel.attributedText = temString;
}

Answer 3

I think the part is missing from NSAttributedString. You can try with Three20

Answer 4

You could create an category method of NSString class like this
-(NSMutableAttributedString*)addAttributesToWords:(NSString*)string attributes:(NSArray*)attributes {
NSRange range;
if ((range = [self rangeOfString:string]).location == NSNotFound){
return [[NSMutableAttributedString alloc] initWithString:self];
}
else{
NSMutableAttributedString *result = [[NSMutableAttributedString alloc] initWithString:self];
for (NSDictionary *attribute in attributes) {
[result addAttributes:attribute range:range];
}
return result;
}
}
How to use it::
NSArray *attributes = #[#{NSFontAttributeName : kFont_OpenSansSemiBold14},
#{NSForegroundColorAttributeName : [UIColor darkGrayColor]}];
self.label.attributedText = [#"Hello There, this is a Test" addAttributesToWords:#"Hello There" attributes:attributes];

Answer 5

With the help of #user1118321's answer, I wrote this function and I would hope it saves someone's time.
func highlightedString(allText:String,toBeHighlighted word:String) -> NSAttributedString{
var putInString = NSMutableAttributedString.init()
var giveFrom = NSMutableString.init(string: allText)
while true {
let range = giveFrom.range(of: word)
let index = range.location + range.length
if range.location == NSNotFound{
putInString.append(NSAttributedString.init(string: giveFrom as String))
break
}
else{
let slite = giveFrom.substring(to: index)
let highlightedSlite = NSMutableAttributedString.init(string: slite)
highlightedSlite.addAttributes([NSAttributedStringKey.backgroundColor : UIColor.yellow], range: range)
giveFrom = giveFrom.substring(from: index) as! NSMutableString
putInString.append(highlightedSlite)
}
}
return putInString
}
Maybe it is not very clear code. I welcome any suggested edits that would help.
highlight Many words
func higlighted(allText:String,words:[String]) ->NSAttributedString{
let allAttributedText = NSMutableAttributedString.init(string: allText)
var ranges = [NSRange]()
for word in words{
var string = allAttributedText.string as NSString
var i = 0
while true {
var range = string.range(of: word)
if range.location == NSNotFound {
break
}
i = i + range.location + word.count
string = string.substring(from: range.location + range.length) as NSString
range.location = i - word.count
print("\(range) XX \(word)" )
ranges.append(range)
}
}
for range in ranges{
allAttributedText.addAttributes([NSAttributedStringKey.backgroundColor : UIColor.yellow], range: range)
}
return allAttributedText
}