How to create two text columns in PDF? - ios

Question

The problem is to create two text columns in PDF like this:
For generating PDF I use Apple's guide "Drawing and Printing Guide for iOS", two columns I create with tabs:
NSArray *stringList =
#[
#[string1, string2],
#[#"", string4],
#[string5, string6],
#[string7, string8]
];
resultString = [[NSMutableAttributedString alloc] init];
for (NSArray *row in stringList) {
int i = 0;
NSMutableAttributedString *subResult = [[NSMutableAttributedString alloc] init];
NSMutableArray *tabs = #[].mutableCopy;
NSMutableParagraphStyle *style = [[NSParagraphStyle defaultParagraphStyle] mutableCopy];
for (NSString *tempString in row) {
NSTextTab *tab = [[NSTextTab alloc] initWithTextAlignment:NSTextAlignmentLeft location:200 options:nil];
if ([tempString isKindOfClass:[NSAttributedString class]]) {
[subResult appendAttributedString:(NSAttributedString *)tempString];
[subResult appendAttributedString:[[NSAttributedString alloc] initWithString:#"\t"]];
} else {
[subResult appendAttributedString:[[NSAttributedString alloc] initWithString:[NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#\t", tempString]]];
}
[tabs addObject:tab];
i++;
}
[subResult appendAttributedString:[[NSAttributedString alloc] initWithString:#"\n"]];
[style setTabStops:tabs];
[subResult addAttribute:NSParagraphStyleAttributeName
value:style
range:NSMakeRange(0, subResult.length)];
[resultString appendAttributedString:subResult];
}
As output I get this:
So, the lines of my string marked with red arrows I want see entirely in the second column, like in the picture №1.

Answer 1

The idea is to split the text into blocks and single lines and to use for each part
- (void)drawInRect:(CGRect)rect;
or
void CTLineDraw(CTLineRef line, CGContextRef context);
Solution:
#import CoreText;
<...>
- (IBAction)createPDF:(id)sender {
PDFFileName = <yourString>;
PDFPath = <yourPath>;
[self generatePdfWithFilePath:PDFPath];
}
- (void)generatePdfWithFilePath:(NSString *)thefilePath {
UIGraphicsBeginPDFContextToFile(thefilePath, CGRectZero, nil);
BOOL done = NO;
do {
UIGraphicsBeginPDFPageWithInfo(CGRectMake(0, 0, 612, 712), nil);
[self drawText];
done = YES;
}
while (!done);
UIGraphicsEndPDFContext();
}
- (void)drawText {
CGContextRef currentContext = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext();
//Here you can set up attributes for your text
NSDictionary *attributesForText = #{
NSFontAttributeName:[UIFont fontWithName:#"Georgia" size:12]
};
//Drawing text in line
NSMutableAttributedString *stringOneAttributed = [[NSMutableAttributedString alloc] initWithString:stringOne attributes:attributesForText];
CTLineRef stringOneLine = CTLineCreateWithAttributedString((__bridge CFAttributedStringRef)(stringOneAttributed));
CGContextSetTextPosition(currentContext, x, y);
CTLineDraw(stringOneLine, currentContext);
CFRelease(stringOneLine);
//Drawing block of text in rectangle
NSMutableAttributedString *stringTwoAttributed = [[NSMutableAttributedString alloc] initWithString:stringTwo attributes:attributesForText];
[stringTwoAttributed drawInRect:CGRectMake(x, y, width, height)];
}