Gray UISearchBar w/matching scope bar programmatically

Question

Hi All,

I'm trying to recreate this UISearchBar (as seen in the Table Search example code):

All the examples I've seen to do this involve using a xib, however I need to do it programmatically. The problem is changing the tint color also changes the cancel button's tint:

Any ideas?

Answer 1

Associating the search bar with a UISearchDisplayController magically provides a lot of standard look and behavior such as:

• gray tint without affecting cancel button
• auto showing/hiding of cancel button
• width adjustment around any tableview indexes

In my tableview controller I've done the following:

- (void)viewDidLoad {
    [super viewDidLoad];

    // setup searchBar and searchDisplayController

    UISearchBar *searchBar = [[UISearchBar alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectZero];
    [searchBar sizeToFit];
    searchBar.delegate = self;
    searchBar.placeholder = @"Search";
    self.tableView.tableHeaderView = searchBar;

    UISearchDisplayController *searchDC = [[UISearchDisplayController alloc] initWithSearchBar:searchBar contentsController:self];

    // The above assigns self.searchDisplayController, but without retaining.
    // Force the read-only property to be set and retained. 
    [self performSelector:@selector(setSearchDisplayController:) withObject:searchDC];

    searchDC.delegate = self;
    searchDC.searchResultsDataSource = self;
    searchDC.searchResultsDelegate = self;

    [searchBar release];
    [searchDC release];
}

Answer 2

I totally agree with Scott McCammon.

However using a performSelector:withObject: on setSearchDisplayController: would not be my approach. This depends on private API which can change at any moment. If Apple would remove their private implementation your app will crash.

A better way would be to override the searchDisplayController: in your view controller to return your instance of UISearchDisplayController:

- (UISearchDisplayControlelr *) searchDisplayController {
    return yourInstanceOfASearchController;
}