Insert date/time in UITextView when user hits return

Question

Im trying to Insert the current date/time whenever the users hits the return key or starts typing on a UITextView in Xcode but not quite sure where to start.

I know this method is for when clicking into the TextView but doesn't seem to work:

- (void)textViewDidBeginEditing:(UITextView *)textView {
    self.txtDetail.text = [self.txtDetail.text stringByAppendingString:@"Hello!"];
}

Thanks

Update:

DetailViewController.h 
@interface DetailViewController : UIViewController <UIPopoverControllerDelegate, UISplitViewControllerDelegate> { 
    UITextView *txtDetail;
 } 
@property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UITextView *txtDetail;

 - (void)textViewDidBeginEditing:(UITextView *)textView;

DetailViewController.m 
@synthesize txtDetail;

 - (void)textViewDidBeginEditing:(UITextView *)textView { 
    NSLog(@"Hello");
    self.txtDetail.text = [self.txtDetail.text stringByAppendingString:@"Hello!"];
}

---

Update02:

Ive added this to my .m files:

- (BOOL)textView:(UITextView *)textView shouldChangeTextInRange:(NSRange)range replacementText:(NSString *)text {  

    BOOL shouldChangeText = YES;  

    if ([text isEqualToString:@"\n"]) {  
        // Find the next entry field  

        txtDetail.text = [txtDetail.text stringByAppendingString:@"\nhey\n"];       }  
        textView.editable = YES;

        shouldChangeText = NO; 
    [textView becomeFirstResponder];

    return shouldChangeText;  
}

I get the desired effect (Hey is added in whenever i press return on the keyboard) but i now can't type anything... any ideas?

Answer 1

You have to declare you controller as implementing the UITextViewDelegate Protocol and then connect it as the text view's delegate. Otherwise it never receives the delegate messages at all.

Then you have to implement:

– textView:shouldChangeTextInRange:replacementText:

... to return YES/TRUE otherwise no text gets added.

Update02:

You need to implement all the UITextViewDelegate protocol methods that have a return. If you don't, the text view assumes a NO by default.

See: Text and Web Programming Guide: Managing TextFields and TextViews

You also need to understand the Delegate Pattern.

Answer 2

Replace your method with the below method

- (BOOL)textView:(UITextView *)textView shouldChangeTextInRange:(NSRange)range replacementText:(NSString *)text 
{   

   BOOL shouldChangeText = YES;   

   if ([text isEqualToString:@"\n"] && textView == detailText) 
   {   
     // Find the next entry field   

       txtDetail.text = [txtDetail.text stringByAppendingString:@"\nhey\n"];          
       textView.editable = YES; 

       shouldChangeText = NO;  
       [textView becomeFirstResponder]; 
   } 
   return shouldChangeText;   
} 

Answer 3

The mechanics of delegate calls is a very important part of iOS programming. There is a doc on it in the Apple libraries, and it is also discussed in many good books. The Apress book "Beginning iPhone Programming" is very good and covers delegate methods.