Variable size text view in iOS (iPad and iPhone)

Based on specific need, you may want a variable size text view on iOS as

• Fixed width. Vary height based on length of text
• Vary both width and height, based on length of text. You will increase height if new line is added otherwise increase width.

These two kinds of text views are used in "Lekh Diagram" app. This is a diagramming app. You can add text on a shape, or free floating text. If text is added on a shape, then width of text is constrained to the width of shape. The free floating text has variable width and height.

Lets see how to do in code:

Add to text boxes, one for fixed width and other for variable width and height.

In ViewController.h

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>

@interface ViewController : UIViewController <UITextViewDelegate>

@property (weak, nonatomic) IBOutlet UITextView *textView1;

@property (weak, nonatomic) IBOutlet UITextView *textView2;

@end

In ViewController.m

#import "ViewController.h"

@implementation ViewController

- (void)viewDidLoad

{

    [super viewDidLoad];

    self.textView1.delegate = self;

    self.textView2.delegate = self;

}

- (void)didReceiveMemoryWarning

{

    [super didReceiveMemoryWarning];

}

-(BOOL)shouldAutorotate

{

    return NO;

}

- (void)textViewDidChange:(UITextView *)textView

{

    // textView2 has variable width and variable height

    if (textView == self.textView2) {

        // max widht and height: some random big value

        float maxWidth = 40000;

        float maxHeight = 40000;

        

        CGSize sz = [textView.text sizeWithFont:textView.font constrainedToSize:CGSizeMake(maxWidth, maxHeight)];

        

        // There is some margin around text view. we need to consider margin,

        // otherwise there will text wrapping without new line.

        sz.width += 32;

        sz.height += 16;

        

        CGRect frame = textView.frame;

        frame.size = sz;

        textView.frame = frame;

    }

    else {

        // textView1 has fixed width and variable height

        CGRect frame = textView.frame;

        frame.size.width = textView.contentSize.width;

        frame.size.height = textView.contentSize.height;

        textView.frame = frame;

    }

}

@end

In code above, textView2 has variable width and height and textView1 has fixed width.
Download code from here

The code above is based on code used in "Lekh Diagram", a sketch recognition diagramming app for iPad and iPhone.
Get "Lekh Diagram" from app store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lekh-diagram/id576124115?mt=8

Lekh Diagram now available for iPhone

Lekh Diagram is a sketch recognition diagramming app for iOS. It enables you to draw diagrams simply by sketching with your finger. The Lekh Diagram has a powerful shape recognition capability. It can recognize shapes you sketch and will convert them into regular shapes (e.g circle, rectangle etc) and connections.

The Lekh Diagram was initially released for iPad and now it is available for iPhone too. It is a universal app, which will run on both: iPhone and iPad.

The new release also adds support for a most wanted feature: zooming drawing canvas. This feature is available on both: iPhone and iPad

The UI of iPhone version is designed such a way that, you will get almost full of the screen as drawing area. It has a small tool bar which can be collapsed. When the toolbar is collapsed, you will get whole of the screen as drawing area except for small corner area where there is expand button.

The zooming drawing canvas feature will be very useful on iPhone. You can draw various shapes on normal zoom and then later can view whole of the diagram by zooming out. You can also do most of the re-arrangement of shapes while canvas is zoomed-out.

App store link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lekh-diagram/id576124115?mt=8
Learn more about Lekh Diagram: http://www.avabodh.com/lekh
Get updates on twitter: https://twitter.com/avabodh

iPhone version demo