IOS: Autocomplete Search using UISearchbar

Question

I have an NSMutableArray which consists of text fields. I want to load them when user types inside the UISearchBar . Initially I don't want to load all the text fields before user starts typing. Only user start typing the first letter suggestion need to be load. Any help?

Answer 1

There are many logic but i put my logic here :

Take Two NSMutableArray and add one array to another array in ViewDidLoad method such like,

self.listOfTemArray = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init]; // array no - 1
self.ItemOfMainArray = [[NSMutableArray alloc] initWithObjects:@"YorArrayList", nil]; // array no - 2 

[self.listOfTemArray addObjectsFromArray:self.ItemOfMainArray]; // add 2array to 1 array

And Write following delegate Method of UISearchBar

- (void)searchBar:(UISearchBar *)theSearchBar textDidChange:(NSString *)searchText
{
        NSString *name = @"";
        NSString *firstLetter = @"";

    if (self.listOfTemArray.count > 0)
         [self.listOfTemArray removeAllObjects];

        if ([searchText length] > 0)
        {
                for (int i = 0; i < [self.ItemOfMainArray count] ; i = i+1)
                {
                        name = [self.ItemOfMainArray objectAtIndex:i];

                        if (name.length >= searchText.length)
                        {
                                firstLetter = [name substringWithRange:NSMakeRange(0, [searchText length])];
                                //NSLog(@"%@",firstLetter);

                                if( [firstLetter caseInsensitiveCompare:searchText] == NSOrderedSame )
                                {
                                    // strings are equal except for possibly case
                                    [self.listOfTemArray addObject: [self.ItemOfMainArray objectAtIndex:i]];
                                    NSLog(@"=========> %@",self.listOfTemArray);
                                }
                         }
                 }
         }
         else
         {
             [self.listOfTemArray addObjectsFromArray:self.ItemOfMainArray ];
         }

        [self.tblView reloadData];
}
}

Output Show in your Consol.

This code might helpful for you.

Answer 2

I think the best way to do this is building your own NSCompoundPredicate:

  NSString *nameVar = ...; //ex: smith m
    NSArray *names = ...; //ex: John Smith, Mary Smith

    NSArray *terms = [nameVar componentsSeperatedByCharactersInSet:[NSCharacterSet whitespaceCharacterSet]];
    NSMutableArray *subpredicates = [NSMutableArray array];

    for(NSString *term in terms) {
      if([term length] == 0) { continue; }
      NSPredicate *p = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:@"name contains[cd] %@", term];
      [subpredicates addObject:p];
    }

    NSPredicate *filter = [NSCompoundPredicate andPredicateWithSubpredicates:subpredicates];
    [fetchController setPredicate:filter];

Enjoy Coding !