SwiftUI: stay on same TextField after on commit? - swiftui

Question

is it possible in SwiftUI to keep the typing cursor on the same Textfield even after the user taps on Return key on keyboard ?
Here is my code:
struct RowView: View {
#Binding var checklistItem: ChecklistItem
#ObservedObject var checklist = Checklist()
#ObservedObject var viewModel: ChecklistViewModel
var body: some View {
HStack {
Button {
self.checklistItem.isChecked.toggle()
self.viewModel.updateChecklist(checklistItem)
} label: {
Circle()
.strokeBorder(checklistItem.isChecked ? checklistSelected : contentPrimary, lineWidth: checklistItem.isChecked ? 6 : 2)
.foregroundColor(backgroundSecondary)
.clipShape(Circle())
.frame(width: 16, height: 16)
}.buttonStyle(BorderlessButtonStyle())
// swiftlint:disable trailing_closure
TextField(
"Add...",
text: $checklistItem.name,
onCommit: {
do {
if !checklistItem.name.isEmpty {
self.viewModel.updateChecklist(checklistItem)
self.checklistItem.name = checklistItem.name
}
}
}
)
// swiftlint:enable trailing_closure
.foregroundColor(checklistItem.isChecked ? contentTertiary : contentPrimary)
Spacer()
}
}
}
So after the user taps on return key on keyboard, TextField() onCommit should be activated normally but the cursor stays in that same textfield so the user can keep typing in new elements.

Answer 1

iOS 15+
You can use #FocusState and, on commit, immediately set the TextField to have focus again.
Example:
struct ContentView: View {
#State private var text = "Hello world!"
#FocusState private var isFieldFocused: Bool
var body: some View {
Form {
TextField("Field", text: $text, onCommit: {
isFieldFocused = true
print("onCommit")
})
.focused($isFieldFocused)
}
}
}
Result:

Answer 2

I was able to achieve this in iOS 14 by creating a custom TextField class:
struct AlwaysActiveTextField: UIViewRepresentable {
let placeholder: String
#Binding var text: String
var focusable: Binding<[Bool]>?
var returnKeyType: UIReturnKeyType = .next
var autocapitalizationType: UITextAutocapitalizationType = .none
var keyboardType: UIKeyboardType = .default
var isSecureTextEntry: Bool
var tag: Int
var onCommit: () -> Void
func makeUIView(context: Context) -> UITextField {
let activeTextField = UITextField(frame: .zero)
activeTextField.delegate = context.coordinator
activeTextField.placeholder = placeholder
activeTextField.font = .systemFont(ofSize: 14)
activeTextField.attributedPlaceholder = NSAttributedString(
string: placeholder,
attributes: [NSAttributedString.Key.foregroundColor: UIColor(contentSecondary)]
)
activeTextField.returnKeyType = returnKeyType
activeTextField.autocapitalizationType = autocapitalizationType
activeTextField.keyboardType = keyboardType
activeTextField.isSecureTextEntry = isSecureTextEntry
activeTextField.textAlignment = .left
activeTextField.tag = tag
// toolbar
if keyboardType == .numberPad { // keyboard does not have next so add next button in the toolbar
var items = [UIBarButtonItem]()
let spacer = UIBarButtonItem(barButtonSystemItem: .flexibleSpace, target: nil, action: nil)
let toolbar: UIToolbar = UIToolbar()
toolbar.sizeToFit()
let nextButton = UIBarButtonItem(title: "Next", style: .plain, target: context.coordinator, action: #selector(Coordinator.showNextTextField))
items.append(contentsOf: [spacer, nextButton])
toolbar.setItems(items, animated: false)
activeTextField.inputAccessoryView = toolbar
}
// Editin listener
activeTextField.addTarget(context.coordinator, action: #selector(Coordinator.textFieldDidChange(_:)), for: .editingChanged)
return activeTextField
}
func updateUIView(_ uiView: UITextField, context: Context) {
uiView.text = text
if let focusable = focusable?.wrappedValue {
if focusable[uiView.tag] { // set focused
uiView.becomeFirstResponder()
} else { // remove keyboard
uiView.resignFirstResponder()
}
}
}
func makeCoordinator() -> Coordinator {
Coordinator(self)
}
final class Coordinator: NSObject, UITextFieldDelegate {
let activeTextField: AlwaysActiveTextField
var hasEndedViaReturn = false
weak var textField: UITextField?
init(_ activeTextField: AlwaysActiveTextField) {
self.activeTextField = activeTextField
}
func textFieldDidBeginEditing(_ textField: UITextField) {
self.textField = textField
guard let textFieldCount = activeTextField.focusable?.wrappedValue.count else { return }
var focusable: [Bool] = Array(repeating: false, count: textFieldCount) // remove focus from all text field
focusable[textField.tag] = true // mark current textField focused
activeTextField.focusable?.wrappedValue = focusable
}
// work around for number pad
#objc
func showNextTextField() {
if let textField = self.textField {
_ = textFieldShouldReturn(textField)
}
}
func textFieldShouldReturn(_ textField: UITextField) -> Bool {
hasEndedViaReturn = true
guard var focusable = activeTextField.focusable?.wrappedValue else {
textField.resignFirstResponder()
return true
}
focusable[textField.tag] = true // mark current textField focused
activeTextField.focusable?.wrappedValue = focusable
activeTextField.onCommit()
return true
}
func textFieldDidEndEditing(_ textField: UITextField) {
if !hasEndedViaReturn {// user dismisses keyboard
guard let textFieldCount = activeTextField.focusable?.wrappedValue.count else { return }
// reset all text field, so that makeUIView cannot trigger keyboard
activeTextField.focusable?.wrappedValue = Array(repeating: false, count: textFieldCount)
} else {
hasEndedViaReturn = false
}
}
#objc
func textFieldDidChange(_ textField: UITextField) {
activeTextField.text = textField.text ?? ""
}
}
}
and use in in the SwiftUI view by adding this #State variable:
#State var fieldFocus: [Bool] = [false]
and add the Textfield code it self anywhere waiting the view body:
AlwaysActiveTextField(
placeholder: "Add...",
text: $newItemName,
focusable: $fieldFocus,
returnKeyType: .next,
isSecureTextEntry: false,
tag: 0,
onCommit: {
print("any action you want on commit")
}
)