TableView viewForHeaderInSection Won't Resume First Responder

Question

Weird situation over here, hoping someone can help. Basically, I have a switch like this:

private var searchMode = false {
    didSet {
        if !searchMode {
            self.tableView.endEditing(true)
        }
        tableView.reloadData()
    }
}

It gets toggled when I hit a button:

@objc func searchTapped() {
    searchMode.toggle()
}

My header is set like this:

func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, viewForHeaderInSection section: Int) -> UIView? {
    if searchMode {
        let header = tableView.dequeueReusableHeaderFooterView(withIdentifier: "searchHeader") as! SearchTableViewHeader
        header.searchField.becomeFirstResponder()
        header.searchField.addTarget(self, action: #selector(textFieldDidChange(textField:)), for: .editingChanged)
        return header
    } else {
        let header = tableView.dequeueReusableHeaderFooterView(withIdentifier: "blueHeader") as! OpaqueBlueTableViewHeader
        header.titleLabel.text = "Discover Innovative Services"
        header.subtitleLabel.text = "Learn about our comprehensive range of services"
        return header
    }
}

So far so good. Now here's the thing. The first time I click the button, searchMode becomes true, and my UITextfield appears, and it is correctly the first responder. So far so good. Then when I click it again, the Textfield disappears. So far so good. BUT, when I click it again, the textField correctly appears, but it is so longer the responder! Let me show you the problem.

Confusing in the gif, but the first time I click it, it is the first responder, then not again. Anyone know how I can make it resume being first responder?

Answer 1

Okay, these approaches are useful but I discovered here is the only answer that works:

First, resign the first responder after the textField disappears before calling reloadData()

 private var searchMode = false {
        didSet {
            if let tv = self.tableView.headerView(forSection: 0), let stv = tv as? SearchTableViewHeader {
                stv.searchField.resignFirstResponder()
            }
            tableView.reloadData()
        }
    }

Then, set first responder at the very last tableView function. This is because there is unexpected behavior is setting first responder in viewForHeader

func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, willDisplayHeaderView view: UIView, forSection section: Int) {
    if searchMode, let stv = view as? SearchTableViewHeader {
        stv.searchField.becomeFirstResponder()
    }
}

Answer 2

Try:

func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, viewForHeaderInSection section: Int) -> UIView? {


if searchMode {



} else {
    let previousHeader = tableView.dequeueReusableHeaderFooterView(withIdentifier: "searchHeader") as! SearchTableViewHeader
  previousHeader.searchField.resignFirstResponder()

   }
 }

Answer 3

Here are two things you may try:

• Call tableView.layoutIfNeeded() after the reloadData() call and make the header view the first responder after that:

if !searchMode {
    self.tableView.endEditing(true)
}
tableView.reloadData()
tableView.layoutIfNeeded()
if let headerView = tableView.headerView(forSection: 0) as? SearchTableViewHeader {
    header.searchField.becomeFirstResponder()
}

• Implement tableView.reloadDataWithCompletion as suggested here and call makeFirstResponder in the completion block:

if !searchMode {
    self.tableView.endEditing(true)
}
tableView.reloadData() {
    if let headerView = tableView.headerView(forSection: 0) as? SearchTableViewHeader {
        header.searchField.becomeFirstResponder()
    } 
}