gistfile1.md

#UI Caveats

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/19927542/ios7-backgroundimage-for-uisearchbar

//clear the transparent background when search bar promot
[self.searchDisplayController.searchBar setBackgroundImage:[self imageWithColor:[UIColor yourColor]] 
                                             forBarPosition:0 
                                                 barMetrics:UIBarMetricsDefault];

#Custom Search in Nav bar:

- (void)prepareSearchControl{
    //presist nav bar items
    leftButton = self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem;
    rightButton = self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem;
    // set current navigation title view to be search bar.
    titleView = self.navigationItem.titleView; 
    
    // set up searchDisplayController
    self.searchDisplayController.delegate = self;
    self.searchDisplayController.searchBar.delegate = self;
    self.searchDisplayController.searchResultsDataSource = self;
    self.searchDisplayController.searchResultsDelegate = self;
  
    //set up frame -> this is not needed if you set displayInNavgiationBar -> YES. 
    self.searchDisplayController.searchResultsTableView.frame = self.tableView.frame;
    
    //custom tint color and fonts
    //tint color would aslo affect the color of the search box
    self.searchDisplayController.searchBar.tintColor = BASE_COLOR;
    //set cancel font color to be white
    [[UIBarButtonItem appearanceWhenContainedIn:[UISearchBar class], nil] setTitleTextAttributes:[NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:[UIColor whiteColor],UITextAttributeTextColor,[NSValue valueWithUIOffset:UIOffsetMake(0, 1)],UITextAttributeTextShadowOffset,nil] forState:UIControlStateNormal];
}

##when search button clicked

swape the current navigtation item title to searchbar.


-(IBAction)searchButtonClicked:(UIBarButtonItem *)sender
{
    self.navigationItem.titleView = self.searchDisplayController.searchBar;
    [self.searchDisplayController.searchBar becomeFirstResponder];
    self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = nil; //set left button to nil
    self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = nil; // set right button to nil, leave more space
}

#when search starts
- (void)searchBarTextDidBeginEditing:(UISearchBar *)searchBar
{
    [self.searchDisplayController.searchBar setShowsCancelButton:YES animated:YES];
    
    // add subviews
    [self.view addSubview:self.searchDisplayController.searchResultsTableView];
}

#when search done

- (void)searchBarTextDidEndEditing:(UISearchBar *)searchBar{
    [self.searchDisplayController.searchBar setShowsCancelButton:NO animated:YES];
    
    //restore back those bar button items
    self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = leftButton;
    self.navigationItem.titleView = titleView;
    self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = rightButton;
}

#When switch between views.

##handle check if current search and display controler is active
- (void)viewWillAppear:(BOOL)animated{
    if (self.searchDisplayController.isActive) {
        self.navigationItem.titleView = self.searchDisplayController.searchBar;
        self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = nil;
        [self.searchDisplayController.searchBar setShowsCancelButton:YES animated:YES];
    }
}