UISearchController in iOS 8 - Working around showing multiple 'Cancel' button quirks

README.md

Overview

UISearchController and it's use of UISearchBar on iOS 8 has several quirks. This particular gist is to help get around the issue where showsCancelButton = YES/NO is not listened to on UISearchBar inside of UISearchController.

BJMSearchBar.h

//
//  BJMSearchBar.h
//
//  Created by Vinayak Ram on 9/8/15.
//

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>

@interface BJMSearchBar : UISearchBar

@end

BJMSearchBar.m

//
//  BJMSearchBar.m
//
//  Created by Vinayak Ram on 9/8/15.
//

#import "BJMSearchBar.h"

@implementation BJMSearchBar

-(void)layoutSubviews{
    [super layoutSubviews];
    [self setShowsCancelButton:NO animated:NO];
}

@end

BJMSearchController.h

//
//  BJMSearchController.h
//
//  Created by Vinayak Ram on 9/8/15.
//

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>

@interface BJMSearchController : UISearchController

@end

BJMSearchController.m

//
//  BJMSearchController.m
//
//  Created by Vinayak Ram on 9/8/15.
//

#import "BJMSearchController.h"
#import "BJMSearchBar.h"

@interface BJMSearchController ()<UISearchBarDelegate> {
    UISearchBar *_searchBar;
}
@end

@implementation BJMSearchController

-(UISearchBar *)searchBar {
    if( !_searchBar ) {
        UISearchBar *searchBar = [super searchBar];
        _searchBar = [[BJMSearchBar alloc] initWithFrame:searchBar.frame];
        _searchBar.delegate = self;
    }
    return _searchBar;
}

#pragma mark - UISearchBarDelegate

- (void)searchBar:(UISearchBar *)searchBar textDidChange:(NSString *)searchText {
    [self.searchResultsUpdater updateSearchResultsForSearchController:self];
}

@end

BJMViewController.m

// inherits from UIViewController
// contains a UITableView outlet -> self.tableView
@implementation BJMViewController

- (void)viewDidLoad {
    [super viewDidLoad];
    
    [self.tableView registerClass:[UITableViewCell class] forCellReuseIdentifier:kCellReuseIdentifier];
    self.title = NSLocalizedString(@"Search Bhajans", @"Search screen nav bar title");
    self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Cancel" style:UIBarButtonItemStylePlain target:self action:@selector(cancelTapped:)];

    self.searchResultsController.searchBar.showsCancelButton = NO;
    [self.searchResultsController.searchBar sizeToFit];

    UISearchBar *searchBar = self.searchResultsController.searchBar;
    self.navigationItem.titleView = searchBar;
    self.searchResultsController.active = YES;
}

- (void)cancelTapped:(id)sender {
    self.searchResultsController.active = NO;
    [self dismissViewControllerAnimated:YES completion:nil];
}

- (UISearchController *)searchResultsController {
    if( !_searchResultsController ) {
        _searchResultsController = [[BJMSearchController alloc] initWithSearchResultsController:nil];
        _searchResultsController.searchResultsUpdater = self;
        _searchResultsController.hidesNavigationBarDuringPresentation = false;
        _searchResultsController.dimsBackgroundDuringPresentation = false;
        _searchResultsController.delegate = self;
    }
    return _searchResultsController;
}

// uitableview data source and delegate methods here...

#pragma mark - UISearchResultsUpdating
-(void)updateSearchResultsForSearchController:(UISearchController *)searchController {
    NSString *query = searchController.searchBar.text;
    // call your update model / query logic here
    
    [self.tableView reloadData];
}

#pragma mark - UISearchControllerDelegate
-(void)willPresentSearchController:(UISearchController *)searchController {
    [self.searchResultsController.searchBar becomeFirstResponder];
}

-(void)didPresentSearchController:(UISearchController *)searchController {
    [searchController.searchBar becomeFirstResponder];
}

-(void)willDismissSearchController:(UISearchController *)searchController {
    [self dismissViewControllerAnimated:YES completion:nil];
}



@end