Insert View Programmatically in storyboard designed Stackview in Swift iOS

Question

I have created a stackview in storyboard which is having three buttons and I want to insert a separator in between all these three buttons, so I have created a separator blank view programmatically with frame CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 1, height: 12) having gray colour. I am trying to insert this view in between all three buttons. But it's not working properly. I have option to add this separator on storyboard and hide-show that and it will work. But my buttons are dynamic in number so I want to insert separator programmatically in stackview.

How can we insert any view/any UI element programmatically in storyboard designed Stack view?

Storyboard:

Code:

@IBOutlet weak var mainStack: UIStackView!

 override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()
    // Do any additional setup after loading the view.
    
    let sep1 = getSeparatorView()
    let sep2 = getSeparatorView()
    let sep3 = getSeparatorView()
    mainStack.insertSubview(sep1, at: 1)
    mainStack.insertSubview(sep2, at: 3)
}

 func getSeparatorView() -> UIView {
        let separator = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 1, height: 12))
        separator.backgroundColor = UIColor.lightGray
        return separator
    }

Note:

I tried by inserting insertArrangedSubview function but it looks like this (only one separator added with wrong width):

mainStack.insertArrangedSubview(sep1, at: 1)
        mainStack.insertArrangedSubview(sep2, at: 3)

Don't add it as a sub view, add it to the arrangedSubviews array — Paulw11
– Paulw11, Commented Dec 18, 2024 at 10:13
@Paulw11 I tried by arrangedSubviews as well. It's not looking properly still. Edited question, please check. — Piyush Naredi
– Piyush Naredi, Commented Dec 18, 2024 at 10:18

sonle · Accepted Answer · 2024-12-19 01:24:50Z

2

There is a misunderstanding here. The stackView in Storyboard was designed with auto layout, on the other hand, separator is using frame. It cannot be compatible. So:

As Paulw said, arrangedSubviews is the correct function.

mainStack.insertArrangedSubview(sep1, at: 1)
mainStack.insertArrangedSubview(sep2, at: 3)

Convert the separator's frame to constraints.

func getSeparatorView() -> UIView {
    ...
    separator.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
    separator.addConstraints([
        .init(item: separator, attribute: .width, relatedBy: .equal, toItem: nil, attribute: .notAnAttribute, multiplier: 1, constant: 1),
        .init(item: separator, attribute: .height, relatedBy: .equal, toItem: nil, attribute: .notAnAttribute, multiplier: 1, constant: 12)
    ])
    return separator
}

Change the stack properties for better layout, you can read the documentation here.

mainStack.spacing = 8
mainStack.distribution = .fill
mainStack.alignment = .center

Output:

edited Dec 19, 2024 at 1:24

answered Dec 18, 2024 at 11:01

sonle

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2 Comments

Duncan C Dec 18, 2024 at 15:33

Nice, clear answer. (Voted). Why did you make the separator in your answer 8 points wide though? It looks like the OP was trying for a 1-point-wide separator.

sonle Dec 19, 2024 at 1:24

@DuncanC thank you. All I want to do is increase its visibility. Btw, I edited the answer xD

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