Get the current first responder without using a private API

Question

I submitted my app a little over a week ago and got the dreaded rejection email today. It tells me that my app cannot be accepted because I\'m using a non-public API; specif

Answer 1

Here's a category that allows you to quickly find the first responder by calling [UIResponder currentFirstResponder]. Just add the following two files to your project:

UIResponder+FirstResponder.h

#import 
@interface UIResponder (FirstResponder)
    +(id)currentFirstResponder;
@end

UIResponder+FirstResponder.m

#import "UIResponder+FirstResponder.h"
static __weak id currentFirstResponder;
@implementation UIResponder (FirstResponder)
    +(id)currentFirstResponder {
         currentFirstResponder = nil;
         [[UIApplication sharedApplication] sendAction:@selector(findFirstResponder:) to:nil from:nil forEvent:nil];
         return currentFirstResponder;
    }
    -(void)findFirstResponder:(id)sender {
        currentFirstResponder = self;
    }
@end

The trick here is that sending an action to nil sends it to the first responder.

(I originally published this answer here: https://stackoverflow.com/a/14135456/322427)