How can I limit the number of decimal points in a UITextField?

Question

I have a UITextField that when clicked brings up a number pad with a decimal point in the bottom left. I am trying to limit the field so that a user can only place 1 decimal

Answer 1

Implement the shouldChangeCharactersInRange method like this:

// Only allow one decimal point
// Example assumes ARC - Implement proper memory management if not using.
- (BOOL)textField:(UITextField *)textField shouldChangeCharactersInRange:(NSRange)range replacementString:(NSString *)string 
{
    NSString *newString = [textField.text stringByReplacingCharactersInRange:range withString:string];
    NSArray  *arrayOfString = [newString componentsSeparatedByString:@"."];

    if ([arrayOfString count] > 2 ) 
        return NO;

    return YES;
}

This creates an array of strings split by the decimal point, so if there is more than one decimal point we will have at least 3 elements in the array.

Answer 2

Here is an example with a regular expression, the example limits to only one decimal point and 2 decimals. You can tweak it to fit your needs.

- (BOOL)textField:(UITextField *)textField shouldChangeCharactersInRange:(NSRange)range replacementString:(NSString *)string {
    NSString *newString = [textField.text stringByReplacingCharactersInRange:range withString:string];
    NSString *expression = @"^[0-9]*((\\.|,)[0-9]{0,2})?$";
    NSError *error = nil;
    NSRegularExpression *regex = [NSRegularExpression regularExpressionWithPattern:expression options:NSRegularExpressionCaseInsensitive error:&error];
    NSUInteger numberOfMatches = [regex numberOfMatchesInString:newString options:0 range:NSMakeRange(0, [newString length])];
    return numberOfMatches != 0;
}

Answer 3

In whatever object you set your UITextField's delegate to, add a method that answers to "[- (BOOL)textField:(UITextField *)textField shouldChangeCharactersInRange:(NSRange)range replacementString:(NSString *)string]".

Then you can either use a NSNumberFormatter object or you can brute force check for an already existing decimal place mark (returning NO if a decimal mark already exists).

Answer 4

I made the solution, that brings you control over decimal places count, so user can type only one decimal separator and you can also have a control over decimal places count.

Just set the decimalPlacesLimit value properly.

See the method:

- (BOOL)textField:(UITextField *)textField shouldChangeCharactersInRange:(NSRange)range replacementString:(NSString *)string
{
    NSLog(@"text on the way: %@", string);
    NSUInteger decimalPlacesLimit = 2;

    NSRange rangeDot = [textField.text rangeOfString:@"." options:NSCaseInsensitiveSearch];
    NSRange rangeComma = [textField.text rangeOfString:@"," options:NSCaseInsensitiveSearch];
    if (rangeDot.length > 0 || rangeComma.length > 0){
        if([string isEqualToString:@"."]) {
            NSLog(@"textField already contains a separator");
            return NO;
        } else {
            NSArray *explodedString = [textField.text componentsSeparatedByString:@"."];
            NSString *decimalPart = explodedString[1];
            if (decimalPart.length >= decimalPlacesLimit && ![string isEqualToString:@""]) {
                NSLog(@"textField already contains %d decimal places", decimalPlacesLimit);
                return NO;
            }
        }
    }

    return YES;
}

Answer 5

-(BOOL)textField:(UITextField *)textField shouldChangeCharactersInRange:(NSRange)range replacementString:(NSString *)string {
    if([string isEqualToString:@"."]) {
        BOOL containsDecimal = [textField.text containsString:@"."];
        return !containsDecimal;
    }
    return YES;
}

If textfield text already contains a '.' then return NO else return YES.

Answer 6

Swift 4

func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {

    // Allow to remove character (Backspace)
    if string == "" {
        return true
    }

   // Block multiple dot
    if (textField.text?.contains("."))! && string == "." {
        return false
    }

    // Check here decimal places
    if (textField.text?.contains("."))! {
        let limitDecimalPlace = 2
        let decimalPlace = textField.text?.components(separatedBy: ".").last
        if (decimalPlace?.count)! < limitDecimalPlace {
            return true
        }
        else {
            return false
        }
    }
    return true
}

Objective-C

//Create this variable in .h file or .m file
float _numberOfDecimal;

//assign value in viewDidLoad method
numberOfDecimal = 2;

#pragma mark - TextFieldDelegate
- (BOOL)textField:(UITextField *)textField shouldChangeCharactersInRange:(NSRange)range replacementString:(NSString *)string {

    // Allow to remove character (Backspace)
    if ([string isEqualToString:@""]) {
        return true;
    }

    // Block multiple dot
    if ([textField.text containsString:@"."] && [string isEqualToString:@"."]) {
        return false;
    }

    // Check here decimal places
    if ([textField.text containsString:@"."]) {
        NSString *strDecimalPlace = [[textField.text componentsSeparatedByString:@"."] lastObject];

        if (strDecimalPlace.length < _numberOfDecimal) {
            return true;
        }
        else {
            return false;
        }
    }
    return true;
}