How to display UIView over keyboard in iOS

Question

I want to create a simple view over keyboard, when users tap \"Attach\" button in inputAccessoryView. Something like this:

Is there an easy way to do it? O

Answer 1

Swift 4 version:

let customView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: self.view.frame.size.height - 300, width: self.view.frame.size.width, height: 300))
customView.backgroundColor = UIColor.red
customView.layer.zPosition = CGFloat(Float.greatestFiniteMagnitude)
UIApplication.shared.windows.last?.addSubview(customView)

The trick is to add the customView as a top subview to the UIWindow that holds the keyboard - and it happens to be the last window in UIApplication.shared.windows.

Answer 2

As Tamás Sengel said, Apple's guidelines does not support adding a view over the keyboard. The recommended way to add a view over keyboard in Swift 4 & 5 is:

1) Add view with your "Next" button in your storyboard as external view and connect in your class (see Explain Image), in my case:

IBOutlet private weak var toolBar: UIView!

2) For the textfield you want to add your custom view over keyboard, add it as accessory view in viewDidLoad:

override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()
    phoneNumberTextField.inputAccessoryView = toolBar
}

3) Add action for "Next" button:

@IBAction func nextButtonPressed(_ sender: Any) {
    descriptionTextView.becomeFirstResponder()

    // or -> phoneNumberTextField.resignFirstResponder()
}

Explain Image:

Method 2: Result with image

In TableView Controller - add stricked view at bottom

Please follow this great link to handle safe area for screens like iPhone X if you want to use this method(2). Article: InputAccessoryView and iPhone X

override var inputAccessoryView: UIView? {
    return toolBar
}

override var canBecomeFirstResponder: Bool {
    return true
}

Answer 3

While this can be possible with accessing the topmost window, I would avoid doing this, as it clearly interferes with Apple's guidelines.

What I would do is dismissing the keyboard and replacing its frame with a view with same dimensions.

The keyboard's frame can be accessed from keyboard notifications listed here, their userInfo contain a key that can be accessed with UIKeyboardFrameEndUserInfoKey.

Answer 4

Swift 4.0

let customView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: self.view.frame.size.height-300, width: self.view.frame.size.width, height: 300))
customView.backgroundColor = UIColor.red
customView.layer.zPosition = CGFloat(MAXFLOAT)
let windowCount = UIApplication.shared.windows.count
UIApplication.shared.windows[windowCount-1].addSubview(customView)

Answer 5

Do you have find some effective method to solve this problem? In iOS9,you put your customView on the top of the windows:

UIApplication.sharedApplication().windows[windowCount-1].addSubview(customView);

But if the keyboard dismisses, the top Windows will be removed, so your customView will be removed. Looking forward for your help! Thank you for your help!

Answer 6

You can definitely add the view to your application’s window, and you can also add another window entirely. You can set its frame and level. The level could be UIWindowLevelAlert.