UILabel text margin [duplicate]

Answer 1

With Swift 3, you can have the desired effect by creating a subclass of UILabel. In this subclass, you will have to add a UIEdgeInsets property with the required insets and override drawText(in:) method, intrinsicContentSize property (for Auto layout code) and/or sizeThatFits(_:) method (for Springs & Struts code).

import UIKit

class PaddingLabel: UILabel {

    let padding: UIEdgeInsets

    // Create a new PaddingLabel instance programamtically with the desired insets
    required init(padding: UIEdgeInsets = UIEdgeInsets(top: 0, left: 10, bottom: 0, right: 10)) {
        self.padding = padding
        super.init(frame: CGRect.zero)
    }

    // Create a new PaddingLabel instance programamtically with default insets
    override init(frame: CGRect) {
        padding = UIEdgeInsets.zero // set desired insets value according to your needs
        super.init(frame: frame)
    }

    // Create a new PaddingLabel instance from Storyboard with default insets
    required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
        padding = UIEdgeInsets.zero // set desired insets value according to your needs
        super.init(coder: aDecoder)
    }

    override func drawText(in rect: CGRect) {
        super.drawText(in: UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(rect, padding))
    }

    // Override `intrinsicContentSize` property for Auto layout code
    override var intrinsicContentSize: CGSize {
        let superContentSize = super.intrinsicContentSize
        let width = superContentSize.width + padding.left + padding.right
        let height = superContentSize.height + padding.top + padding.bottom
        return CGSize(width: width, height: height)
    }

    // Override `sizeThatFits(_:)` method for Springs & Struts code
    override func sizeThatFits(_ size: CGSize) -> CGSize {
        let superSizeThatFits = super.sizeThatFits(size)
        let width = superSizeThatFits.width + padding.left + padding.right
        let heigth = superSizeThatFits.height + padding.top + padding.bottom
        return CGSize(width: width, height: heigth)
    }

}

The following example shows how to use PaddingLabel instances in a UIViewController:

import UIKit

class ViewController: UIViewController {

    @IBOutlet weak var storyboardAutoLayoutLabel: PaddingLabel!
    let autoLayoutLabel = PaddingLabel(padding: UIEdgeInsets(top: 20, left: 40, bottom: 20, right: 40))
    let springsAndStructsLabel = PaddingLabel(frame: CGRect.zero)
    var textToDisplay = "Lorem ipsum dolor sit er elit lamet."

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()

        // Set autoLayoutLabel
        autoLayoutLabel.text = textToDisplay
        autoLayoutLabel.backgroundColor = .red
        autoLayoutLabel.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        view.addSubview(autoLayoutLabel)
        autoLayoutLabel.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.leadingAnchor, constant: 30).isActive = true
        autoLayoutLabel.centerYAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.centerYAnchor).isActive = true

        // Set springsAndStructsLabel
        springsAndStructsLabel.text = textToDisplay
        springsAndStructsLabel.backgroundColor = .green
        view.addSubview(springsAndStructsLabel)
        springsAndStructsLabel.frame.origin = CGPoint(x: 30, y: 90)
        springsAndStructsLabel.sizeToFit()

        // Set storyboardAutoLayoutLabel
        storyboardAutoLayoutLabel.text = textToDisplay
        storyboardAutoLayoutLabel.backgroundColor = .blue
    }

    // Link this IBAction to a UIButton or a UIBarButtonItem in Storyboard
    @IBAction func updateLabelText(_ sender: Any) {
        textToDisplay = textToDisplay == "Lorem ipsum dolor sit er elit lamet." ? "Lorem ipsum." : "Lorem ipsum dolor sit er elit lamet."

        // autoLayoutLabel
        autoLayoutLabel.text = textToDisplay

        // springsAndStructsLabel
        springsAndStructsLabel.text = textToDisplay
        springsAndStructsLabel.sizeToFit()

        // storyboardAutoLayoutLabel
        storyboardAutoLayoutLabel.text = textToDisplay
    }

}

Answer 2

To get rid of vertical padding for a single line label I did:

// I have a category method setFrameHeight; you'll likely need to modify the frame.
[label setFrameHeight:font.pointSize];

OR, without the category, use:

CGRect frame = label.frame;
frame.size.height = font.pointSize;
label.frame = frame;

Answer 3

I solved this by subclassing UILabel and overriding drawTextInRect: like this:

- (void)drawTextInRect:(CGRect)rect {
    UIEdgeInsets insets = {0, 5, 0, 5};
    [super drawTextInRect:UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(rect, insets)];
}

Swift 3.1:

override func drawText(in rect: CGRect) {
    let insets = UIEdgeInsets.init(top: 0, left: 5, bottom: 0, right: 5)
    super.drawText(in: UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(rect, insets))
}

Swift 4.2.1:

override func drawText(in rect: CGRect) {
    let insets = UIEdgeInsets(top: 0, left: 5, bottom: 0, right: 5)
    super.drawText(in: rect.inset(by: insets))
}

As you might have gathered, this is an adaptation of tc.'s answer. It has two advantages over that one:

1. there's no need to trigger it by sending a sizeToFit message
2. it leaves the label frame alone - handy if your label has a background and you don't want that to shrink

Answer 4

#import "E_LabelWithPadding.h"
#define padding UIEdgeInsetsMake(2, 0, 2, 0)
#define padding1 UIEdgeInsetsMake(0, 0, 0, 0)
@implementation E_LabelWithPadding
- (void)drawTextInRect:(CGRect)rect {
if (![self.text isEqualToString:@""]) {
    [super drawTextInRect:UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(rect, padding)];
}else {
    [super drawTextInRect:UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(rect, padding1)];
}

}

- (CGSize) intrinsicContentSize {
if (![self.text isEqualToString:@""]) {
    CGSize superContentSize = [super intrinsicContentSize];
    CGFloat width = superContentSize.width + padding.left + padding.right;
    CGFloat height = superContentSize.height + padding.top + padding.bottom;
    return CGSizeMake(width, height);
}else {
    CGSize superContentSize = [super intrinsicContentSize];
    CGFloat width = superContentSize.width + padding1.left + padding1.right;
    CGFloat height = superContentSize.height + padding1.top + padding1.bottom;
    return CGSizeMake(width, height);
}

}

- (CGSize) sizeThatFits:(CGSize)size {
if (![self.text isEqualToString:@""]) {
    CGSize superSizeThatFits = [super sizeThatFits:size];
    CGFloat width = superSizeThatFits.width + padding.left + padding.right;
    CGFloat height = superSizeThatFits.height + padding.top + padding.bottom;
    return CGSizeMake(width, height);
}else {
    CGSize superSizeThatFits = [super sizeThatFits:size];
    CGFloat width = superSizeThatFits.width + padding1.left + padding1.right;
    CGFloat height = superSizeThatFits.height + padding1.top + padding1.bottom;
    return CGSizeMake(width, height);
}

}

@end

Answer 5

I ended up just adding some spaces to the text:

self.titleLabel.text = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"    %@", self.titleLabel.text];

Ugly yet effective, and no subclassing required.

You can try "\t" as well. For a generic solution please refer to the accepted answer

Answer 6

and an @IBDesignable that make it work with Interface Builder

Swift 4

//
//  PaddedLabel.swift
//  TrainCentric
//
//  Created by Arsonik
//  https://stackoverflow.com/a/33244365/337934
//

import UIKit

@IBDesignable
class PaddedLabel: UILabel {

    @IBInspectable var inset:CGSize = CGSize(width: 0, height: 0)

    var padding: UIEdgeInsets {
        var hasText:Bool = false
        if let t = self.text?.count, t > 0 {
            hasText = true
        }
        else if let t = attributedText?.length, t > 0 {
            hasText = true
        }

        return hasText ? UIEdgeInsets(top: inset.height, left: inset.width, bottom: inset.height, right: inset.width) : UIEdgeInsets(top: 0, left: 0, bottom: 0, right: 0)
    }

    override func drawText(in rect: CGRect) {
        super.drawText(in: rect.inset(by: padding))
    }

    override var intrinsicContentSize: CGSize {
        let superContentSize = super.intrinsicContentSize
        let p = padding
        let width = superContentSize.width + p.left + p.right
        let heigth = superContentSize.height + p.top + p.bottom
        return CGSize(width: width, height: heigth)
    }

    override func sizeThatFits(_ size: CGSize) -> CGSize {
        let superSizeThatFits = super.sizeThatFits(size)
        let p = padding
        let width = superSizeThatFits.width + p.left + p.right
        let heigth = superSizeThatFits.height + p.top + p.bottom
        return CGSize(width: width, height: heigth)
    }
}

Swift 2

@IBDesignable
class PaddedLabel: UILabel {

    @IBInspectable var inset:CGSize = CGSize(width: 0, height: 0)

    var padding: UIEdgeInsets {
        var hasText:Bool = false
        if let t = text?.length where t > 0 {
            hasText = true
        }
        else if let t = attributedText?.length where t > 0 {
            hasText = true
        }

        return hasText ? UIEdgeInsets(top: inset.height, left: inset.width, bottom: inset.height, right: inset.width) : UIEdgeInsets(top: 0, left: 0, bottom: 0, right: 0)
    }

    override func drawTextInRect(rect: CGRect) {
        super.drawTextInRect(UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(rect, padding))
    }

    override func intrinsicContentSize() -> CGSize {
        let superContentSize = super.intrinsicContentSize()
        let p = padding
        let width = superContentSize.width + p.left + p.right
        let heigth = superContentSize.height + p.top + p.bottom
        return CGSize(width: width, height: heigth)
    }

    override func sizeThatFits(size: CGSize) -> CGSize {
        let superSizeThatFits = super.sizeThatFits(size)
        let p = padding
        let width = superSizeThatFits.width + p.left + p.right
        let heigth = superSizeThatFits.height + p.top + p.bottom
        return CGSize(width: width, height: heigth)
    }
}