Tag Archives: ipad

XCode 4 – Dismissing a Keyboard after UITextField input

I originally ran into this issue back in November of 2010, while writing the original version of my iCIDR tool (hey network admins, you should buy this awesome tool now, before the price goes up!).

It’s trivial to enable a keyboard and to change the button, BUT to make it go away, and then actually wire that event into your code to do something use is not as simple as I had originally hoped!

Strategy entails using the keyboards ‘Return’ key to signal that one is done. Seems useful, but only if you have a single line text input. In my case, that’s what I’m looking at, single line input, so that’s the solution I’m going to try.

First order of business is to highlight your text area (I’m only going to be addressing the text input object), and shift to the properties tab (icon looks like this: ). Change the dropdown to the ‘Return Button’ text you wish to use. I like to use ‘DONE’, so, that’s what this image shows. Oh.. and yeah, you are also getting a little sneak peak at the newest generation of iCIDR.

The tricky part is understanding that you need to make sure your ViewController’s header file is modified to implement UITextFieldDelegate.

This is how that might look:

@interface iPhoneCalculatorViewController : UIViewController {
UITextField* seeTextField;
}
@end

Now, when the view loads, the Text box in the view needs to be addressed and wired up to the Keyboard action. Even though I defined a nice fancy label name for my object, so far I’ve only found this method to address the object ID by it’s ID. I think this is pretty funky but, cest la vie. Here is where I set the tag, also in the same view organizer dialogs:

Following that I enabled viewDidLoad (boilerplate code normally commented out), created a local variable pointer to the View’s input text box, and then set a delegator to that pointer in the main ViewContoller.

// Implement viewDidLoad to do additional setup after loading the view, typically from a nib.
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
UITextField *iPhoneInputText = (UITextField *) [self.view viewWithTag:1001]; // try to locate the object with the tag
iPhoneInputText.delegate = self; // assign a delegation.
[super viewDidLoad];
}

Moving along, I had to implement the The textFieldShouldReturn method in my ViewController class. This had to be defined to execute on the abandonment of the first responder:


// Should trap all Keyboard Return Events
- (BOOL) textFieldShouldReturn:(UITextField*)textField {
[textField resignFirstResponder];
//[self calculateOperation]; // ENTRY POINT
return NO; // default return value is YES, this is changed to NO to.... (sorry, now I've forgotten!)
}

Here is the keyboard that pops up, with the highlighted ‘Done’ button.

iCIDR 2.0 - keyboard in action (still photo)

The method (BOOL) textFieldShouldReturn is now registered to get the text input object the keyboard was typing into.

Now it’s your job (and mine…) do make it do something useful!!


Support the author, buy the App!

iCIDR - David DeMartini

iOS 5 – what I really like about the new iPhone OS

What’s not to like about a shiny new OS update for the Apple Mobile platforms? It’s new, so, it has to be better? RIGHT?

Well, yes, it IS BETTER! And it fixes some long nagging short complaints I’d had, mostly simple little things. The most interesting ones I have tried so far, are discussed here.

Check out my ‘iOS New Features Rundown Post for more details!

Now you can assign custom Text Notification Tones

YES! Finally! I can set a custom tune (like a silent one.. for those really annoying people) for both phone and text communications for any Contact in your Contacts List. And not only that, they implemented it so you don’t need to use the same tone for both. This is something I really REALLY like!

Setting separate Ringtone and SMS Tones - new in iOS5

iPad Split Keyboard. Thumb-typing made easy!

Every wish that your thumbs were a little longer to reach the keys in the center of the iPad keyboard? Well, maybe you wouldn’t want them longer, how weird would your hand look, right? Well, at least they could have done something….. and…. they did. Introducing the split keyboard on the iPad.

Split keyboard makes thumb-typing easier on the iPad!

Above, I am testing out this cool new feature while updating my Brewer’s Log. Too bad most of you won’t be able to taste this amazing Pumpkin IPA when it get’s kegged in less than a week!

iCloud delivery of your purchased Apps, from the cloud!

I’ve already found this to be one VERY useful feature. What I’m showing here is the App Store on my phone, and you can see one of the Apps has the little cloud icon next to it. That means I’ve purchased this application, but it’s not installed on this device. Now, instead of having to be wired into a computer to get easy access to my already purchased Apps, it’s available, over the cellular network, or WiFi, from a cloud storage area just for your apps. So, what’s the big deal? Well, if you want to add the app to this device, it’s as simple as pushing the ‘iCloud’ button and viola.. it’s downloading to your device!

iCloud and App Store working together

Another really nice feature, that is not illustrated in this photo, is that you can configure your account to automatically download any purchased app to ALL your devices (automatically, not need to sync) from this iCloud account. I’ve use this feature already as well and I love it. Again, no need to plug into the computer, or track down the app in the App store. It’s all done for you (of course you can turn this feature off it you like), easy as Apple pie!

News Stand – get your electronic magazines on your mobile device!

Do you have a hard-copy magazine that you subscribe to? Maybe they have a mobile version too. If that is the case, you can (again automatically) receive the latest edition, downloaded to your News Stand (here comes that iCloud thing again…) as soon as it’s published. This is a feature I’ll be making use of for certain (sorry, I’d not yet tracked down my magazines when I took this photo… I’ll be sure to update it when I do).

New App - the Apple Newstand - get it hot off the presses!

Handling of SMS and E-mail alerts on various screens

For you current iPhone users, you know how annoying it is to get an SMS (or if you have e-mail alerts on, and e-mail) while on the phone or using another app. It pops up a modal dialog box and completely interferes with whatever it is that you are doing.

NO MORE! The alert boxes are no longer modal, and if you receive an voice mail and an SMS at nearly the same time, the alerts are neatly stacked together, and after a few seconds, these automatically disappear from the screen. They are smaller, less obnoxious and they GO AWAY on their own! Finally!

IPad, Tool with no Purpose or Technology Masterpiece

Unpublished from last year. this entry was started on this iPad when I purchased it almost exactly one year ago today. At the end of the article Is an update on how this first year with the devices has been.

October 2010
What is that weird little device that seems to serve no purpose? It’s not a laptop, not phone, not a book nor hot plate.

Well, I am about to find out, and those of you following my blog can too. In fact I’m typing this blog entry with one right now. It’s only spent 4 days in my care to date, but so far this weird ‘little’ thing has engendered itself to me, my kids and a couple of other people whom have had some time to really try one out, beyond a little demo at the local electronics retailer

Even if this becomes little more than an eBook reader, I feel good about the investment. I do think this will find a place in my daily technology and recreation routines.

For instance, I can say already that it’s a fantastic way to enjoy a streamed movie or TV show anywhere you have some network but no TV. My first test of this was to enjoy 3 episodes of Galactica, streamed by Netflix to the iPad. I loved it.

I’ll have much more to say about it as I try out some daily business tasks. One of the first will be setting up some sample photography galleries to show prospective clients.

Another will be use of the device in the day to day administration of systems and IT management.

Stick around as I explore the ups and downs of the iPad over the next month or so.

Along with the iPad I am testing out Apples new Apple TV. Both are getting rave reviews in my house right now.

October 2011

iPad

It’s been a year with the iPad and I find it far more useful today than I had anticipated. it finds duty as a video blog reader (keeping up on the latest on CSS3 and HTML5 is a lot more comfortable to do on the couch with the little iPad than in my office at the laptop), as a second device to keep reference material handy while developing websites, and also as a very handy entertainment device.

An example of it’s utility would be as a very handy repository of Radio Control reference, setup and instruction documentation while at the race track. not needing to haul around my expensive laptop, power supplies for a long day, and the space a laptop would take up in the pits are all reasons the iPad shines.

in fact , I am comfortably using it to update this blog entry. I just wish I’d kept on task with the plan to write reviews as I explored this very cool device. and now with iOS 5 installed,it’s even
more useful (for instance I can send SMS like iMessage communications to other iOS5 devices over WiFi (no. cellular network required).

AppleTV

In short. it’s fantastic. So happy and impressed am I with the AppleTV that I’ve recommended it to (and sometimes installed for) friends and family. It’s ability to access and deliver online content to the comfort of a living room.

Integration with Netflix was impressive enough that I totally cancelled my cable, switched to DSL and saved myself several hundred dollars a year. My kids and I have not missed it at all. If I need to get any sort of broadcast news, I can pull true HD off the air for free, with a $5 set of old-school rabbit ears. Talk about bargain.

If you enjoy YouTube, Vimeo or Internet Radio, Apple TV has that covered as well. It’s an integrated entertainment system in a box little more than a pack of cards I size. You do need an HDMI compatible TV / entertainment system to take advantage of this awesome little black box that pulls content off a CAT5 cable or WiFi network. You do need a high speed Internet connection of some type for it to function.

That’s all for today’s update. I’ll make an honest effort to write a more detailed review of each, but we are having a rare sunny day and I’m going to go and take advantage of that!!

IPad, Tool with no Purpose or Technology Masterpiece

iPad? Really?
What is that weird little device that seems to serve no purpose? It’s not a laptop, not phone, not a book nor hot plate.

Well, I am about to find out, and those of you following my blog can too. In fact I’m typing this blog entry with one right now. It’s only spent 4 days in my care to date, but so far this weird ‘little’ thing has engendered itself to me, my kids and a couple of other people whom have had some time to really try one out, beyond a little demo at the local electronics retailer

Even if this becomes little more than an eBook reader, I feel good about the investment. I do think this will find a place in my daily technology and recreation routines.

For instance, I can say already that it’s a fantastic way to enjoy a streamed movie or TV show anywhere you have some network but no TV. My first test of this was to enjoy 3 episodes od Galactica, streamed by Netflix to the iPad. I loved it.

I’ll have much more to say about it as I try out some daily business tasks. One of the first will be setting up some sample photography galleries to show prospective clients.

Another will be use of the device in the day to day administration of systems and IT management.

Stick around as I explore the ups and downs of the iPad over the next month or so.

Along with the iPad I am testing out Apples new Apple TV. Both are getting rave reviews in my house right now.

iPad sales hit 3 million units

Apple says iPad sales hit 3 million. Wow.. that’s A LOT of people buying something that a lot of the geek cognisti and Windoze apologists said was an under-powered POS that any Windoze tablet (too bad none really exists, isn’t it?) would smoke.

Sounds like the nay-sayers on this thing need to buy a clue.

I don’t own one, but I’ve used them. They are VERY slick devices. The UI is wonderfully executed. Personally, I’m going to hold out for the 2nd generation one iPad. With 3 million sold already I think Apple can say they have a hit on their hands! 🙂

Apple says iPad sales hit 3 million as shares climb

Also of interest, is reading this article, about how once you go Apple, people tend to not go back to what they were using before:

What makes Apple so sticky

For a product that seemed to some ‘experts’ to not have a purpose, or any differentiating quality that would compel people to buy it, I find it amusing that they are having a hard time keeping up with the demand?