HomeiOS DevelopmentA Newbie's Information to NavigationSplitView in SwiftUI for iOS 16

A Newbie’s Information to NavigationSplitView in SwiftUI for iOS 16


In iOS 16, apart from introducing the brand new NavigationStack, Apple additionally launched a brand new view container named NavigationSplitView for builders to create two or three column navigation interface. If you wish to construct UI just like the inventory Mail app, it’s best to try this break up view element.

Whereas NavigationSplitView is extra appropriate for iPadOS and macOS apps, you can even apply it to apps for iPhone. The view element routinely adapts itself for iPhone. As an alternative of displaying a multi-column interface, it creates a single-column expertise.

The brand new NavigationSplitView comes with varied choices so that you can customise its look and operations. You may change the column width and programmatically present/cover the columns.

On this tutorial, we’ll create a three-column navigation UI utilizing NavigationSplitView.

Let’s get began.

The Fundamental Utilization of NavigationSplitView

The NavigationSplitView helps each two-column and three-column navigation expertise. Their implementations are fairly comparable. To create a two-column navigation UI, you write the code like this:

For 3-column navigation interface, you add the content material parameter in between:

We’ll begin with the two-column navigation UI and ultimately construct the three-column design.

Constructing the 2-Column Navigation Interface

In case you’ve learn my earlier tutorial on the expandable listing view, you might know that I’m an enormous fan of La Marzocco. In that tutorial, I confirmed you how you can create an expandable listing view with inset group fashion.

Now let’s flip this expandable listing right into a two degree navigation interface just like the screenshot proven beneath:

swiftui-navigationsplitview-two-column

Earlier than we create the break up view, let’s start with the info mannequin. We create a struct to mannequin a menu merchandise:

To make a nested listing, the important thing right here is to incorporate a property that comprises an optionally available array of youngsters (i.e. subMenuItems). Observe that the kids are of the identical kind of its mum or dad.

For the highest degree menu objects, we are able to create an array of MenuItem like this:

For every of the menu merchandise, we specify the array of the sub-menu objects. In case if there isn’t any sub-menu merchandise, you possibly can omit the subMenuItems parameter or cross it a nil worth. For the sub-menu objects, we are able to outline them like this:

To raised arrange the info mannequin, we create a struct known as CoffeeEquipmentModel like this:

The mainMenuItems array holds the pattern menu objects. Each subMenuItems and menuItem are helper strategies for trying up a particular class or menu merchandise.

Now that we’ve ready the info mannequin, let’s transfer onto the implementation of the navigation break up view. Create a brand new file named TwoColumnSplitView.swift utilizing the SwiftUI view template. Replace the TwoColumnSplitView struct like this:

The primary closure of NavigationSplitView presents the primary menu merchandise. We use a Checklist view to loop by all mainMenuItems within the information mannequin and show every of the menu objects utilizing a HStack view.

We even have a state variable named selectedCategoryId, which is used to carry the chosen primary menu merchandise.

For the element closure, that is the place the submenu merchandise is rendered. If a class is chosen, we name the subMenuItems technique to get the submenu objects for that individual class. We then show the submenu objects utilizing Checklist view. Conversely, if no class is chosen, we show a textual content message instructing the consumer to decide on a class.

When you made the modifications, it’s best to see a two-column navigation UI within the Xcode preview.

swiftui-split-view-three-columns

Making a Three-Column Navigation Interface

Now that we’ve created a two-column navigation interface, let’s additional improve it to offer customers with a three-column navigation expertise. The additional column is used for displaying the picture of the chosen tools.

swiftui-navigation-split-view-three-column-demo

To transform the two-column navigation interface to three-column, we have to implement a further parameter (i.e. content material) for the NavigationSplitView. Let’s create a brand new view named ThreeColumnSplitView like this:

Mainly, the code within the content material closure ought to be similar to you. The content material parameter is designed for displaying the submenu objects. Thus, we use the Checklist view to indicate the submenu objects for the chosen class.

When an merchandise is chosen within the submenu, the app exhibits the tools picture. That is achieved by the code written within the element closure.

After the code modifications, the preview pane ought to present you a two-column format.

swiftui-navigation-empty

By default, the primary column is hidden. You could faucet the menu button on the top-left nook to disclose it.

To regulate the visibility of the break up view, you possibly can declare a state variable of the kind NavigationSplitViewVisibility and set its worth to .all:

When instantiating the NavigationSplitView, it has an possibility parameter named columnVisibility. You may merely cross the binding of columnVisibility to manage the visibility of the columns.

swiftui-column-visiblity-split-view

The NavigationSplitViewVisibility.all worth tells iPadOS to show all of the three columns. There are different choices together with:

  • .automated – Use the default main column visibility for the present gadget. That is the default setting.
  • .doubleColumn – Present the content material column and element space of a three-column navigation break up view.
  • .detailOnly – Disguise the main two columns of a three-column break up view. In different phrases, solely the element space exhibits.

Customizing the Model of Navigation Break up Views

Have you ever examined the app in iPad Portrait? By default, the element space takes up the entire display screen when the iPad gadget is in portrait mode. So, while you convey up the primary menu and submenu areas, the element space is hidden behind these two main columns.

swiftui-portrait-multiple-column

In case you don’t like this fashion, you possibly can change it by attaching the .navigationSplitViewStyle modifier to NavigationSplitView:

The default worth is about to .automated. In case you set the worth to .balanced, it reduces the element space such that the 2 main columns can seem on the identical time.

swiftui-splitview-multi-column-balanced

What’s Subsequent

This tutorial offers you an introduction to NavigationSplitView in iOS 16. It’s very simple to create multi-column navigation expertise for iPad customers. Even when you develop apps for iPhone customers, NavigationSplitView can adapt itself to suit the navigation expertise on narrower screens. For instance, when iPhone 13 Professional Max is in portrait mode, the break up view exhibits a one-column navigation. In case you rotate the gadget sideway, the break up view modifications to a multi-column format.

Due to this fact, take a while to review this break up view element and apply it to your app each time this sort of UI is smart.

For reference, if you wish to be taught extra about NavigationSplitView, you possibly can try this WWDC video.

In case you take pleasure in this text and wish to dive deeper into SwiftUI, you might try our Mastering SwiftUI ebook.



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