Suppose we need to add padding to a text field or in a Table row (which is generally a NSTextField cell).

This is possible but there in no direct method for this in Cocoa.

The padding can be added by subclassing NSTextFieldCell and by doing customization as explained.

Create a Class say CustomTextFieldCell inheriting NSTextFieldCell.
@interface CustomTextFieldCell : NSTextFieldCell

@end

 

Override functions of NSTextFieldCell class as follows

 

@implementation CustomTextField

 //Function will create rect for title

//Any padding implemented in this function will be visible in title of textfieldcell

- (NSRect)titleRectForBounds:(NSRect)theRect

{

    NSRect titleFrame = [super titleRectForBounds:theRect];

 

    //Padding on left side

    titleFrame.origin.x = PADDING_MARGIN;

 

    //Padding on right side

    titleFrame.size.width -= (2 * PADDING_MARGIN);

   

    return titleFrame;

}

 

//Any padding implemented in this function will be visible while editing text in textfieldcell

//If Padding is not done here, padding done for title will not be visible while editing

 

 

- (void)editWithFrame:(NSRect)aRect inView:(NSView *)controlView editor:(NSText *)textObj delegate:(id)anObject event:(NSEvent *)theEvent

{

    NSRect textFrame = aRect;

 

    textFrame.origin.x += PADDING_MARGIN;

    textFrame.size.width -= (2* PADDING_MARGIN);

 

    [super editWithFrame: textFrame inView: controlView editor:textObj delegate:anObject event: theEvent];

}

 

//Any padding implemented in this function will be visible while selecting text in textfieldcell

//If Padding is not done here, padding done for title will not be visible while selecting text

  

- (void)selectWithFrame:(NSRect)aRect inView:(NSView *)controlView editor:(NSText *)textObj delegate:(id)anObject start:(NSInteger)selStart length:(NSInteger)selLength

{

    NSRect textFrame = aRect;

 

    textFrame.origin.x += PADDING_MARGIN;

    textFrame.size.width -= (2* PADDING_MARGIN);

 

    [super selectWithFrame: textFrame inView: controlView editor:textObj delegate:anObject start:selStart length:selLength];

}

 

- (void)drawInteriorWithFrame:(NSRect)cellFrame inView:(NSView*)controlView

{

    NSRect titleRect = [self titleRectForBounds:cellFrame];

    [[selfattributedStringValue] drawInRect:titleRect];

}

 @end