Is it possible to configure a UITableView to allow multiple-selection?

Question

For the iPhone, is it possible to configure a UITableView such that it will allow multiple-selection?

I've tried overriding -setSelected:animated: for each UITableViewCell, but trying to fudge the required behavior is tricky as it's difficult to separate the real unselections from the ones where the UITableView thinks I've unselected due to selection of another cell!

Hope someone can help!

Thanks,

Nick.

Answer 1

The best way to do this would be to a checkmark per selected row.

You can do that by setting the accessoryType on the selected UITableViewCell instances to UITableViewCelAccessoryCheckmark.

To deselect the row, set it back to UITableViewCellAccessoryNone.

To enumerate which cells/rows were selected (say, upon clicking a button), simply iterate over the cells of the table looking for UITableViewCellAccessoryCheckmark. Or, manage some NSSet or the like in your table view delegate in the "did select" delegate methods.

Answer 2

Following property should work fine if you are developing app for iOS5.0+

self.tableView.allowsMultipleSelection = YES;

Answer 3

Use the following code to set up the cell accesory types:

    - (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didSelectRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath {

    UITableViewCell *thisCell = [tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:indexPath];


    if (thisCell.accessoryType == UITableViewCellAccessoryNone) {
        thisCell.accessoryType = UITableViewCellAccessoryCheckmark;

    }else{
        thisCell.accessoryType = UITableViewCellAccessoryNone;

    }
}

- (UITableViewCellAccessoryType)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView accessoryTypeForRowWithIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath {

//add your own code to set the cell accesory type.
return UITableViewCellAccessoryNone;
}

Answer 4

Jeff Lamarche has a tutorial on how to do this here:

http://iphonedevelopment.blogspot.com/2008/10/table-view-multi-row-edit-mode.html

I've not tried the code but it's been on the back of my mind for a while, knowing the day will come when I need it.

Answer 5

I backported allowsMultipleSelectionDuringEditing and allowsMultipleSelection from iOS5 to older iOS. You can fork it at https://github.com/ud7/UDTableView-allowsMultipleSelection

It's drop in replacement and only thing you need to do is change UITableView to UDTableView (in code or interface builder)

Answer 6

From the HIG:

Table views provide feedback when users select list items. Specifically, when an item can be selected, the row containing the item highlights briefly when a user selects it to show that the selection has been received. Then, an immediate action occurs: Either a new view is revealed or the row displays a checkmark to indicate that the item has been selected. The row never remains highlighted, because table views do not display a persistent selected state.

You'll need to roll your own multiple selection style, either with something like Mail, or using the checkmark accessory on your cells.

Answer 7

Guys for multiple selection you just need

self.tableView.allowsMultipleSelection = YES;

on viewDidLoad and

- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didSelectRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    UITableViewCell *tableViewCell = [tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:indexPath];
    tableViewCell.accessoryView.hidden = NO; 
    // if you don't use custom image tableViewCell.accessoryType = UITableViewCellAccessoryCheckmark;
}

- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didDeselectRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    UITableViewCell *tableViewCell = [tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:indexPath];
    tableViewCell.accessoryView.hidden = YES;
    // if you don't use custom image tableViewCell.accessoryType = UITableViewCellAccessoryNone;
}

Answer 8

If you're trying to do something like Mail's multiple-select (to delete mail, for example), then you're probably going to have to manage all the selection yourself. Multiple row selection isn't something that's standard on the iPhone. Mail solves this by using checkmarks to indicate which rows have been selected.

Answer 9

blue highlighted row as an indicator of whether a row is selected is actually discouraged according to the HIG page 121. Checkmarks will do the trick.

- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didSelectRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath{
    int selectedRow = indexPath.row;
    cout << "selected Row: " << selectedRow << endl;
    UITableViewCell *indexPathForCell = [tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:indexPath];
    if (indexPathForCell.accessoryType == UITableViewCellAccessoryNone) {
        indexPathForCell.accessoryType = UITableViewCellAccessoryCheckmark;
    } else {
        indexPathForCell.accessoryType = UITableViewCellAccessoryNone;
    }

}

then add your arraying or how ever you wish to store the data of which were selected.

Answer 10

I was searching for the same issue and the answer of Bhavin Chitroda sovled it for me but with some addition to keep the check mark as it was while scrolling.

- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didSelectRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{

        UITableViewCell *cell = [tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:indexPath];
        if ( [array indexOfObject:indexPath] == NSNotFound ) {
            [array addObject:indexPath];
            cell.accessoryType = UITableViewCellAccessoryCheckmark;
        } else {
            [array removeObject:indexPath];
            cell.accessoryType = UITableViewCellAccessoryNone;
        }

}

The addition:

- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath*)indexPath
{
// Your code here
.
.
.
    if ( [array indexOfObject:indexPath] == NSNotFound ) {
        cell.accessoryType = UITableViewCellAccessoryNone;
    } else {
        cell.accessoryType = UITableViewCellAccessoryCheckmark;
    }

    return cell;

}

Answer 11

Note: This does not work in iOS 4+. This is a private, undocumented constant. Do not use it.

If you are not planning to submit your app to the App Store, you can invoke multi-row edit mode by implementing the following method in your UITableViewController delegate:

- (UITableViewCellEditingStyle)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView editingStyleForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath {
    return 3; // Undocumented constant
}

Answer 12

Tested with iOS4.3 - 6.0

-(void)searchDisplayControllerDidBeginSearch:(UISearchDisplayController *)controller {

    if ([controller.searchResultsTableView respondsToSelector:@selector(allowsMultipleSelectionDuringEditing)]) {
        controller.searchResultsTableView.allowsMultipleSelectionDuringEditing = YES;
    }
    else {
        controller.searchResultsTableView.allowsSelectionDuringEditing = YES;
    }
}

- (UITableViewCellEditingStyle)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView editingStyleForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    return UITableViewCellAccessoryCheckmark;
}