How to adjust space between two UIBarButtonItem in rightBarButtonItems

Question 1

Updated at Jul 2015

A better way to do this is to use storyboard (tested in Xcode 6.4). First, add a UINavigationItem; secondly, add a Bar Button Item; thirdly, add a view to the Bar Button Item you just created in step 2; fourthly, add as many buttons as you wish into that view you just dragged in; lastly, adjust the space with your mouse and constraints.

Related Questions

Can't assign multiple Buttons to UINavigationItem when using Storyboard with iOS 5

How to add buttons to navigation controller visible after segueing?

Old Answer (Only acceptable for small insets)

Use imageInsets property:

leftButton.imageInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0.0, 0.0, 0, -15);
rightButton.imageInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0.0, -15, 0, 0);

for three or more buttons, the middle one(s) get both insets:

leftButton.imageInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0.0, 0.0, 0, -15);
middleButton.imageInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0.0, -15, 0, -15);
rightButton.imageInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0.0, -15, 0, 0);

For the right side buttons, be careful: the FIRST button in the item array is the RIGHT one:

rightButton.imageInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0.0, -15, 0, 0);
middleButton.imageInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0.0, -15, 0, -15);
leftButton.imageInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0.0, 0.0, 0, -15);

IMPORTANT: Split the inset between the two neighbors; if apply the entire inset to one edge, it will become obvious that the buttons are overlapping in the "blank" space - one button gets all of the "gap" touches. Even when "split" the adjustment like this, at -40 on both edges, the tap will definitely go to wrong button sometimes. -15 or -20 is the most to consider using with this technique.

By applying this method, the button could even be moved around in four directions.

Question 2

My solution is using a custom view for right bar buttons. Create a horizontal stackview with equal spacing and add any number of buttons as subview.

Sample code:

func addRightBarButtonItems()
{
    let btnSearch = UIButton.init(type: .custom)
    btnSearch.setImage(UIImage(systemName: "magnifyingglass"), for: .normal)
    btnSearch.addTarget(self, action: #selector(MyPageContainerViewController.searchButtonPressed), for: .touchUpInside)
    
    let btnEdit = UIButton.init(type: .custom)
    btnEdit.setImage(UIImage(systemName: "pencil"), for: .normal)
    btnEdit.addTarget(self, action: #selector(MyPageContainerViewController.editButtonPressed), for: .touchUpInside)
    
    let stackview = UIStackView.init(arrangedSubviews: [btnEdit, btnSearch])
    stackview.distribution = .equalSpacing
    stackview.axis = .horizontal
    stackview.alignment = .center
    stackview.spacing = 8
    
    let rightBarButton = UIBarButtonItem(customView: stackview)
    self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = rightBarButton
}

Question 3

Swift 5

In your AppDelegate add this code:

let stackViewAppearance = UIStackView.appearance(whenContainedInInstancesOf: [UINavigationBar.self])
stackViewAppearance.spacing = -10

This will work with no additional code in more recent SDK versions as UIBarButtonItems are already contained in a horizontal UIStackView

Question 4

First:

For UIBarButtonItem you must use constructor init(customView: UIView)

Second:

Use fixedSpace for set space between buttons

example:

let firstButton = UIButton()
let firstButtonItem = UIBarButtonItem(customView: firstButton)

let secondButton = UIButton()
let secondButtonItem = UIBarButtonItem(customView: secondButton)

let space = UIBarButtonItem(barButtonSystemItem: .fixedSpace, target: nil, action: nil)
space.width = WIDTH

self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItems = [firstButtonItem, space, secondButtonItem]

Question 5

One line of code is all you need to decrease the space between buttons in the navigation bar:

UIStackView.appearance(whenContainedInInstancesOf: [UINavigationBar.self]).spacing = -10

You must place this line in your code before you add the buttons to the navigation bar.

Question 6

If you are looking to have 2 buttons on the top right with no space in between them or on the right, this has worked for me.

let imgLeft = UIImage(named: "buttonLeft")?.imageWithRenderingMode(.AlwaysOriginal)
let bLeft = UIBarButtonItem(image: imgLeft, style: UIBarButtonItemStyle.Done, target: self, action: "action1:")
let space = UIBarButtonItem(barButtonSystemItem: UIBarButtonSystemItem.FixedSpace, target: nil, action: nil)
space.width = -16.0

bLeft.imageInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0, 0, 0, -25.0)


let imgRight = UIImage(named: "buttonRight")?.imageWithRenderingMode(.AlwaysOriginal)
let bRight = UIBarButtonItem(image: imgRight, style: UIBarButtonItemStyle.Done, target: self, action: "action2:")

bRight.imageInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0, -25, 0, 0)


self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItems = [space,bLeft,bRight ]

Question 7

My situation was about giving horizontal space to logOut Button to the right edge.

 func addLogOutButtonToNavigationBar(triggerToMethodName: String)
    {
        let button: UIButton = UIButton()
        button.setImage(UIImage(named: "logOff.png"), forState: .Normal)
        button.frame = CGRectMake(20, 0, 30, 25)
        button.contentEdgeInsets = UIEdgeInsets.init(top: 0, left: 10, bottom: 0, right: -10)

        button .addTarget(self, action:Selector(triggerToMethodName), forControlEvents: UIControlEvents.TouchUpInside)
        let rightItem:UIBarButtonItem = UIBarButtonItem()
        rightItem.customView = button
        self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = rightItem
    }

Question 8

Might be a bit late for this answer however this can help the newest IOS+Swift combination (IOS 10 and Swift 3 in my case). Here I describe a general approach for how to move items right/left for rightBarButtonItems/leftBarButtonItems:

The property you we have use here to move a barButtonItem is "imageEdgeInsets" . So, Here how to use this property -

yourBarButtonItem.imageEdgeInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(top, left, bottom, right)

These top, left, bottom, right are of type CGFloat and these are basically margin value that pushes your item from/to each other. For decreasing a space, we can just use minus (-) values like this " -10 ".

So, for example if we want to use this for a group of leftBatButtonItems and say, if we want to move a item to the a bit right, then we can do this -

ourBarButtonItem.imageEdgeInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, -15)

I hope we get the general idea here and hope it helps :)

Question 9

Without any code. I just put another UIBarButtonItem in-between the buttons that need spacing in storyboard. The button is just a placeholder for spacing and the UIBarButton should have UIView as subview of the UIBarButtonItem. adjust the view's width for your spacing. See Screen shots.

Question 10

Create a UIBarButtonItem with type flexible or fixed space. Set the width and add it to the array of barbuttonitems. Try using a negative width, see if that works.

Or, you could maybe adjust your image. The system buttons i think have a fixed size, and might include some transparent part, so even when packed together the still seem spaced.

Question 11

Swift 5

If you want to add space between two Bar Button items then add a flexible space in between, the two buttons will be pushed to the left and right edge as the flexible space expands to take up most of the toolbar.

For Example:

let toolBar = UIToolbar()

var items = [UIBarButtonItem]()

let backBarButton =  UIBarButtonItem(image: UIImage(named: "icon-back.png"), style: .done, target: self, action: #selector(backButtonTapped))

let nextBarButton =  UIBarButtonItem(image: UIImage(named: "icon-next.png"), style: .done, target: self, action: #selector(nextButtonTapped))

let spacer = UIBarButtonItem(barButtonSystemItem: .flexibleSpace, target: nil, action: nil)

items.append(backBarButton)
items.append(spacer)
items.append(nextBarButton)

toolBar.setItems(items, animated: true)

Question 12

To accomplish this in code without adding an extra container view, use a UIBarButtonItem with the system item type set to FixedSpace. Then set the width of the fixed space to -10 and place it between the two buttons.

Question 13

another answer : It works in ios 9 - 12. You should call fixNavigationItemsMargin(margin:) in function viewDidAppear(_ animated: Bool) and viewDidLayoutSubviews(). fixNavigationItemsMargin(margin:) would modify the UINavigationController stack.

you could call fixNavigationItemsMargin(margin:) in BaseNavigationController ,do the common work. And call fixNavigationItemsMargin(margin:) in UIViewController do precise layout.

// do common initilizer
class BaseNavigationController: UINavigationController {
    override func viewDidLayoutSubviews() {
        super.viewDidLayoutSubviews()
        fixNavigationItemsMargin()
    }

    override func viewDidAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
        super.viewDidAppear(animated)
        fixNavigationItemsMargin()
    }

}

extension UINavigationController {
func fixNavigationItemsMargin(_ margin: CGFloat = 8) {
    let systemMajorVersion = ProcessInfo.processInfo.operatingSystemVersion.majorVersion
    if systemMajorVersion >= 11 {
        // iOS >= 11
        guard let contentView = navigationBar.subviews
            .first(
                where: { sub in
                    String(describing: sub).contains("ContentView")
            }) else { return }

        // refer to: https://www.matrixprojects.net/p/uibarbuttonitem-ios11/
        // if rightBarButtonItems has not any custom views, then margin would be 8(320|375)/12(414)
        // should use customView
        let needAdjustRightItems: Bool
        if let currentVC = viewControllers.last,
            let rightItems = currentVC.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItems,
            rightItems.count > 0,
            rightItems.filter({ $0.customView != nil }).count > 0 {
            needAdjustRightItems = true
        } else {
            print("Use 8(320|375)/12(414), if need precious margin ,use UIBarButtonItem(customView:)!!!")
            needAdjustRightItems = false
        }

        let needAdjustLeftItems: Bool
        if let currentVC = viewControllers.last,
            let leftItems = currentVC.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItems,
            leftItems.count > 0,
            leftItems.filter({ $0.customView != nil }).count > 0 {
            needAdjustLeftItems = true
        } else {
            print("Use 8(320|375)/12(414), if need precious margin ,use UIBarButtonItem(customView:)!!!")
            needAdjustLeftItems = false
        }

        let layoutMargins: UIEdgeInsets
        if #available(iOS 11.0, *) {
            let directionInsets = contentView.directionalLayoutMargins
            layoutMargins = UIEdgeInsets(
                top: directionInsets.top,
                left: directionInsets.leading,
                bottom: directionInsets.bottom,
                right: directionInsets.trailing)
        } else {
            layoutMargins = contentView.layoutMargins
        }

        contentView.constraints.forEach(
            { cst in

                // iOS 11 the distance between rightest item and NavigationBar should be  margin
                // rightStackView trailing space is -margin / 2
                // rightestItem trailing to rightStackView trailing is -margin / 2
                let rightConstant = -margin / 2

                switch (cst.firstAttribute, cst.secondAttribute) {
                case (.leading, .leading), (.trailing, .trailing):

                    if let stackView = cst.firstItem as? UIStackView,
                        stackView.frame.minX < navigationBar.frame.midX {
                        // is leftItems
                        if needAdjustLeftItems {
                            cst.constant = margin - layoutMargins.left
                        }
                    } else if let layoutGuide = cst.firstItem as? UILayoutGuide,
                        layoutGuide.layoutFrame.minX < navigationBar.frame.midX {
                        // is leftItems
                        if needAdjustLeftItems {
                            cst.constant = margin - layoutMargins.left
                        }
                    }

                    if let stackView = cst.firstItem as? UIStackView,
                        stackView.frame.maxX > navigationBar.frame.midX {
                        // is rightItems
                        if needAdjustRightItems {
                            cst.constant = rightConstant
                        }
                    } else if let layoutGuide = cst.firstItem as? UILayoutGuide,
                        layoutGuide.layoutFrame.maxX > navigationBar.frame.midX {
                        // is rightItems
                        if needAdjustRightItems {
                            cst.constant = rightConstant
                        }
                    }

                default: break
                }

        })

        // ensure items space == 8， minispcae
        contentView.subviews.forEach(
            { subsub in
                guard subsub is UIStackView else { return }
                subsub.constraints.forEach(
                    { cst in
                        guard cst.firstAttribute == .width
                            || cst.secondAttribute == .width
                            else { return }
                        cst.constant = 0
                })
        })

    } else {
        // iOS < 11

        let versionItemsCount: Int
        if systemMajorVersion == 10 {
            // iOS 10 navigationItem.rightBarButtonItems == 0
            // space = 16(320|375) / 20(414)
            // should adjust margin
            versionItemsCount = 0
        } else {
            // iOS 9 navigationItem.rightBarButtonItems == 0
            // space = 8(320|375) / 12(414)
            // should not adjust margin
            versionItemsCount = 1
        }

        let spaceProducer = { () -> UIBarButtonItem in
            let spaceItem = UIBarButtonItem(
                barButtonSystemItem: .fixedSpace,
                target: nil,
                action: nil)
            spaceItem.width = margin - 16
            return spaceItem
        }
        if let currentVC = viewControllers.last,
            var rightItems = currentVC.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItems,
            rightItems.count > versionItemsCount,
            let first = rightItems.first {

            // ensure the first BarButtonItem is NOT fixedSpace
            if first.title == nil && first.image == nil && first.customView == nil {
                print("rightBarButtonItems SPACE SETTED!!!  SPACE: ", abs(first.width))

            } else {
                rightItems.insert(spaceProducer(), at: 0)

                // arranged right -> left
                currentVC.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItems = rightItems
            }
        }

        if let currentVC = viewControllers.last,
            var leftItems = currentVC.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItems,
            leftItems.count > versionItemsCount,
            let first = leftItems.first {
            if first.title == nil && first.image == nil && first.customView == nil {
                print("leftBarButtonItems  SPACE SETTED!!!  SPACE: ", abs(first.width))
            } else {
                leftItems.insert(spaceProducer(), at: 0)

                // arranged left -> right
                currentVC.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItems = leftItems
            }
        }
    }
}
}

// do precise layout
class ViewController: UIViewController {
  override func viewDidLayoutSubviews() {
    super.viewDidLayoutSubviews()
    navigationController?.fixNavigationItemsMargin(40)
}

override func viewDidAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
    super.viewDidAppear(animated)
    navigationController?.fixNavigationItemsMargin(40)
}

Question 14

Found a crazy idea that works.

func createCustomToolbar(items: [UIBarButtonItem]) -> UIToolbar
{
    // no spacing between bar buttons
    let customToolbar = UIToolbar(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: items.count*45, height: 44))
    customToolbar.items = items
    customToolbar.barStyle = UIBarStyle(rawValue: -1)!
    customToolbar.clearsContextBeforeDrawing = false
    customToolbar.backgroundColor = UIColor.clearColor()
    customToolbar.tintColor = UIColor.clearColor()
    customToolbar.translucent = true
    return customToolbar
}


let customToolbar = createCustomToolbar([item0,item1,item2,item3])
navigationItem.rightBarButtonItems = [UIBarButtonItem(customView: customToolbar)]

Tested on iOS7 and upper. Even this is written in swift the concept is clear.

Question 15

I gave up with fighting this bug, and came up with the following extension:

import UIKit

extension UIBarButtonItem {

    convenience init(buttonImage: UIImage?, target: Any?, action: Selector?) {
        let button = UIButton(type: .system)
        button.frame = CGRect(origin: CGPoint.zero, size: buttonImage != nil ? buttonImage!.size : CGSize.zero)
        button.setImage(buttonImage, for: .normal)

        if let action = action {
            button.addTarget(target, action: action, for: .touchUpInside)
        }

        self.init(customView: button)
    }

    public func updateButton(image: UIImage?) {
        if let button = self.customView as? UIButton {
            button.setImage(image, for: .normal)

            let size = image != nil ? image!.size : CGSize.zero
            let frame = button.frame
            button.frame = frame.insetBy(dx: ceil((frame.size.width - size.width) / 2), dy: ceil((frame.size.height - size.height) / 2))
        }
    }
}