macosfocusnstextfieldnsoutlineviewnspopover

macOS NSTextfield looses focus when NSPopover open

I am trying to make a search autocomplete in my macOS application:

I have a window with a NSTextField. When value changes, I display an NSPopover which contains NSOutlineView and the list is updated as the user is typing text. The user can select a result in the NSOutlineView then.

But, if I make NSOutlineView enabled to be able to click on a result, the NSTextField looses focus when NSPopover opens. If I set isEnabled to false for the NSOutlineView, NSTextField keeps focus but I can't select a result in the list.

Do you have any idea to keep focus on NSTextField without disable NSOutlineView ?

Thank you.

Solution

  • I have found a solution:

    Before NSPopover.show(), I store the current textField selected range:

    let range = textField.currentEditor()?.selectedRange

    And after:

    textField.selectText(self)
textField.currentEditor()?.selectedRange = range ?? NSMakeRange(0, 0)

    If I call selectText() without setting the selected range, it will select all text. Moreover, save the selected range keeps cursor position.