[ewagner]

I just started programming in Cocoa, and I can't seem to figure this one out... I want to display an NSMutableString centered within an NSRect. How do I do this? Thanks.

[Chuckit]

Take a look at AppKit's extensions to NSString. It provides methods for getting a string's measurements and drawing the string.

[DaGuy]

You need to find the dimension of the bounding rectangle then work with that. Try something like the following:

Code:


NSRect textBounds = NSZeroRect;

float middleX;

textBounds.size = [label sizeWithAttributes:attributes]; // attributes should be an NSDictionary etc.

middleX = textBounds.size.width/2; 
 
NSPoint labelLocation = NSMakePoint( ... ); 

/* 
 ... = for some appropiate view location; when choosing the "center about point" use middleX as on offset.


That is, text is rendered starting at the lower left corner of the bounding rectangle.  So you need to subract middleX from the latter point.

 */
    
[label drawAtPoint:labelLocation withAttributes:attributes];

It's just one way of doing it.

[ewagner]

Thanks DaGuy, I'll try that.

Is there also some way of doing it using NSParagraphStyle and NSTextAlignment (such as NSCenterTextAlignment)? For instance, I think I can create a string as follows:

[NSAttributedString initWithString:@"hello" attributes:DICTIONARY]

Where DICTIONARY is an NSDictionary. So, can DICTIONARY specify NSCenterTextAlignment? If so, how do I create this dictionary?

[Angus_D]

Originally posted by ewagner:
Where DICTIONARY is an NSDictionary. So, can DICTIONARY specify NSCenterTextAlignment? If so, how do I create this dictionary?

Something like

Code:
[NSDictionary dictionaryWithObject:NSCenterTextAlignment forKey:NSTextAlignment]

[DaGuy]

Originally posted by ewagner:
Thanks DaGuy, I'll try that.

Is there also some way of doing it using NSParagraphStyle and NSTextAlignment (such as NSCenterTextAlignment)? For instance, I think I can create a string as follows:

[NSAttributedString initWithString:@"hello" attributesICTIONARY]

Where DICTIONARY is an NSDictionary. So, can DICTIONARY specify NSCenterTextAlignment? If so, how do I create this dictionary?

Glad to be of some help. I haven't used those other classes that you are mentioning.

But in order to create the dictionary (key-value) pairs you need to know the values of the keys. These keys are described in the documentation.

Or are you just asking how to create an NSDictionary given that you already know the key-value pairs of interest? Got myself tangled... sorry.

[Ghoser777]

Originally posted by Angus_D:
Something like

Code:
[NSDictionary dictionaryWithObject:NSCenterTextAlignment forKey:NSTextAlignment]

That would work? You don't have to set the NSAttributedString's NSParagraphManager to have that attribute? Wow, I guess I've been doing it the hard way.

Matt Fahrenbacher