What's the UIScrollView contentInset property for?

Question

Can someone explain to me what the contentInset property in a UIScrollView instance is used for? And maybe provide an example?

Answer 1

It sets the distance of the inset between the content view and the enclosing scroll view.

Obj-C

aScrollView.contentInset = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0, 0, 0, 7.0);

Swift 5.0

aScrollView.contentInset = UIEdgeInsets(top: 0, left: 0, bottom: 0, right: 7.0)

Here's a good iOS Reference Library article on scroll views that has an informative screenshot (fig 1-3) - I'll replicate it via text here:

  _|←_cW_→_|_↓_
   |       | 
---------------
   |content| ↑
 ↑ |content| contentInset.top
cH |content|
 ↓ |content| contentInset.bottom
   |content| ↓
---------------
  _|_______|___ 
             ↑


   (cH = contentSize.height; cW = contentSize.width)

The scroll view encloses the content view plus whatever padding is provided by the specified content insets.