Is there any way to add constraint between a view and the top layout guide in a xib file?

Question

In iOS 7, we can now add a constraint between a view and the top layout guide, which I think is very useful to solve the status bar offset issue in iOS7(especially when ther

Answer 1

Until now even using XCode 6 I cannot align controls to top layout guide on .xib files. Instead, I am using an alternative way.

First, on interface builder, I still align controls to top border of viewcontroler's view.

Then, in viewDidLoad method, I replace some constraints so they will align to top layout guide instead of main view:

- (void)viewDidLoad
{
    [super viewDidLoad];

    NSArray *constraints = self.view.constraints;
    for (NSLayoutConstraint *constraint in constraints) {
        if ( (constraint.firstItem == self.view) && (constraint.firstAttribute == NSLayoutAttributeTop) ) {
            NSLayoutConstraint *newConstraint = [self constraint:constraint replaceFirstItemBy:self.topLayoutGuide attribute:NSLayoutAttributeBottom];
            [self.view removeConstraint:constraint];
            [self.view addConstraint:newConstraint];
        } else if ( (constraint.secondItem == self.view) && (constraint.secondAttribute == NSLayoutAttributeTop) ) {
            NSLayoutConstraint *newConstraint = [self constraint:constraint replaceSecondItemBy:self.topLayoutGuide attribute:NSLayoutAttributeBottom];
            [self.view removeConstraint:constraint];
            [self.view addConstraint:newConstraint];
        }
    }
}

- (NSLayoutConstraint*)constraint:(NSLayoutConstraint*)constraint replaceFirstItemBy:(id)newItem attribute:(NSLayoutAttribute)newAttribute {
    UILayoutPriority priority = constraint.priority;
    NSLayoutRelation relation = constraint.relation;
    id secondItem = constraint.secondItem;
    NSLayoutAttribute secondAttribute = constraint.secondAttribute;
    CGFloat multiplier = constraint.multiplier;
    CGFloat constant = constraint.constant;

    NSLayoutConstraint *newConstraint = [NSLayoutConstraint constraintWithItem:newItem attribute:newAttribute relatedBy:relation toItem:secondItem attribute:secondAttribute multiplier:multiplier constant:constant];
    newConstraint.priority = priority;
    return newConstraint;
}

- (NSLayoutConstraint*)constraint:(NSLayoutConstraint*)constraint replaceSecondItemBy:(id)newItem attribute:(NSLayoutAttribute)newAttribute {
    UILayoutPriority priority = constraint.priority;
    id firstItem = constraint.firstItem;
    NSLayoutAttribute firstAttribute = constraint.firstAttribute;
    NSLayoutRelation relation = constraint.relation;
    CGFloat multiplier = constraint.multiplier;
    CGFloat constant = constraint.constant;

    NSLayoutConstraint *newConstraint = [NSLayoutConstraint constraintWithItem:firstItem attribute:firstAttribute relatedBy:relation toItem:newItem attribute:newAttribute multiplier:multiplier constant:constant];
    newConstraint.priority = priority;
    return newConstraint;
}

Think this is not the best way because we replace objects that we define on interface builder. But it may be an alternative way that we can think about.