How to left align UISearchBar placeholder text

Question

I need to make a custom search bar like this. Th

Answer 1

A working solution for Drix answer

import Foundation
import UIKit

class LeftAlignedSearchBar: UISearchBar, UISearchBarDelegate {
    override var placeholder:String? {
        didSet {
            if #available(iOS 9.0, *) {
                if let text = placeholder {
                    if text.characters.last! != " " {
                        // get the font attribute
                        let attr = UITextField.appearanceWhenContainedInInstancesOfClasses([LeftAlignedSearchBar.self]).defaultTextAttributes
                        // define a max size
                        let maxSize = CGSizeMake(UIScreen.mainScreen().bounds.size.width - 87, 40)
//                        let maxSize = CGSizeMake(self.bounds.size.width - 92, 40)
                        // get the size of the text
                        let widthText = text.boundingRectWithSize( maxSize, options: .UsesLineFragmentOrigin, attributes:attr, context:nil).size.width
                        // get the size of one space
                        let widthSpace = " ".boundingRectWithSize( maxSize, options: .UsesLineFragmentOrigin, attributes:attr, context:nil).size.width
                        let spaces = floor((maxSize.width - widthText) / widthSpace)
                        // add the spaces
                        let newText = text + ((Array(count: Int(spaces), repeatedValue: " ").joinWithSeparator("")))
                        // apply the new text if nescessary
                        if newText != text {
                            placeholder = newText
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

This method appearanceWhenContainedInInstancesOfClasses is not available in iOS 8, there is a workaround for iOS 8 here