How to left align UISearchBar placeholder text

Question

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

Answer 1

SWIFT 3

swift 3 does not allow to override placeholder property. This is the modified version of Drix answer.

func setPlaceHolder(placeholder: String)-> String
   {

       var text = placeholder
           if text.characters.last! != " " {

               //                         define a max size

               let maxSize = CGSize(width: UIScreen.main.bounds.size.width - 97, height: 40)

               //                        let maxSize = CGSizeMake(self.bounds.size.width - 92, 40)
               // get the size of the text
               let widthText = text.boundingRect( with: maxSize, options: .usesLineFragmentOrigin, attributes:nil, context:nil).size.width
               // get the size of one space
               let widthSpace = " ".boundingRect( with: maxSize, options: .usesLineFragmentOrigin, attributes:nil, context:nil).size.width
               let spaces = floor((maxSize.width - widthText) / widthSpace)
               // add the spaces
               let newText = text + ((Array(repeating: " ", count: Int(spaces)).joined(separator: "")))
               // apply the new text if nescessary
               if newText != text {
                   return newText
               }

           }

       return placeholder;
   }

and call the function as :

searchBar.placeholder = self.setPlaceHolder(placeholder: "your placeholder text");