Select Filtered search results

Question

Whenever I search in my app I get the correct results to display but when I tap on the cell I searched for it always plays the first index of the table before I do the searc

Answer 1

I think that the issue is that you are tracking whether you are searching or not yourself and manipulating the source data array.

I have an example playground snippet I have used for some other answers which shows you how to do this more efficiently and has some handy helper functions to make it easier.

---

I think the key parts of this that would be beneficial to you are:

keep a seperate array just of search results, only used when search is active

var filteredNames = [String]()

Make sure that you adjust the count and rows used when searching or not

override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
    if isFiltering() {
        return filteredNames.count
    } else {
        return names.count
    }
}

override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
    let cell = UITableViewCell() // don't do this, i am for example.

    var name: String
    if isFiltering() {
        name = filteredNames[indexPath.row]
    } else {
        name = names[indexPath.row]
    }

    cell.textLabel?.text = name
    return cell
}

You can use the following helper functions to help you out.

func searchBarIsEmpty() -> Bool {
    // Returns true if the text is empty or nil
    return searchController.searchBar.text?.isEmpty ?? true
}

func isFiltering() -> Bool {
    return searchController.isActive && !searchBarIsEmpty()
}

---

Full UISearchController Example (playground)

import UIKit
import PlaygroundSupport

class ViewController: UITableViewController {

    let searchController = UISearchController(searchResultsController: nil)

    var names = [
        "John",
        "Terry",
        "Martin",
        "Steven",
        "Michael",
        "Thomas",
        "Jason",
        "Matthew"
    ]
    var filteredNames = [String]()

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()

        self.title = "Search Example"

        searchController.searchResultsUpdater = self
        searchController.obscuresBackgroundDuringPresentation = false
        searchController.searchBar.placeholder = "Search"
        navigationItem.searchController = searchController
        definesPresentationContext = true
    }

    override func numberOfSections(in tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
        return 1
    }

    override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
        if isFiltering() {
            return filteredNames.count
        } else {
            return names.count
        }
    }

    override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
        let cell = UITableViewCell() // don't do this, i am for example.

        var name: String
        if isFiltering() {
            name = filteredNames[indexPath.row]
        } else {
            name = names[indexPath.row]
        }

        cell.textLabel?.text = name
        return cell
    }

    func searchBarIsEmpty() -> Bool {
        // Returns true if the text is empty or nil
        return searchController.searchBar.text?.isEmpty ?? true
    }

    func isFiltering() -> Bool {
        return searchController.isActive && !searchBarIsEmpty()
    }

    func filterContentForSearchText(_ searchText: String, scope: String = "All") {
        filteredNames = names.filter({( name : String) -> Bool in
            return name.lowercased().contains(searchText.lowercased())
        })

        tableView.reloadData()
    }
}

extension ViewController: UISearchResultsUpdating {
    func updateSearchResults(for searchController: UISearchController) {
        filterContentForSearchText(searchController.searchBar.text!)
    }
}

let vc = ViewController()
let nav = UINavigationController()
nav.viewControllers = [vc]

PlaygroundPage.current.liveView = nav