Creating a left-arrow button (like UINavigationBar's "back" style) on a UIToolbar

Question

I'd love to create a "back" left-arrow-bezel button in a UIToolbar.

As far as I can tell, the only way to get one of these is to leave UINavigationController at default settings and it uses one for the left bar item. But there's no way I can find to create one as a UIBarButtonItem, so I can't make one in a standard UIToolbar, even though they're very similar to UINavigationBars.

I could manually create it with button images, but I can't find the source images anywhere. They have alpha-channel edges, so screenshotting and cutting won't get very versatile results.

Any ideas beyond screenshotting for every size and color scheme I intend to use?

Update: PLEASE STOP dodging the question and suggesting that I shouldn't be asking this and should be using UINavigationBar. My app is Instapaper Pro. It shows only a bottom toolbar (to save space and maximize readable content area), and I wish to put a left-arrow-shaped Back button in the bottom.

Telling me that I shouldn't need to do this is not an answer and certainly doesn't deserve a bounty.

Pickerel

Related question: Draw custom Back button on iPhone Navigation Bar – Immaterial

from @Oxced : github.com/0xced/UIKit-Artwork-Extractor – Brahmana

Answer 1

I used the following psd that I derived from http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/?p=447

http://www.chrisandtennille.com/pictures/backbutton.psd

I then just created a custom UIView that I use in the customView property of the toolbar item.

Works well for me.

---

Edit: As pointed out by PrairieHippo, maralbjo found that using the following, simple code did the trick (requires custom image in bundle) should be combined with this answer. So here is additional code:

// Creates a back button instead of default behaviour (displaying title of previous screen)
UIBarButtonItem *backButton = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithImage:[UIImage imageNamed:@"back_arrow.png"]
                                                               style:UIBarButtonItemStyleBordered
                                                              target:self
                                                              action:@selector(backAction)];

tipsDetailViewController.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = backButton;
[backButton release];

Sedulity

Does this PNG work if I have a blue navigator bar? Will iphone recolor it? Or will I need to change the colors in the PNG? – Bracketing

The PSD I uploaded is for a black toolbar. I haven't tried much with the blue ones as my app doesn't use that. But from what I know the tool bar won't re-colour it as needed. chris. – Sedulity

You don't need any special tool to re-color it, I have done it using Mac Preview's 'Adjust Color' option. – Antistrophe

Can this solution be spelled out a bit? – Pantoja

This psd is only useful for a screen scale of 1.0f. On a retina display it's going to look awful. – Susanasusanetta

@DanielWood Correct. This answer was posted long before the retina display was in use. Though that being said the PSD could most likely be re-worked at a higher resolution based on the effects and paths it uses. – Sedulity

Answer by AndrewS below is more appropriate as it uses standard controls. – Navarrette

Don't use images for this, just do it properly (see answer for stackoverflow.com/questions/4260238). – Pendulum

update the psd file to latest flat design and re-upload it – Miso

how can i use that icon with text, like "<Back" – Aquaplane

Answer 2

The Unicode Method

I think it is much easier to just use a unicode character to get the job done. You can look through arrows by googling either Unicode Triangles or Unicode Arrows. Starting with iOS6 Apple changed the character to be an emoji character with a border. To disable the border I add the 0xFE0E Unicode Variation Selector.

NSString *backArrowString = @"\U000025C0\U0000FE0E"; //BLACK LEFT-POINTING TRIANGLE PLUS VARIATION SELECTOR

UIBarButtonItem *backBarButtonItem = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithTitle:backArrowString style:UIBarButtonItemStylePlain target:nil action:nil];
self.navigationItem.leftButtonItem = backBarButtonItem;

The code block is just for the demo. It would work in any button that accepts an NSString.

For a full list of characters search Google for Unicode character and what you want. Here is the entry for Black Left-Pointing Triangle.

Result

Strain

Answer 3

WARNING: There are reports that this will not work on iOS 6. This might only work on older versions of the OS. Evidently at least one dev has had their app rejected for using this trick (see the comments). Use at your own risk. Using an image (see answer above) might be a safer solution.

This can be done without adding in your own image files using sekr1t button type 101 to get the correct shape. For me the trick was figuring out that I could use initWithCustomView to create the BarButtonItem. I personally needed this for a dynamic navbar rather than a toolbar, but I tested it with a toolbar and the code is nearly the same:

// create button
UIButton* backButton = [UIButton buttonWithType:101]; // left-pointing shape!
[backButton addTarget:self action:@selector(backAction) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
[backButton setTitle:@"Back" forState:UIControlStateNormal];

// create button item -- possible because UIButton subclasses UIView!
UIBarButtonItem* backItem = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithCustomView:backButton];

// add to toolbar, or to a navbar (you should only have one of these!)
[toolbar setItems:[NSArray arrayWithObject:backItem]];
navItem.leftBarButtonItem = backItem;

If you're doing this on a toolbar you'll have to tweak how you set the items, but that depends on the rest of your code and I leave that as an exercise for the reader. :P This sample worked for me (compiled & run).

Blah blah, read the HIG, don't use undocumented features, and all that. There's only six supported button types and this isn't one of them.

Lactone

button type 101 doesn't seem to be giving me a left-pointing shape... just a rectangle. – Chivers

As above, this solution may have worked in the past but certainly not with the latest SDK (4.2) – Bissonnette

I found someone else that had mentioned it. I then did a whole bunch of trial and error and didn't find anything else useful. Although the value is undocumented, this method doesn't use any privileged APIs. – Lactone

Don't do this -- Your app will be rejected. Vote this answer down. – Trona

I am inclined to think he's not sure; he's saying "don't use undocumented API" but not stating his app was rejected. And it's not an undocumented API -- it's an undocumented value. If anyone has had their app rejected, please post. I have continued to get apps approved with this value. – Lactone

@Trona I have submitted an app with this code in it, and it has been approved. – Cheongsam

This is very poor coding style. You're lucky, but you should stick to using only documented API (not magic/unpublished numbers). – Trona

This doesn't seem to work anymore with iOS 6... Getting a crash; unrecognized selector being called on the barbuttonitem "[UINavigationButton isSystemItem] – Haruspex

Answer 4

First of all you have to find an image of the back button. I used a nice app called Extractor that extracts all the graphics from iPhone. In iOS7 I managed to retrieve the image called UINavigationBarBackIndicatorDefault and it was in black colour, since I needed a red tint I change the colour to red using Gimp.

EDIT:

As was mentioned by btate in his comment, there is no need to change the color with the image editor. The following code should do the trick:

imageView.tint = [UIColor redColor];
imageView.image = [[UIImage imageNamed:@"UINavigationBarBackIndicatorDefault"] imageWithRenderingMode:UIImageRenderingModeAlwaysTemplate];

Then I created a view that contains an imageView with that arrow, a label with the custom text and on top of the view I have a button with an action. Then I added a simple animation (fading and translation).

The following code simulates the behaviour of the back button including animation.

-(void)viewWillAppear:(BOOL)animated{
        UIImageView *imageView=[[UIImageView alloc] initWithImage:[UIImage imageNamed:@"UINavigationBarBackIndicatorDefault"]];
        [imageView setTintColor:[UIColor redColor]];
        UILabel *label=[[UILabel alloc] init];
        [label setTextColor:[UIColor redColor]];
        [label setText:@"Blog"];
        [label sizeToFit];

        int space=6;
        label.frame=CGRectMake(imageView.frame.origin.x+imageView.frame.size.width+space, label.frame.origin.y, label.frame.size.width, label.frame.size.height);
        UIView *view=[[UIView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, label.frame.size.width+imageView.frame.size.width+space, imageView.frame.size.height)];

        view.bounds=CGRectMake(view.bounds.origin.x+8, view.bounds.origin.y-1, view.bounds.size.width, view.bounds.size.height);
        [view addSubview:imageView];
        [view addSubview:label];

        UIButton *button=[[UIButton alloc] initWithFrame:view.frame];
        [button addTarget:self action:@selector(handleBack:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
        [view addSubview:button];

        [UIView animateWithDuration:0.33 delay:0 options:UIViewAnimationOptionCurveLinear animations:^{
            label.alpha = 0.0;
            CGRect orig=label.frame;
            label.frame=CGRectMake(label.frame.origin.x+25, label.frame.origin.y, label.frame.size.width, label.frame.size.height);
            label.alpha = 1.0;
            label.frame=orig;
        } completion:nil];

        UIBarButtonItem *backButton =[[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithCustomView:view];
}

- (void) handleBack:(id)sender{
}

EDIT:

Instead of adding the button, in my opinion the better approach is to use a gesture recognizer.

UITapGestureRecognizer* tap = [[UITapGestureRecognizer alloc] initWithTarget:self action:@selector(handleBack:)];
[view addGestureRecognizer:tap];
[view setUserInteractionEnabled:YES];

Grozny

Hi Alex, Thank's for the solution. one issue i am facing with this implemented solution is: The hit area is less means when i click on arrow the handleBack doesn't get call but when i click on text handleBack get's call. Please suggest on this. Thank You – Bedfast

Try to use UITapGestureRecognizer i edited the question – Grozny

Probably you can also try to increase the size of the view. – Grozny

The black color on this button makes it a template. You don't need to use gimp to change it. Just use tint imageView.tint = [UIColor redColor] and template rendering mode on the image. imageView.image = [yourImage imageWithRenderingMode:UIImageRenderingModeAlwaysTemplate]; – Soble

Answer 5

I'm not sure if this would work, but you could try creating a UINavigationController with the default settings to create the button, find the button in the navigation controller's subview hierarchy, call removeFromSuperview on it, destroy the navigation controller, and then add the button as a subview of your toolbar. You may also need to retain and the button before calling removeFromSuperview (and then release it after adding it as subview of your toolbar) to avoid it being deallocated during the process.

Valdis

Answer 6

To make a UIButton with an arrow pretty close (I'm not a designer ;) to the iOS 7 system back arrow:

Standard:

Apple SD Gothic Neo

In Xcode:

• Focus on the title value field of the button (or any other view/control with text content)
• Open Edit -> Special Characters
• Select the Parentheses group and double click the '<' character
• Change font to: Apple SD Gothic Neo, Regular with desired size (e.g. 20)
• Change colour as you like

Ref @staticVoidMan's answer to Back-like arrow on iOS 7

Killion

Answer 7

If you don't want to bother with image files, the arrow shape can be drawn in a UIView subclass with the following code:

- (void)drawRect:(CGRect)rect {
    float width = rect.size.width;
    float height = rect.size.height;
    CGContextRef context = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext();

    CGContextBeginPath(context);
    CGContextMoveToPoint(context, width * 5.0/6.0, height * 0.0/10.0);
    CGContextAddLineToPoint(context, width * 0.0/6.0, height * 5.0/10.0);
    CGContextAddLineToPoint(context, width * 5.0/6.0, height * 10.0/10.0);
    CGContextAddLineToPoint(context, width * 6.0/6.0, height * 9.0/10.0);
    CGContextAddLineToPoint(context, width * 2.0/6.0, height * 5.0/10.0);
    CGContextAddLineToPoint(context, width * 6.0/6.0, height * 1.0/10.0);
    CGContextClosePath(context);

    CGContextSetFillColorWithColor(context, [UIColor blackColor].CGColor);
    CGContextFillPath(context);
}

where the arrow view is proportional to a width of 6.0 and a height of 10.0

Uhlan

Answer 8

    self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = self.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem;

Works for me. I used this when I had more tabs then could fit on the tab bar, and a view controller pushed from the "More" overrode the leftBarButtonItem in its viewDidLoad.

Herriot

Answer 9

Here's what I ended up doing after searching through all these solutions and others. It uses a stretchable png's extracted from the UIKit stock images. This way you can set the text to whatever you liek

// Generate the background images
UIImage *stretchableBackButton = [[UIImage imageNamed:@"UINavigationBarDefaultBack.png"] stretchableImageWithLeftCapWidth:14 topCapHeight:0];
UIImage *stretchableBackButtonPressed = [[UIImage imageNamed:@"UINavigationBarDefaultBackPressed.png"] stretchableImageWithLeftCapWidth:13 topCapHeight:0];
// Setup the UIButton
UIButton *backButton = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeCustom];
[backButton setBackgroundImage:stretchableBackButton forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[backButton setBackgroundImage:stretchableBackButtonPressed forState:UIControlStateSelected];
NSString *buttonTitle = NSLocalizedString(@"Back", @"Back");
[backButton setTitle:buttonTitle forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[backButton setTitle:buttonTitle forState:UIControlStateSelected];
backButton.titleEdgeInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0, 5, 2, 1); // Tweak the text position
NSInteger width = ([backButton.titleLabel.text sizeWithFont:backButton.titleLabel.font].width + backButton.titleEdgeInsets.right +backButton.titleEdgeInsets.left);
[backButton setFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, width, 29)];
backButton.titleLabel.font = [UIFont boldSystemFontOfSize:13.0f];
[backButton addTarget:self action:@selector(yourSelector:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchDown];
// Now add the button as a custom UIBarButtonItem
UIBarButtonItem *backButtonItem = [[[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithCustomView:backButton] autorelease];
self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = backButtonItem;

Chelseychelsie

Should use UIControlStateHighlighted not UIControlStateSelected otherwise the image does swap when the button is touched. – Birdlime

Answer 10

You can find the source images by extracting them from Other.artwork in UIKit ${SDKROOT}/System/Library/Frameworks/UIKit.framework/Other.artwork. The modding community has some tools for extracting them, here. Once you extract the image you can write some code to recolor it as necessary and set it as the button image. Whether or not you can actually ship such a thing (since you are embedding derived artwork) might be a little dicey, so maybe you want to talk to a lawyer.

Narayan

Answer 11

The Three20 library has a way to do this:

  UIBarButtonItem *backButton = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithTitle: @"Title" style:UIBarButtonItemStylePlain 
                                                                target:self action:@selector(foo)];

  UIColor* darkBlue = RGBCOLOR(109, 132, 162);

  TTShapeStyle* style = [TTShapeStyle styleWithShape:[TTRoundedLeftArrowShape shapeWithRadius:4.5] next:
    [TTShadowStyle styleWithColor:RGBCOLOR(255,255,255) blur:1 offset:CGSizeMake(0, 1) next:
    [TTReflectiveFillStyle styleWithColor:darkBlue next:
    [TTBevelBorderStyle styleWithHighlight:[darkBlue shadow]
                                     shadow:[darkBlue multiplyHue:1 saturation:0.5 value:0.5]
                                      width:1 lightSource:270 next:
    [TTInsetStyle styleWithInset:UIEdgeInsetsMake(0, -1, 0, -1) next:
    [TTBevelBorderStyle styleWithHighlight:nil shadow:RGBACOLOR(0,0,0,0.15)
                                        width:1 lightSource:270 next:nil]]]]]];

  TTView* view = [[[TTView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, 80, 35)] autorelease];
  view.backgroundColor = [UIColor clearColor];
  view.style = style;
  backButton.customView = view;


  self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = backButton;

Stenophyllous

Can you post a screenshot of the final result? – Bracketing

it looked terrible. Never got the left arrow back button to look quite right. I gave up and used a proper back button with the Three20 navigator. – Stenophyllous

Answer 12

I found that using the following, simple code did the trick (requires custom image in bundle):

// Creates a back button instead of default behaviour (displaying title of previous screen)
    UIBarButtonItem *backButton = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithImage:[UIImage imageNamed:@"back_arrow.png"]
                                                                   style:UIBarButtonItemStyleBordered
                                                                  target:self
                                                                  action:@selector(backAction)];

    tipsDetailViewController.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = backButton;
    [backButton release];

Algia

For anyone coming to this page, combine this answer with @PyjamaSam's answer. – Santasantacruz

@PrairieHippo: Has been done now. Should probably have been edited in the first place. Ideal -1 for not doing that in the first place leaving the work for others. – Immaterial

Answer 13

It's easy to do with Interface Builder in Xcode 5.x

• use Toolbar and Bar Button Item from Object library

• in button's Attributes inspector edit Image section with your back button image

Done!

Balustrade

Answer 14

Swift 5.2 Xcode 11.4

The Apple Symbol chevron.left now allows a more elegant solution to make a custom button. I have matched the size and spacing as close as possible.

import UIKit

class CustomBackButton: UIBarButtonItem {

    convenience init(target: Any, selector: Selector) {

        // Create UIButton
        let button = UIButton(frame: .zero)

        // Customise Title
        button.setTitle("Back", for: .normal)
        button.setTitleColor(.systemBlue, for: .normal)
        button.titleLabel?.font = UIFont.systemFont(ofSize: 17)

        // Customise Image
        let config = UIImage.SymbolConfiguration(pointSize: 19.0, weight: .semibold, scale: .large)
        let image = UIImage(systemName: "chevron.left", withConfiguration: config)
        button.setImage(image, for: .normal)

        // Add Target
        button.addTarget(target, action: selector, for: .touchUpInside)

        // Customise Spacing to match system Back button
        button.imageEdgeInsets = UIEdgeInsets(top: 0.0, left: -18.0, bottom: 0.0, right: 0.0)
        button.titleEdgeInsets = UIEdgeInsets(top: 0.0, left: -12.0, bottom: 0.0, right: 0.0)

        self.init(customView: button)
    }
}

This can be implemented either as a UIToolbarItem, or a UINavigationItem

override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()

    // UIToolbar Item
    let barBackButton = CustomBackButton(target: self, selector: #selector(backButtonTapped))
    let flexSpace = UIBarButtonItem(barButtonSystemItem: .flexibleSpace, target: nil, action: nil)
    navigationController?.setToolbarHidden(false, animated: false)
    toolbarItems = [barBackButton, flexSpace]

    // Navigation Item
    let navBackButton = CustomBackButton(target: self, selector: #selector(backButtonTapped))
    navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = navBackButton
}

@objc func backButtonTapped() {
    print("Back tapped")
}

If you want to flip the button and have the arrow pointing to the Right:

Use Apple Symbol named "chevron.right"

Add the following code to the CustomBackButton class:

    // Put the image of the right side of the button
    button.transform = CGAffineTransform(scaleX: -1.0, y: 1.0)
    button.titleLabel?.transform = CGAffineTransform(scaleX: -1.0, y: 1.0)
    button.imageView?.transform = CGAffineTransform(scaleX: -1.0, y: 1.0)

Dvorak

Answer 15

I was trying to do the same thing, but I wanted the back button to be in the navigation bar. (I actually needed a back button, that would do more than only going back, so I had to use the leftBarButtonItem property). I tried what AndrewS suggested, but in the navigation bar it wouldn't look the way it should, as the UIButton was kind of casted to a UIBarButtonItem.

But I found a way to work around this. I actually just put a UIView under the UIButton and set the customView for the UIBarButtonItem. Here is the code, if somebody needs it:

// initialize button and button view
UIButton *backButton = [UIButton buttonWithType:101];
UIView *backButtonView = [[UIView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, backButton.frame.size.width, backButton.frame.size.height)];

[backButton addTarget:self action:@selector(backButtonTouched:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
[backButton setTitle:@"Back" forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[backButtonView addSubview:backButton];

// set buttonview as custom view for bar button item
UIBarButtonItem *backButtonItem = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithCustomView:backButtonView];
self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = backButtonItem;

// push item to navigationbar items
[self.navigationController.navigationBar setItems:[NSArray arrayWithObject:backButtonItem]];

Ventriloquize

Answer 16

To create an image for the UIToolbar, make a png in photoshop and WHERE EVER there is ANY colour it puts it white, and where it's alpha = 0 then it leaves it alone.

The SDK actually put's the border around the icon you have made and turns it white without you having to do anything.

See, this is what I made in Photoshop for my forward button (obviously swap it around for back button):

http://twitpic.com/1oanv

and this is what it appeared like in Interface Builder

http://twitpic.com/1oaoa

Word

Answer 17

Solution WITHOUT using a png. Based on this SO answer: Adding the little arrow to the right side of a cell in an iPhone TableView Cell

Just flipping the UITableViewCell horizontally!

UIButton *btnBack = [[UIButton alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 5, 70, 20)];

// Add the disclosure
CGRect frm;
UITableViewCell *disclosure = [[UITableViewCell alloc] init];
disclosure.transform = CGAffineTransformScale(CGAffineTransformIdentity, -1, 1);
frm = self.btnBack.bounds;
disclosure.frame = CGRectMake(frm.origin.x, frm.origin.y, frm.size.width-25, frm.size.height);
disclosure.accessoryType = UITableViewCellAccessoryDisclosureIndicator;
disclosure.userInteractionEnabled = NO;
[self.btnBack addSubview:disclosure];

// Add the label
UILabel *lbl = [[UILabel alloc] init];
frm = CGRectOffset(self.btnBack.bounds, 15, 0);
lbl.frame = frm;
lbl.textAlignment = NSTextAlignmentCenter;
lbl.text = @"BACK";
[self addSubview:lbl];

Cave

Answer 18

Well, you don't have to have a different button for every size, you can use [UIImage stretchableImageWithLeftCapWidth:topCapHeight:], but the only thing I've found is custom images.

Scrofulous

Answer 19

If you want to avoid drawing it yourself, you could use the undocumented class: UINavigationButton with style 1. This could, of course, stop your application from being approved... /John

Generality

Answer 20

I had a similar problem, and come out one library PButton. And the sample is the back navigation button like button, which can be used anywhere just like a customized button.

Something like this:

Indraft

Answer 21

Example in Swift 3, with a previous and a next button in the top right.

let prevButtonItem = UIBarButtonItem(title: "\u{25C0}", style: .plain, target: self, action: #selector(prevButtonTapped))
let nextButtonItem = UIBarButtonItem(title: "\u{25B6}", style: .plain, target: self, action: #selector(nextButtonTapped))
self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItems = [nextButtonItem, prevButtonItem]

Dactyl

Answer 22

Swift

// create button
    var backButton = UIButton(type: 101)

    // left-pointing shape!
    backButton.addTarget(self, action: #selector(self.backAction), for: .touchUpInside)
    backButton.setTitle("Back", for: .normal)

    // create button item -- possible because UIButton subclasses UIView!
    var backItem = UIBarButtonItem(customView: backButton)

    // add to toolbar, or to a navbar (you should only have one of these!)
    toolbar.items = [backItem]
    navItem.leftBarButtonItem = backItem

Arianearianie

Answer 23

Try this. I am sure you do not need a back button image to create one such.

UIBarButtonItem *backButton = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Back"
                                                               style:UIBarButtonItemStyleBordered
                                                              target:self
                                                              action:@selector(yourSelectorGoesHere:)];
self.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = backButton;

That's all you have to do :)

Wilhite

Answer 24

Why are you doing this? If you want something that looks like a navigation bar, use UINavigationBar.

Toolbars have specific visual style associated with them. The Human Interface Guidelines for the iPhone state:

A toolbar appears at the bottom edge of the screen and contains buttons that perform actions related to objects in the current view.

It then gives several visual examples of roughly square icons with no text. I would urge you to follow the HIG on this.

Zeke

I'm aware of this, thank you. However, I believe my intended use is appropriate. Can you be more helpful, assuming that I really do want to do what I asked about? – Pickerel

If you're putting it at the top of the screen, it's being used wrong. Compare the gradients and borders between the UINavigationBar and the UIToolbar, and you'll see that they're slightly different. You definitely want to use a UINavigationBar at the top of the screen. – Save

I'm putting it on the bottom. – Pickerel