How to add only a TOP border on a UIButton?

Question

I know how to add border to a button in iOS 7, with the following code :

[[myButton layer] setBorderColor:[[[UIColor grayColor] colorWithAlphaComponent:0.5] CGColor]];
[[myButton layer] setBorderWidth:1];
[[myButton layer] setCornerRadius:15];

But how can I add just one border ? I want to add only the top border.

Denisdenise

Answer 1

UIView *lineView = [[UIView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, btn.frame.size.width, 1)];
lineView.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor];
[btn addSubview:lineView];

you can do the same for each border. Adding multiple UIViews you can add bottom and left or top and right or any border you want.

i.e. bottom & left:

UIView *bottomBorder = [[UIView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, btn.frame.size.height - 1.0f, btn.frame.size.width, 1)];
bottomBorder.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor];

UIView *leftBorder = [[UIView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(1, 0, 1, btn.frame.size.height)];
leftBorder.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor];

[btn addSubview:bottomBorder];
[btn addSubview:leftBorder];

if you don't use ARC, remember to release UIViews after adding subviews (or use autorelease).

Legist

@Chris.Jenkins it is very strange it doesn't work. It should works with any type of UIButton, from IB or programmatically. It siply add a subview with button width and 1px height. Try to check button and lineview frame by logging them: NSLog(@"btn frame: %@", NSStringFromCGRect(btn.frame)); – Legist

How to remove this border view on runtime? Ex: When button action is triggered i need to remove that border. Please reply. @Legist – Myatt

you can set a tag to each view and remove view with tag from superview. – Legist

how can i add shadow on border ? @Legist – Whitewall

there are tons of answer about shadow. The border you add is a view and you can add shadow to a view by using QuartzCore. check tis answer: #806372 – Legist

Answer 2

Here is masgar's solution implemented in Swift:

var lineView = UIView(frame: CGRectMake(0, 0, btn.frame.size.width, 1))
lineView.backgroundColor=UIColor.redColor()
btn.addSubview(lineView)

Moly

How to remove this border view on runtime? Ex: When button action is triggered i need to remove that border. Please reply. – Myatt

I haven't checked this myself yet but try lineView.removeFromSuperview() See this for more information, as I may have gotten it wrong: https://mcmap.net/q/112489/-swift-addsubview-and-remove-it/4376309 – Moly

Answer 3

In Swift add an extension for UIView class like this:

extension UIView {
    func addTopBorderWithColor(color: UIColor, width: CGFloat) {
        let border = CALayer()
        border.backgroundColor = color.cgColor
        border.frame = CGRect(x:0,y: 0, width:self.frame.size.width, height:width)
        self.layer.addSublayer(border)
    }

    func addRightBorderWithColor(color: UIColor, width: CGFloat) {
        let border = CALayer()
        border.backgroundColor = color.cgColor
        border.frame = CGRect(x: self.frame.size.width - width,y: 0, width:width, height:self.frame.size.height)
        self.layer.addSublayer(border)
    }

    func addBottomBorderWithColor(color: UIColor, width: CGFloat) {
        let border = CALayer()
        border.backgroundColor = color.cgColor
        border.frame = CGRect(x:0, y:self.frame.size.height - width, width:self.frame.size.width, height:width)
        self.layer.addSublayer(border)
    }

    func addLeftBorderWithColor(color: UIColor, width: CGFloat) {
        let border = CALayer()
        border.backgroundColor = color.cgColor
        border.frame = CGRect(x:0, y:0, width:width, height:self.frame.size.height)
        self.layer.addSublayer(border)
    }
}

I got this extension from this link:UIView bottom border?

Then call the function like this

var innerView : UIView?
let borderWidth: CGFloat = 1.0
let borderColor : UIColor =  UIColor.redColor()
innerView!.addTopBorderWithColor(borderColor, width: borderWidth)

For adaptive layout use this one

extension UIView {

    func addTopBorder(_ color: UIColor, height: CGFloat) {
        let border = UIView()
        border.backgroundColor = color
        border.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        self.addSubview(border)
        border.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.height,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: nil,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.height,
            multiplier: 1, constant: height))
        self.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.top,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: self,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.top,
            multiplier: 1, constant: 0))
        self.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.leading,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: self,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.leading,
            multiplier: 1, constant: 0))
        self.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.trailing,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: self,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.trailing,
            multiplier: 1, constant: 0))
    }

    func addBottomBorder(_ color: UIColor, height: CGFloat) {
        let border = UIView()
        border.backgroundColor = color
        border.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        self.addSubview(border)
        border.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.height,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: nil,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.height,
            multiplier: 1, constant: height))
        self.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.bottom,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: self,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.bottom,
            multiplier: 1, constant: 0))
        self.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.leading,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: self,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.leading,
            multiplier: 1, constant: 0))
        self.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.trailing,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: self,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.trailing,
            multiplier: 1, constant: 0))
    }

    func addLeftBorder(_ color: UIColor, width: CGFloat) {
        let border = UIView()
        border.backgroundColor = color
        border.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        self.addSubview(border)
        border.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.width,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: nil,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.width,
            multiplier: 1, constant: width))
        self.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.leading,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: self,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.leading,
            multiplier: 1, constant: 0))
        self.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.bottom,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: self,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.bottom,
            multiplier: 1, constant: 0))
        self.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.top,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: self,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.top,
            multiplier: 1, constant: 0))
    }

    func addRightBorder(_ color: UIColor, width: CGFloat) {
        let border = UIView()
        border.backgroundColor = color
        border.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        self.addSubview(border)
        border.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.width,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: nil,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.width,
            multiplier: 1, constant: width))
        self.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.trailing,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: self,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.trailing,
            multiplier: 1, constant: 0))
        self.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.bottom,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: self,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.bottom,
            multiplier: 1, constant: 0))
        self.addConstraint(NSLayoutConstraint(item: border,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.top,
            relatedBy: NSLayoutRelation.equal,
            toItem: self,
            attribute: NSLayoutAttribute.top,
            multiplier: 1, constant: 0))
    }
}

Usage:

button!.addTopBorder(UIColor(red: 247.0/255.0, green: 147.0/255.0, blue: 29.0/255.0, alpha: 0.5), height: borderWidth)

Windup

for the adaptive layout part, you need to change the constant value from 1 to 'width' parameter. – Coachman

@ c_sharma thank u, corrected my mistake and updated – Windup

That adaptive workaround is cool since my views can change a lot, thanks – Security

I was adding the border as a UIView() and it would not show. Making it a CALayer() works. Thanks! – Geriatrics

Answer 4

Swift 4

UIButton Top Border

var lineView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: button.frame.size.width, height: 2))
lineView.backgroundColor= UIColor.black
button.addSubview(lineView)

UIButton Bottom Border

var lineView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: button.frame.size.height, width: button.frame.size.width, height: 2))
lineView.backgroundColor= UIColor.black
button.addSubview(lineView)

Paulina

Answer 5

Just draw the border yourself:

@implementation TopBorderButton
- (void)drawRect:(CGRect)rect
{
    CGContextRef context = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext();
    CGContextSetFillColorWithColor(context, [UIColor redColor].CGColor);
    CGContextFillRect(context, CGRectMake(0.0f, 0.0, self.frame.size.width, 1.0));
}
@end

Gobelin

Answer 6

Actually I meet this questions as you,but I think my method is better than the answer which you choose. You should create a class inherit the UIControl like UIButton.

@interface customButton : UIButton

and rewrite the drawrect method like this:

- (void)drawRect:(CGRect)rect {
    // Drawing code
    CGContextRef context = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext();
    CGContextSetLineCap(context, kCGLineCapRound);
    CGContextSetLineWidth(context, 1.5);  //线宽
    CGContextSetAllowsAntialiasing(context, true);
    CGContextSetRGBStrokeColor(context, 193/255.0, 205/255.0, 193/255.0, 1.0);  //线的颜色
    CGContextBeginPath(context);

    CGContextMoveToPoint(context, 0, 0);  //起点坐标
    CGContextAddLineToPoint(context, self.frame.size.width, 0);   //终点坐标

    CGContextStrokePath(context);
}

By the way~ your purpose UIControl should use your class in xib's setting

[![this setting][1]][1]

Last~ show you my custom UIButton. I think we should choose this method and combine UIBezierPath's API to finish our demand.

[![enter image description here][2]][2]

Thank you for watching~ hope to study and discuss together~ From a iOS fisherman -- vvlong [1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/ywIZk.png [2]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/mmfOB.png

Melanism

Answer 7

If you use constraints then you can add a border view with the required constraints

// MARK: - Add a border to one side of a view

public enum BorderSide {
    case top, bottom, left, right
}

extension UIView {
    public func addBorder(side: BorderSide, color: UIColor, width: CGFloat) {
        let border = UIView()
        border.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        border.backgroundColor = color
        self.addSubview(border)

        let topConstraint = topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: border.topAnchor)
        let rightConstraint = trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: border.trailingAnchor)
        let bottomConstraint = bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: border.bottomAnchor)
        let leftConstraint = leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: border.leadingAnchor)
        let heightConstraint = border.heightAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: width)
        let widthConstraint = border.widthAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: width)


        switch side {
        case .top:
            NSLayoutConstraint.activate([leftConstraint, topConstraint, rightConstraint, heightConstraint])
        case .right:
            NSLayoutConstraint.activate([topConstraint, rightConstraint, bottomConstraint, widthConstraint])
        case .bottom:
            NSLayoutConstraint.activate([rightConstraint, bottomConstraint, leftConstraint, heightConstraint])
        case .left:
            NSLayoutConstraint.activate([bottomConstraint, leftConstraint, topConstraint, widthConstraint])
        }
    }
}

Then set it something like the below

myButton.addBorder(side: .left, color: UIColor.lightGray, width: 1)

(inspired by this answer)

Cesaria

Excellent answer. Only 1 line of code is needed by a caller along with using a consistent enum for sides. Well done. – Harwill

Answer 8

You can't using this layer methods.
The best solution here is create a small image (by code or photoshop), use the - (UIImage *)resizableImageWithCapInsets:(UIEdgeInsets)capInsets resizingMode:(UIImageResizingMode)resizingMode to resize it according to the aspect that you want give and add it as a background image. This is really a good approach because it helps you to keep a very small memory footprint and that adapts your image to all button sizes.
Here a good tutorial.

Cowbind

Answer 9

You have to create a new layer or view 1pt high, set its background color to the color you want your border, and add it as a subview/sublayer.

Destructionist

Answer 10

If you need anything other than the default, you need to manually draw it.

Cinnabar

Answer 11

Best and simple way....

btnTest.selectiveBorderFlag = AUISelectiveBordersFlagBottom | AUISelectiveBordersFlagTop;
btnTest.selectiveBordersColor = [UIColor redColor];
btnTest.selectiveBordersWidth = 3.0;

Have did it using : this open source code

Monogenic