macOS NSTextField does not change text color

[kamy]

Hi Guys,

I'm having trouble setting Colors to an 'NSTextField' instance.

Here are some screenshots

I set the RGB values using 'colorWithCalibratedRed' API of NSColor to the 'NSTextField' instance. But the values dont seem to change

Green label here


Changing the Red value makes a change to yellow


But changing the Red value does not change the output - it is yellow always


Adding a value to the Blue textbox, removes the color!


This is the code - where 'self.color' is an instance of NSTextField
NSTextField *color;

- (IBAction)onAddCharacter:(id)sender
{
    float RedValue = [self.red.stringValue floatValue];
    float GreenValue = [self.green.stringValue floatValue];
    float BlueVal = [self.blue.stringValue floatValue];
    float alphaVal = [self.alpha.stringValue floatValue];
    
    NSColor *myTodayColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:RedValue green:GreenValue blue:BlueVal alpha:alphaVal];
    
    [self.color setFont:[NSFont fontWithName:@"Arial" size:48]];
    self.color.refusesFirstResponder = YES;
    [self.color setTextColor:myTodayColor];
    [self.color setStringValue:@"Some Text"];
    //[textField setBackgroundColor:[NSColor blackColor]];
    [self.color setDrawsBackground:YES];
    [self.color setBordered:NO];
    
}

What can be the problem and what am i missing?

Thanks in advance!

 

[grandM]

Hi Guys,

I'm having trouble setting Colors to an 'NSTextField' instance.

Here are some screenshots

I set the RGB values using 'colorWithCalibratedRed' API of NSColor to the 'NSTextField' instance. But the values dont seem to change

Green label here
View attachment 519680

Changing the Red value makes a change to yellow
View attachment 519681

But changing the Red value does not change the output - it is yellow always
View attachment 519682

Adding a value to the Blue textbox, removes the color!
View attachment 519683

This is the code - where 'self.color' is an instance of NSTextField
NSTextField *color;

- (IBAction)onAddCharacter:(id)sender
{
    float RedValue = [self.red.stringValue floatValue];
    float GreenValue = [self.green.stringValue floatValue];
    float BlueVal = [self.blue.stringValue floatValue];
    float alphaVal = [self.alpha.stringValue floatValue];
    
    NSColor *myTodayColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:RedValue green:GreenValue blue:BlueVal alpha:alphaVal];
    
    [self.color setFont:[NSFont fontWithName:@"Arial" size:48]];
    self.color.refusesFirstResponder = YES;
    [self.color setTextColor:myTodayColor];
    [self.color setStringValue:@"Some Text"];
    //[textField setBackgroundColor:[NSColor blackColor]];
    [self.color setDrawsBackground:YES];
    [self.color setBordered:NO];
    
}

What can be the problem and what am i missing?

Thanks in advance!

the class method colorWithCalibratedRed asks for a CGfloat and you're feeding it a float
maybe that's the problem

 

[kamy]

are you sure your textfields are hooked up to the right properties

Hey,

Thanks for responding.

Do you mean hooking the NXTextField from Interface Builder to the property?

Yes, that is done.

Every textbox in IB hooked to a property.

@property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextField *color;
@property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextField *red;
@property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextField *blue;
@property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextField *green;
@property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextField *alpha;

That is not the problem, even if i hardcode the color - i face the same issues

myTodayColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:30 green:255 blue:5 alpha:1.0f];

self.color.textColor = myTodayColor

Have attached the executable..
View attachment FirstCocoa.app.zip

 

[grandM]

Hey,

Thanks for responding.

Do you mean hooking the NXTextField from Interface Builder to the property?

Yes, that is done.

Every textbox in IB hooked to a property.

@property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextField *color;
@property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextField *red;
@property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextField *blue;
@property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextField *green;
@property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextField *alpha;

That is not the problem, even if i hardcode the color - i face the same issues

myTodayColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:30 green:255 blue:5 alpha:1.0f];

self.color.textColor = myTodayColor

Have attached the executable..
View attachment 519692

I 've edited my post
the class method colorWithCalibratedRed asks for a CGfloat and you're feeding it a float
maybe that's the problem

 

[kamy]

I 've edited my post
the class method colorWithCalibratedRed asks for a CGfloat and you're feeding it a float
maybe that's the problem

I just tried using CGFloat but same issues.

Even if i hardcode it like this there is an issue....

myTodayColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:30 green:255 blue:5 alpha:1.0f];
self.color.textColor = myTodayColor

 

[grandM]

Hey,

Thanks for responding.

Do you mean hooking the NXTextField from Interface Builder to the property?

Yes, that is done.

Every textbox in IB hooked to a property.

@property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextField *color;
@property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextField *red;
@property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextField *blue;
@property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextField *green;
@property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextField *alpha;

That is not the problem, even if i hardcode the color - i face the same issues

myTodayColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:30 green:255 blue:5 alpha:1.0f];

self.color.textColor = myTodayColor

Have attached the executable..
View attachment 519692

I assume onAddCharacter is hooked up to the button

 

[kamy]

I assume onAddCharacter is hooked up to the button

Correct

 

[grandM]

I just tried using CGFloat but same issues.

Even if i hardcode it like this there is an issue....

myTodayColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:30 green:255 blue:5 alpha:1.0f];
self.color.textColor = myTodayColor

try 30.0f 255.0f 5.0f 1.0f
then 255.0f 255.0f 5.0f 1.0f

----------

Hi Guys,

I'm having trouble setting Colors to an 'NSTextField' instance.

Here are some screenshots

I set the RGB values using 'colorWithCalibratedRed' API of NSColor to the 'NSTextField' instance. But the values dont seem to change

Green label here
View attachment 519680

Changing the Red value makes a change to yellow
View attachment 519681

But changing the Red value does not change the output - it is yellow always
View attachment 519682

Adding a value to the Blue textbox, removes the color!
View attachment 519683

This is the code - where 'self.color' is an instance of NSTextField
NSTextField *color;

- (IBAction)onAddCharacter:(id)sender
{
    float RedValue = [self.red.stringValue floatValue];
    float GreenValue = [self.green.stringValue floatValue];
    float BlueVal = [self.blue.stringValue floatValue];
    float alphaVal = [self.alpha.stringValue floatValue];
    
    NSColor *myTodayColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:RedValue green:GreenValue blue:BlueVal alpha:alphaVal];
    
    [self.color setFont:[NSFont fontWithName:@"Arial" size:48]];
    self.color.refusesFirstResponder = YES;
    [self.color setTextColor:myTodayColor];
    [self.color setStringValue:@"Some Text"];
    //[textField setBackgroundColor:[NSColor blackColor]];
    [self.color setDrawsBackground:YES];
    [self.color setBordered:NO];
    
}

What can be the problem and what am i missing?

Thanks in advance!

I think I have it
you can only feed it decimals smaller than or equal to 1 so 0.05 etc
meaning you must divide the value of RedValue etc

 

[kamy]

try 30.0f 255.0f 5.0f 1.0f
then 255.0f 255.0f 5.0f 1.0f

i just tried what u suggested by hardcoding values, just to try

This gives me Yellow

    NSColor *myTodayColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:30.0f green:255.0f blue:0.0f alpha:1.0f];

    [self.color setTextColor:myTodayColor];

Yellow


The moment i set the BLUE value to 48.0f or even 1.0f - it removes the color!

 NSColor *myTodayColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:30.0f green:255.0f blue:48.0f alpha:1.0f];


[self.color setTextColor:myTodayColor];

This definitely is a NSTextField bug, u think?

 

[grandM]

i just tried what u suggested by hardcoding values, just to try

This gives me Yellow

    NSColor *myTodayColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:30.0f green:255.0f blue:0.0f alpha:1.0f];

    [self.color setTextColor:myTodayColor];

Yellow
View attachment 519696

The moment i set the BLUE value to 48.0f or even 1.0f - it removes the color!

 NSColor *myTodayColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:30.0f green:255.0f blue:48.0f alpha:1.0f];


[self.color setTextColor:myTodayColor];

View attachment 519697

This definitely is a NSTextField bug, u think?

I think I have it
you can only feed it decimals smaller than or equal to 1 so 0.05 etc
meaning you must divide the value of RedValue etc

----------

i just tried what u suggested by hardcoding values, just to try

This gives me Yellow

    NSColor *myTodayColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:30.0f green:255.0f blue:0.0f alpha:1.0f];

    [self.color setTextColor:myTodayColor];

Yellow
View attachment 519696

The moment i set the BLUE value to 48.0f or even 1.0f - it removes the color!

 NSColor *myTodayColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:30.0f green:255.0f blue:48.0f alpha:1.0f];


[self.color setTextColor:myTodayColor];

View attachment 519697

This definitely is a NSTextField bug, u think?

try 0.3f 0.5f 0.7f 1.0f
then 0.9f 0.5f 0.7f 1.0f

----------

Hi Guys,

I'm having trouble setting Colors to an 'NSTextField' instance.

Here are some screenshots

I set the RGB values using 'colorWithCalibratedRed' API of NSColor to the 'NSTextField' instance. But the values dont seem to change

Green label here
View attachment 519680

Changing the Red value makes a change to yellow
View attachment 519681

But changing the Red value does not change the output - it is yellow always
View attachment 519682

Adding a value to the Blue textbox, removes the color!
View attachment 519683

This is the code - where 'self.color' is an instance of NSTextField
NSTextField *color;

- (IBAction)onAddCharacter:(id)sender
{
    float RedValue = [self.red.stringValue floatValue];
    float GreenValue = [self.green.stringValue floatValue];
    float BlueVal = [self.blue.stringValue floatValue];
    float alphaVal = [self.alpha.stringValue floatValue];
    
    NSColor *myTodayColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:RedValue green:GreenValue blue:BlueVal alpha:alphaVal];
    
    [self.color setFont:[NSFont fontWithName:@"Arial" size:48]];
    self.color.refusesFirstResponder = YES;
    [self.color setTextColor:myTodayColor];
    [self.color setStringValue:@"Some Text"];
    //[textField setBackgroundColor:[NSColor blackColor]];
    [self.color setDrawsBackground:YES];
    [self.color setBordered:NO];
    
}

What can be the problem and what am i missing?

Thanks in advance!

by the way when naming variables it is easier to maintain a certain logic
for instance redValue, blueValue, greenValue, alphaValue

 

[kamy]

I think I have it
you can only feed it decimals smaller than or equal to 1 so 0.05 etc
meaning you must divide the value of RedValue etc

----------



try 0.3f 0.5f 0.7f 1.0f
then 0.9f 0.5f 0.7f 1.0f

Hey!
i see some improvement!





So what would be the equivalent decimal values for the
Red:80 green:255 blue:48 ?

 

[kamy]

Oh god!

The documentation says this

+ (NSColor *)colorWithCalibratedRed:(CGFloat)red
                              green:(CGFloat)green
                               blue:(CGFloat)blue
                              alpha:(CGFloat)alpha

Parameters
red
The red component of the color object.
green
The green component of the color object.
blue
The blue component of the color object.
alpha
The opacity value of the color object.

Discussion
Values below 0.0 are interpreted as 0.0, and values above 1.0 are interpreted as 1.0.

So it has to be between 0 and 1! How dumb of me to miss that point!

So how do we translate R, G, B values into decimal values between 0 to 1?

 

[kamy]

Oh god!

The documentation says this

+ (NSColor *)colorWithCalibratedRed:(CGFloat)red
                              green:(CGFloat)green
                               blue:(CGFloat)blue
                              alpha:(CGFloat)alpha

Parameters
red
The red component of the color object.
green
The green component of the color object.
blue
The blue component of the color object.
alpha
The opacity value of the color object.

Discussion
Values below 0.0 are interpreted as 0.0, and values above 1.0 are interpreted as 1.0.

So it has to be between 0 and 1! How dumb of me to miss that point!

So how do we translate R, G, B values into decimal values between 0 to 1?

Okay!!!
What i needed to do was to convert the 8-bit int RGB values into a 0.0-1.0 float values. To do this simply divided my int value by 255.0. That gave me the correct float value!

It works fine now!

Thanks 'grandM' for your help.

Moral of the story - read each and every line of the Documentation properly!!!

 

[grandM]

Okay!!!
What i needed to do was to convert the 8-bit int RGB values into a 0.0-1.0 float values. To do this simply divided my int value by 255.0. That gave me the correct float value!

It works fine now!

Thanks 'grandM' for your help.

Moral of the story - read each and every line of the Documentation properly!!!

Glad to help out

 

[ahall52]

So how do we translate R, G, B values into decimal values between 0 to 1?

I quick hack if you are coming from a RGB environment is to simply put

x/255

where x is the R, G or B value. In the OP's second figure, putting the red value as 30/255 would have achieved the desired effect.