How to compare UIColors?

Question

I'd like to check the color set for a background on a UIImageView. I've tried:

if(myimage.backgroundColor == [UIColor greenColor]){
...}
else{
...}

but that doesn't work, even when I know the color is green, it always falls into the else part.

Also, is there a way to output the current color in the debug console.

p [myimage backgroundColor]

and

po [myimage backgroundColor]

don't work.

Answer 1

This might be a bit too late, but CoreGraphics has an easier API to achieve this:

CGColorEqualToColor(myColor.CGColor, [UIColor clearColor].CGColor)

Like the documentation says:

Indicates whether two colors are equal. Two colors are equal if they have equal color spaces and numerically equal color components.

This solves a lot trouble and leaking/custom algorithms.

Answer 2

#import "UIColor-Expanded.h"
//https://github.com/thetaplab/uicolor-utilities

//RGB distance
CGFloat distance = sqrtf(powf((clr0.red - clr1.red), 2) + powf((clr0.green - clr1.green), 2) + powf((clr0.blue - clr1.blue), 2) );
if(distance<=minDistance){
....
}else{
...
}

Answer 3

What about:

+(BOOL)color:(UIColor *)color1 matchesColor:(UIColor *)color2
{
    CGFloat red1, red2, green1, green2, blue1, blue2, alpha1, alpha2;
    [color1 getRed:&red1 green:&green1 blue:&blue1 alpha:&alpha1];
    [color2 getRed:&red2 green:&green2 blue:&blue2 alpha:&alpha2];

    return (red1 == red2 && green1 == green2 && blue1 == blue2 && alpha1 == alpha2);
}

Answer 4

Why not add the extension with equatable protocol? This answer is using the solution of Nicolas Miari. So, if you like this answer, please be welcome to like his answer (second from the top)

The comment of Zoul: Be careful when comparing colors this way, because they have to be in the same color model to be considered equal. For instance, #ffffff does not equal [UIColor whiteColor]

static func == (lhs: UIColor, rhs: UIColor) -> Bool {

    let colorSpaceRGB = CGColorSpaceCreateDeviceRGB()
    let convertColorToRGBSpace: ((UIColor) -> UIColor?) = { (color) -> UIColor? in
        guard color.cgColor.colorSpace?.model == .monochrome else {
            return color
        }
        guard let oldComponents = color.cgColor.components else {
            return nil
        }
        let newComponents = [oldComponents[0], oldComponents[0], oldComponents[0], oldComponents[1]]
        guard let colorRef = CGColor(colorSpace: colorSpaceRGB, components: newComponents) else {
            return nil
        }
        return UIColor(cgColor: colorRef)
    }

    guard let selfColor = convertColorToRGBSpace(lhs),
        let otherColor = convertColorToRGBSpace(rhs) else {
            return false
    }
    return selfColor.isEqual(otherColor)
}

Answer 5

UIColor extension

- (CGFloat)accuracyCompareWith:(UIColor *)color {
    CIColor *c1 = [[CIColor alloc] initWithColor:self];
    CIColor *c2 = [[CIColor alloc] initWithColor:color];

    BOOL hasAlpha = c1.numberOfComponents == 4 && c2.numberOfComponents == 4;
    NSInteger numberOfComponents = hasAlpha ? 4 : 3;

    CGFloat colorMax = 1.0;
    CGFloat p = colorMax / 100.0;

    CGFloat redP = fabs(c1.red / p - c2.red / p);
    CGFloat greenP = fabs(c1.green / p - c2.green / p);
    CGFloat blueP = fabs(c1.blue / p - c2.blue / p);
    CGFloat alphaP = 0;

    if (hasAlpha)
        alphaP = fabs(c1.alpha / p - c2.alpha / p);

    return (redP + greenP + blueP + alphaP) / (CGFloat)numberOfComponents;
}

Answer 6

Have you tried [myColor isEqual:someOtherColor] ?