How do I test if a string is empty in Objective C?

Question

How do I test if an NSString is empty in Objective C?

Answer 1

Try the following

NSString *stringToCheck = @"";

if ([stringToCheck isEqualToString:@""])
{
   NSLog(@"String Empty");
}
else
{
   NSLog(@"String Not Empty");
}

Answer 2

You can check either your string is empty or not my using this method:

+(BOOL) isEmptyString : (NSString *)string
{
    if([string length] == 0 || [string isKindOfClass:[NSNull class]] || 
       [string isEqualToString:@""]||[string  isEqualToString:NULL]  ||
       string == nil)
     {
        return YES;         //IF String Is An Empty String
     }
    return NO;
}

Best practice is to make a shared class say UtilityClass and ad this method so that you would be able to use this method by just calling it through out your application.

Answer 3

//Different validations:
 NSString * inputStr = @"Hey ";

//Check length
[inputStr length]

//Coming from server, check if its NSNull
[inputStr isEqual:[NSNull null]] ? nil : inputStr

//For validation in allowed character set
-(BOOL)validateString:(NSString*)inputStr
{
    BOOL isValid = NO;
    if(!([inputStr length]>0))
    {
        return isValid;

    }

    NSMutableCharacterSet *allowedSet = [NSMutableCharacterSet characterSetWithCharactersInString:@".-"];
    [allowedSet formUnionWithCharacterSet:[NSCharacterSet decimalDigitCharacterSet]];
    if ([inputStr rangeOfCharacterFromSet:[allowedSet invertedSet]].location == NSNotFound)
    {
        // contains only decimal set and '-' and '.'

    }
    else
    {
        // invalid
        isValid = NO;

    }
    return isValid;
}

Answer 4

if( [txtMobile.text length] == 0 )
{
    [Utility showAlertWithTitleAndMessage: AMLocalizedString(@"Invalid Mobile No",nil) message: AMLocalizedString(@"Enter valid Mobile Number",nil)];
}

Answer 5

I have checked an empty string using below code :

//Check if we have any search terms in the search dictionary.
if( (strMyString.text==(id) [NSNull null] || [strMyString.text length]==0 
       || strMyString.text isEqual:@"")) {

   [AlertView showAlert:@"Please enter a valid string"];  
}

Answer 6

You can check if [string length] == 0. This will check if it's a valid but empty string (@"") as well as if it's nil, since calling length on nil will also return 0.