How can I set the UINavigationbar with gradient co

Question

I want to set the UINavigationbar backgroundColor to a gradient color where I would like to set it via an array of colors to create a Gradient, ideally, as accessible methods inside UINavigationBar to change its color to this gradient.

Any suggestions? (Aside from setting an image manually as the background image of the navigation bar)

Answer 1

Create gradient layer and add it as background of navigation bar.

    CAGradientLayer *gradient = [CAGradientLayer layer];
    gradient.frame = self.navigationController.navigationBar.bounds;
    gradient.colors = [NSArray arrayWithObjects:(id)[[UIColor whiteColor] CGColor], (id)[[UIColor blackColor] CGColor], nil];
    [self.navigationController.navigationBar setBackgroundImage:[self imageFromLayer:gradient] forBarMetrics:UIBarMetricsDefault];

For creating image from layer.

- (UIImage *)imageFromLayer:(CALayer *)layer
{
    UIGraphicsBeginImageContext([layer frame].size);

    [layer renderInContext:UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()];
    UIImage *outputImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();

    UIGraphicsEndImageContext();

    return outputImage;
}

One more thing, there is one library available in github : CRGradientNavigationBar you can also use this library.

Answer 2

In Swift 3 and Swift 4:

let gradient = CAGradientLayer()
let sizeLength = UIScreen.main.bounds.size.height * 2
let defaultNavigationBarFrame = CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: sizeLength, height: 64)

gradient.frame = defaultNavigationBarFrame

gradient.colors = [UIColor.white.cgColor, UIColor.black.cgColor]

UINavigationBar.appearance().setBackgroundImage(self.image(fromLayer: gradient), for: .default)

For creating image from layer:

func image(fromLayer layer: CALayer) -> UIImage {
    UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(layer.frame.size)

    layer.render(in: UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()!)

    let outputImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()

    UIGraphicsEndImageContext()

    return outputImage!
}

In Swift 2:

let gradient = CAGradientLayer()
let sizeLength = UIScreen.mainScreen().bounds.size.height * 2
let defaultNavigationBarFrame = CGRectMake(0, 0, sizeLength, 64)

gradient.frame = defaultNavigationBarFrame

gradient.colors = [UIColor.whiteColor().CGColor, UIColor.blackColor().CGColor]

UINavigationBar.appearance().setBackgroundImage(self.image(fromLayer: gradient), forBarMetrics: .Default)

For creating image from layer:

func image(fromLayer layer: CALayer) -> UIImage {    
    UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(layer.frame.size)

    layer.renderInContext(UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()!)

    let outputImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()

     UIGraphicsEndImageContext()

    return outputImage!
}

Answer 3

In Swift 3

let gradient = CAGradientLayer()
let sizeLength = UIScreen.main.bounds.size.height * 2
let defaultNavigationBarFrame = CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: sizeLength, height: 64)
gradient.frame = defaultNavigationBarFrame
gradient.colors = [UIColor.white.cgColor, UIColor.black.cgColor]
UINavigationBar.appearance().setBackgroundImage(self.image(fromLayer: gradient), for: .default)

func image(fromLayer layer: CALayer) -> UIImage {
    UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(layer.frame.size)
    layer.render(in: UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()!)
    let outputImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
    UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
    return outputImage!
}

Answer 4

Objective C solution that works on iPhone X as well:

- (void)addGradientToNavigationBar
{
    CAGradientLayer *gradient = [CAGradientLayer layer];
    CGRect gradientFrame = self.navigationController.navigationBar.bounds;
    gradientFrame.size.height += [UIApplication sharedApplication].statusBarFrame.size.height;
    gradient.frame = gradientFrame;
    gradient.colors = [NSArray arrayWithObjects:(id)[[UIColor colorGradientUp] CGColor], (id)[[UIColor colorGradientDown] CGColor], nil];
    [self.navigationController.navigationBar setBackgroundImage:[self imageFromLayer:gradient] forBarMetrics:UIBarMetricsDefault];
}

- (UIImage *)imageFromLayer:(CALayer *)layer
{
    UIGraphicsBeginImageContext([layer frame].size);

    [layer renderInContext:UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()];
    UIImage *outputImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();

    UIGraphicsEndImageContext();

    return outputImage;
}

Answer 5

For Swift 4.2

extension UINavigationBar {
    func setGradientBackground(colors: [Any]) {
        let gradient: CAGradientLayer = CAGradientLayer()
        gradient.locations = [0.0 , 0.5, 1.0]
        gradient.startPoint = CGPoint(x: 0.0, y: 1.0)
        gradient.endPoint = CGPoint(x: 1.0, y: 1.0)

        var updatedFrame = self.bounds
        updatedFrame.size.height += self.frame.origin.y
        gradient.frame = updatedFrame
        gradient.colors = colors;
        self.setBackgroundImage(self.image(fromLayer: gradient), for: .default)
    }

    func image(fromLayer layer: CALayer) -> UIImage {
        UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(layer.frame.size)
        layer.render(in: UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()!)
        let outputImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
        UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
        return outputImage!
    }
}

How to use

   self.navigationController?.navigationBar.setGradientBackground(colors: [
            UIColor.red.cgColor,
            UIColor.green.cgColor,
            UIColor.blue.cgColor
            ])

Answer 6

Details

Xcode 8.3.1, Swift 3.1

Code

extension CAGradientLayer

extension CAGradientLayer {

    convenience init(frame: CGRect, colors: [UIColor]) {
        self.init()
        self.frame = frame
        self.colors = []
        for color in colors {
            self.colors?.append(color.cgColor)
        }
        startPoint = CGPoint(x: 0, y: 0)
        endPoint = CGPoint(x: 0, y: 1)
    }

    func createGradientImage() -> UIImage? {

        var image: UIImage? = nil
        UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(bounds.size)
        if let context = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext() {
            render(in: context)
            image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
        }
        UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
        return image
    }

}

extension UINavigationBar

extension UINavigationBar {

    func setGradientBackground(colors: [UIColor]) {

        var updatedFrame = bounds
        updatedFrame.size.height += self.frame.origin.y
        let gradientLayer = CAGradientLayer(frame: updatedFrame, colors: colors)

        setBackgroundImage(gradientLayer.createGradientImage(), for: UIBarMetrics.default)
    }
}

Usage

class ViewController

import UIKit

class ViewController: UIViewController {

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()

        var colors = [UIColor]()
        colors.append(UIColor(red: 221/255, green: 34/255, blue: 13/255, alpha: 1))
        colors.append(UIColor(red: 247/255, green: 113/255, blue: 98/255, alpha: 1))
        navigationController?.navigationBar.setGradientBackground(colors: colors)
    }
}

Main.storyboard

Result