Default height for section header in UITableView

Question

I want to set the height of the first header in my UITableView. For the other headers I want them to remain the default height. What value/constant can I put in place of "someDefaultHeight" in the code below?

- (CGFloat)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView heightForHeaderInSection:(NSInteger)section
{
    if (section == 0)
        return kFirstHeaderHeight;

    return someDefaultHeight;
}

Thanks

why dont you try different values till you getone that you are happy with? — Daniel, Jul 29 '09 at 14:50
@Daniel - if Apple ever decides to change the default row height value then I need to ensure that my app does not hard code this value (to some arbitrary amount). It's best to pull this information out of a constant if it is declared somewhere. — rein, Jul 29 '09 at 23:33

Ajaxharg · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-07T22:05:08.240

205

In IOS 5.0 onwards you can return UITableViewAutomaticDimension in most of the delegate methods. Its at the bottom of the documentation page

- (CGFloat)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView heightForHeaderInSection:(NSInteger)section
{
    if(section == CUSTOM_SECTION)
    {
        return CUSTOM_VALUE;
    }
    return UITableViewAutomaticDimension;
}

edited Nov 07 '14 at 22:05

answered Jan 18 '13 at 17:15

Ajaxharg

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hmm.. As for me `UITableViewAutomaticDimension` returns `-1` (hardcoded const) and I don't see any sections at all in my `UITableView`. – skywinder Sep 22 '13 at 21:17
why `UITableViewAutomaticDimension` shows -1 when `NSLog` it? – S1U Sep 24 '13 at 23:49
31

This only works when you area using: `- (NSString *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView titleForHeaderInSection:(NSInteger)section` if you're implementing the `- (UIView *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView viewForHeaderInSection:(NSInteger)section` method, this does not work. – SuperSaiyen Sep 26 '13 at 18:43
2

It's worth noting, if you implement this and the estimate delegate method and return `UITableViewAutomaticDimension` it will have a zero height. – Sam Soffes May 12 '15 at 00:09
4

@SuperSaiyen - It does work with `viewForHeaderInSection` you just need to set `estimatedSectionHeaderHeight` – Robert Oct 07 '15 at 15:19
In my case, it worked after i set self.tableView.estimatedSectionHeaderHeight = MY_VALUE; in viewDidLoad – guilherme.minglini Dec 28 '16 at 14:09

score 51 · Answer 2 · edited Aug 01 '12 at 04:49

51

From checking the defaults in my app it looks like for a grouped table the default is a height of 22 and for a non-grouped table the default is a height of 10.

If you check the value of the property sectionHeaderHeight on your tableview that should tell you.

edited Aug 01 '12 at 04:49

Kimpoy

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answered Jul 29 '09 at 14:55

paulthenerd

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1

Thanks... I'll hard code it to this. Although I do wish there was a constant for this value. – rein Jul 29 '09 at 23:34
3

You have these backwards. `UITableViewStyleGrouped` is 22 and `UITableViewStylePlain` is 10. – Michael Grinich Aug 26 '11 at 22:41

score 26 · Answer 3 · answered May 18 '11 at 21:53

26

Actually do the trick :)

- (CGFloat)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView heightForHeaderInSection:(NSInteger)section
{
    if(section == 0)
        return kFirstSectionHeaderHeight;
    return [self sectionHeaderHeight];
}

answered May 18 '11 at 21:53

BadPirate

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2

I think you meant `return [self.tableView sectionHeaderHeight];`, or better yet, `return [tableView sectionHeaderHeight];`. However, both return -1 for me, perhaps because I'm not using a nib or storyboard. – jk7 Jan 30 '16 at 23:37

score 7 · Answer 4 · answered May 28 '15 at 11:12

7

For the sake of completeness: in iOS7+ the height for grouped style section headers is 55.5 for the first and 38 for following headers. (measured with DCIntrospect)

answered May 28 '15 at 11:12

ronhippler

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1
6

score 5 · Answer 5 · answered Jan 08 '19 at 23:39

5

For swift 4.2 you should return UITableView.automaticDimension

answered Jan 08 '19 at 23:39

Muvimotv

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score 2 · Answer 6 · answered Oct 02 '15 at 01:44

2

To get the default height, just let super handle it:

- (CGFloat)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView heightForHeaderInSection:(NSInteger)section
{
    if (section == 0)
        return kFirstHeaderHeight;

    return [super tableView:tableView heightForHeaderInSection:section];
}

answered Oct 02 '15 at 01:44

Hendrik

491
4
7

`[super tableView:tableView heightForHeaderInSection:section];` returns 0 for me, perhaps because I'm not using a nib or storyboard. – jk7 Jan 30 '16 at 23:39
1

This only works if you are subclassing UITableViewController. – Wallace Oct 06 '16 at 22:28

score 2 · Answer 7 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:34

2

I'm not sure what the correct answer is here, but neither 10 or 22 appears to be the correct height for a grouped table view in iOS 5. I'm using 44, based on this question, and it at least appears to roughly the correct height.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:34

Community

1
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answered Mar 13 '12 at 20:23

Jason George

6,992
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score -1 · Answer 8 · edited Jan 20 '11 at 09:47

-1

This should do the trick

- (CGFloat)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView heightForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    if(indexPath.section == CUSTOM_SECTION)
    {
        return CUSTOM_VALUE;
    }
    return [tableView rowHeight];
}

edited Jan 20 '11 at 09:47

Eimantas

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answered Jan 07 '10 at 04:34

Yogesh D

19

i think you mean `return [self sectionHeaderHeight];` – TMB Dec 04 '11 at 23:57
@TMB `[self sectionHeaderHeight];` produces an error. Did you mean `[tableView sectionHeaderHeight];`? – jk7 Jan 30 '16 at 23:44

Default height for section header in UITableView

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