Can set either alignment or font, but not both, for NSTextField

Question

I have a panel nib with an outlet for one of its textfields, which is set in the nib to have centered alignment. When I display the panel, I would like this textfield to be bolded. Since NSTextField is a subclass of NSControl, it can use the setAttributedStringValue method and take an attributed string. So I incorporated a bold font like this:

NSFont *fontBolded = [NSFont fontWithName:@"Baskerville Bold" size:12.0f];
NSDictionary *dictBoldAttr = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObject:fontBolded forKey:NSFontAttributeName];   
NSString *sHelloUser = NSLocalizedString(@"Hello User", @"Hello User");
NSAttributedString *attrsHelloUser = [[NSAttributedString alloc] initWithString: sHelloUser attributes:dictBoldAttr];
[self.fooController.tfPanelCenteredField setAttributedStringValue:attrsHelloUser];  
[attrsHelloUser release];

The bolding shows up OK, but the field is now left-aligned.

I tried adding a setAlignment, but it had no effect:

[self.fooController.tfPanelCenteredField setAlignment:NSCenterTextAlignment];

So I tried adding a centered parapraph style to the attributed string’s attributes:

NSFont *fontBolded = [NSFont fontWithName:@"Baskerville Bold" size:12.0f];
NSMutableParagraphStyle *paragStyle = [[NSParagraphStyle defaultParagraphStyle] mutableCopy];   
[paragStyle setAlignment:NSCenterTextAlignment]; 
NSDictionary *dictBoldAttr = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:paragStyle, NSParagraphStyleAttributeName, fontBolded, NSFontNameAttribute, nil];
NSString *sHelloUser = NSLocalizedString(@"Hello User", @"Hello User");
NSAttributedString *attrsHelloUser = [[NSAttributedString alloc] initWithString: sHelloUser attributes:dictBoldAttr];
[self.fooController.tfPanelCenteredField setAttributedStringValue:attrsHelloUser];  
[attrsHelloUser release];
[paragStyle release];

Now the textfield is centered again, but the bolding is gone. It’s as though the attributed string can accept one and only one attribute setting. Am I missing something simple?

Answer 1

You have a typo in your code. NSFontNameAttribute should be NSFontAttributeName.

So your attributes dictionary is:

    NSFont *fontBolded = [NSFont fontWithName:@"Baskerville Bold" size:12.0f];
    NSMutableParagraphStyle *paragStyle = [[NSParagraphStyle defaultParagraphStyle] mutableCopy];   
    [paragStyle setAlignment:NSCenterTextAlignment]; 
    NSDictionary *dictBoldAttr = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:
                                  fontBolded, NSFontAttributeName,
                                  paragStyle, NSParagraphStyleAttributeName,
                                  nil];