What is the best/easiest way to create 'flow layout' type layout in iOS

Question

Q1. I have three controls: UILabel, UIButton, and UILabel in a single line. I want to programmatically arranged them one after another in a line, without any gaps (similar to Java/Android "Flowlayout" layout), because length of text on each control will change due to the user actions. What is the best/easiest way to achieve "Flowlayout" layout programmatically?

Q2. Related to above, I want each control to resize automatically when the text change due to user actions, so the full text remains visible.

Thanks in advance.

//Edited 11/12/2011

Here is how I plan to achieve horizontal "flow layout" of controls that are contained in viewArray:

-(void) doHorizontalFlowLayout:(NSArray *) viewArray
{
        if(viewArray == nil || viewArray.count <=1
            return; //get out of here, no need to continue

        UIView *v0= (UIView *) [viewArray objectAtIndex:0]; // first view
        CGRect frame0 = v0.frame;

        CGFloat sumWidth= 0;
        for(int i=1; i < viewArray.count; i++)
        {
            UIView *thisView= (UIView*) [viewArray objectAtIndex:i];
            sumWidth = sumWidth+ v0.frame.size.width;
            CGRect nextFrame= CGRectMake(frame0.origin.x
                    +sumWidth, thisView.frame.origin.y,
                     thisView.frame.size.width, thisView.frame.size.height);
            thisView.frame= nextFrame;
            //the above works for 2 views only. For more than 2 views - reset v0 to point to the ith view
            v0 = (UIView*) [viewArray objectAtIndex:i];

        }
 }

Answer 1

Was just struggling with this -- here is my solution:

There's no "flow layout" concept in iOS, so you have to calculate the widths of each control manually and place them absolutely in the parent container. UILabels are a bit different than buttons, as the only way to determine the content size is with the [NSString sizeWithFont:...] method. See here for an example.

In your case, you'll have to listen for when user interaction is complete on whichever element is changing, and use the [UIView setNeedsDisplay] (http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/UIKit/Reference/UIView_Class/UIView/UIView.html#//apple_ref/occ/instm/UIView/setNeedsDisplay) method to redrawn the view and subviews.

This is much more difficult than it needs to be, IMHO.

Answer 2

Update for this answer: IOS6 has introduced us to Flow layout,

Creating dynamic and incredible interfaces is easy with collection views in iOS 6. Learn how to get started with collection views and see how to easily organize data in grid-like layouts using the built-in UICollectionViewFlowLayout class

Check out the WWdc 2012 video named "Introducing Collection Views"