Question

I was wondering if there is an easy method to set the minimum swipe length, i.e. the length in pixel the user needs to swipe so that the gesture is recognised as a swipe.

I noticed that the normal swipe can be quite unresponsive (as compared to swiping photos in your photo library for instance).

This is the normal way, but I would like to reduce the required length of the swipe:

    - (void)viewDidLoad 
    {


    // SWIPING GESTURES:

    UISwipeGestureRecognizer *swipeLeftRecognizer;
    swipeLeftRecognizer=[[UISwipeGestureRecognizer alloc] initWithTarget:self action:@selector(foundLeftSwipe:)];
    swipeLeftRecognizer.direction=UISwipeGestureRecognizerDirectionLeft;
    //swipeRecognizer.numberOfTouchesRequired=1;
    [self.view addGestureRecognizer:swipeLeftRecognizer];
    [swipeLeftRecognizer release];

    UISwipeGestureRecognizer *swipeRightRecognizer;
    swipeRightRecognizer=[[UISwipeGestureRecognizer alloc] initWithTarget:self action:@selector(foundRightSwipe:)];
    swipeRightRecognizer.direction=UISwipeGestureRecognizerDirectionRight;
    //swipeRecognizer.numberOfTouchesRequired=1;
    [self.view addGestureRecognizer:swipeRightRecognizer];
    [swipeRightRecognizer release];


    [super viewDidLoad];
}

#pragma mark -
#pragma mark Swipes

- (void)foundLeftSwipe:(UISwipeGestureRecognizer *)recognizer {
    // do something
}

- (void)foundRightSwipe:(UISwipeGestureRecognizer *)recognizer {
    // do something
    }

I remember that there is a way to get the pixel start position and end position and then compare the two, but was just wondering if there is a simpler method, i.e. by simply defining a value for the minimum required swipe length in the code I have here.

---

EDIT:

This is how I recoded the whole thing:

    - (void)touchesBegan:(NSSet *)touches withEvent:(UIEvent *)event {
    UITouch *touch = [touches anyObject];
    gestureStartPoint = [touch locationInView:self.view];
}

- (void)touchesMoved:(NSSet *)touches withEvent:(UIEvent *)event {
    UITouch *touch = [touches anyObject];
    CGPoint currentPosition = [touch locationInView:self.view];

    CGFloat deltaXX = (gestureStartPoint.x - currentPosition.x); // positive = left, negative = right
    CGFloat deltaYY = (gestureStartPoint.y - currentPosition.y); // positive = up, negative = down

    CGFloat deltaX = fabsf(gestureStartPoint.x - currentPosition.x); // will always be positive
    CGFloat deltaY = fabsf(gestureStartPoint.y - currentPosition.y); // will always be positive

    if (deltaX >= kMinimumGestureLength && deltaY <= kMaximumVariance) {
        if (deltaXX > 0) {
                label.text = @"Horizontal Left swipe detected";
                [self performSelector:@selector(eraseText) withObject:nil afterDelay:2];
            }
        else {
                label.text = @"Horizontal Right swipe detected";
                [self performSelector:@selector(eraseText) withObject:nil afterDelay:2];
            }

    }


    if (deltaY >= kMinimumGestureLength && deltaX <= kMaximumVariance) {
        if (deltaYY > 0) {
            label.text = @"Vertical up swipe detected";
            [self performSelector:@selector(eraseText) withObject:nil afterDelay:2];
            }
        else {
            label.text = @"Vertical down swipe detected";
            [self performSelector:@selector(eraseText) withObject:nil afterDelay:2];
        }


    }



}

Answer 1

Please see this documentation http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/uikit/reference/UIResponder_Class/Reference/Reference.html

You can use touchesBegan, touchesMoved, and touchesEnded methods to find the start/end positions of the swipe. By finding the delta between the start and the end, you can get the swipe length.

Maybe something like this.

- (void)touchesBegan:(NSSet *)touches withEvent:(UIEvent *)event 
    UITouch *touch = [touches anyObject];
    gestureStartPoint = [touch locationInView:self.view];

}

- (void)touchesEnded:(NSSet *)touches withEvent:(UIEvent *)event
{
    UITouch *touch = [touches anyObject];
    CGPoint gestureEndPoint = [touch locationInView:self.view];   

    // compare gestureStartPoint and gestureEndPoint to determine swipe length
}