Change TabBarItem title font to bold in Swift for iOS -

i'm trying set font weight of selected tab bar item bold font. seems has no effect. idea wrong. forstate: .normal works expected, forstate: .selected has no effect.

let tabbaritem0 = tabbar.items![0] as! uitabbaritem var selectedimage0 : uiimage = uiimage(named:"ic_tabbar_item_one")!.imagewithrenderingmode(uiimagerenderingmode.alwaysoriginal) var fontlight:uifont = uifont(name: "helveticaneue-ultralight", size: 12)! var fontbold:uifont = uifont(name: "helveticaneue-bold", size: 12)!  tabbaritem0.image = unselectedimage0 tabbaritem0.selectedimage = selectedimage0 tabbaritem0.title = "overview" tabbaritem0.settitletextattributes(     [         nsforegroundcolorattributename: uicolor.whitecolor(),         nsfontattributename: fontlight     ], forstate: .normal)  tabbaritem0.settitletextattributes(     [         nsforegroundcolorattributename: uicolor.whitecolor(),         nsfontattributename: fontbold     ], forstate: uicontrolstate.selected) 

found solution (swift 3, xcode 8.1)

1. in storyboard, give unique tag each uitabbaritem have: every tab -> select , go it's "attributes inspector" -> give each 1 unique number in "tag" field should not use 0 (i used 1 through 4).

   this sets later, identify tab pressed.

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2. create new subclass of uitabbarcontroller , assign it: file -> new file -> ios cocoa touch -> create subclass of uitabbarcontroller. assign new .swift file uitabbarcontroller under "identity inspector."

   we need custom logic in our uitabbarcontroller.

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3. create new subclass of uitabbaritem, assign same file of uitabbaritems: file -> new file -> ios cocoa touch -> create subclass of uitabbaritem , assign same 1 of tabs.

   we need shared custom logic in our tab bar items.

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4. add code uitabbaritem subclass, sets initial state (primary tab bold, rest unselected) , allow programmatic tab changes well:

   class myuitabbaritemsubclass: uitabbaritem {      //choose initial state fonts , weights here     let normaltitlefont = uifont.systemfont(ofsize: 12, weight: uifontweightregular)      let selectedtitlefont = uifont.systemfont(ofsize: 12, weight: uifontweightbold)      //choose initial state colors here     let normaltitlecolor = uicolor.gray      let selectedtitlecolor = uicolor.black      //assigns proper initial state logic when each tab instantiates      override func awakefromnib() {         super.awakefromnib()          //this tag # should primary tab's tag*          if self.tag == 1 {              self.settitletextattributes([nsfontattributename: selectedtitlefont, nsforegroundcolorattributename: selectedtitlecolor], for: uicontrolstate.normal)         } else {             self.settitletextattributes([nsfontattributename: normaltitlefont, nsforegroundcolorattributename: normaltitlecolor], for: uicontrolstate.normal)         }      }  } 

here set initial state tabs set correctly when app opens up, we'll take care of physical tab presses in next subclass.

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5. add code uitabbarcontroller subclass, it's logic assigning correct states press on tabs.

   class myuitabbarcontrollersubclass: uitabbarcontroller {      //choose normal , selected fonts here     let normaltitlefont = uifont.systemfont(ofsize: 12, weight: uifontweightregular)     let selectedtitlefont = uifont.systemfont(ofsize: 12, weight: uifontweightbold)      //choose normal , selected colors here     let normaltitlecolor = uicolor.gray     let selectedtitlecolor = uicolor.black       //the following delegate method uitabbar protocol that's available      //to uitabbarcontroller automatically. sends information every     //time tab pressed. since tagged our tabs earlier, we'll know 1 pressed,     //and pass identifier function set our button states      override func tabbar(_ tabbar: uitabbar, didselect item: uitabbaritem) {         setbuttonstates(itemtag: item.tag)     }       //the function takes tabbar.tag int     func setbuttonstates (itemtag: int) {          //making array of tabs         let tabs = self.tabbar.items          //looping through , setting states         var x = 0         while x < (tabs?.count)! {              if tabs?[x].tag == itemtag {                 tabs?[x].settitletextattributes([nsfontattributename: selectedtitlefont, nsforegroundcolorattributename: selectedtitlecolor], for: uicontrolstate.normal)             } else {                 tabs?[x].settitletextattributes([nsfontattributename: normaltitlefont, nsforegroundcolorattributename: normaltitlecolor], for: uicontrolstate.normal)             }              x += 1          }      }  } 

it looks such pain because reason tabs not recognize state changes ".selected". had working .normal states - detecting state changes ourselves.

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6. you can programmatically change tabs , still detect state changes by... i'll update later if has interest, ask.

hope helped!