UILabel sizeToFit doesn't work with autolayout ios6

Question

How am I supposed to configure programmatically (and in which method) a UILabel whose height depends on its text? I've been trying to set it up using a combination of Storyboard and code, but to no avail. Everyone recommends sizeToFit while setting lineBreakMode and numberOfLines. However, no matter if I put that code in viewDidLoad:, viewDidAppear:, or viewDidLayoutSubviews I can't get it to work. Either I make the box too small for long text and it doesn't grow, or I make it too big and it doesn't shrink.

Answer 1

Please note that in most cases Matt's solution works as expected. But if it doesn't work for you, please, read further.

To make your label automatically resize height you need to do following:

1. Set layout constrains for label
2. Set height constraint with low priority. It should be lower than ContentCompressionResistancePriority
3. Set numberOfLines = 0
4. Set ContentHuggingPriority higher than label's height priority
5. Set preferredMaxLayoutWidth for label. That value is used by label to calculate its height

For example:

self.descriptionLabel = [[UILabel alloc] init];
self.descriptionLabel.numberOfLines = 0;
self.descriptionLabel.lineBreakMode = NSLineBreakByWordWrapping;
self.descriptionLabel.preferredMaxLayoutWidth = 200;

[self.descriptionLabel setContentHuggingPriority:UILayoutPriorityRequired forAxis:UILayoutConstraintAxisVertical];
[self.descriptionLabel setContentCompressionResistancePriority:UILayoutPriorityRequired forAxis:UILayoutConstraintAxisVertical];
[self.descriptionLabel setTranslatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints:NO];
[self addSubview:self.descriptionLabel];

NSArray* constrs = [NSLayoutConstraint constraintsWithVisualFormat:@"|-8-[descriptionLabel_]-8-|" options:0 metrics:nil views:NSDictionaryOfVariableBindings(descriptionLabel_)];
[self addConstraints:constrs];
[self addConstraints:[NSLayoutConstraint constraintsWithVisualFormat:@"V:|-8-[descriptionLabel_]" options:0 metrics:nil views:NSDictionaryOfVariableBindings(descriptionLabel_)]];
[self.descriptionLabel addConstraints:[NSLayoutConstraint constraintsWithVisualFormat:@"V:[descriptionLabel_(220@300)]" options:0 metrics:nil views:NSDictionaryOfVariableBindings(descriptionLabel_)]];

Using Interface Builder

1. Set up four constraints. The height constraint is mandatory.

2. Then go to the label's attributes inspector and set number of lines to 0.

3. Go to the label's size inspector and increase vertical ContentHuggingPriority and vertical ContentCompressionResistancePriority.
   

4. Select and edit height constraint.
   

5. And decrease height constraint priority.
   

Enjoy. :)