SwiftUI provides an openWindow
environment variable on macOS that allows you to open windows programmatically. Here’s how you can use it to open a new window when a button is clicked:
Steps to Use openWindow
Environment Variable
-
Define a
WindowGroup
Scene: Create aWindowGroup
in yourApp
struct for the new window you want to open. -
Use the
openWindow
Environment Variable: Utilize theopenWindow
environment variable in your view to open the new window. -
Button to Trigger Window Opening: Add a button in your main view that calls the
openWindow
function to present the new window.
Example Implementation
Here’s an example of how to open a new window using the openWindow
environment variable:
import SwiftUI
@main
struct WindowExampleApp: App {
var body: some Scene {
WindowGroup {
ContentView()
}
WindowGroup("New Window") {
NewWindowView()
}
.handlesExternalEvents(matching: ["newWindow"])
}
}
struct ContentView: View {
@Environment(\.openWindow) private var openWindow
var body: some View {
VStack {
Button("Open New Window") {
openWindow(id: "newWindow")
}
.padding()
}
}
}
struct NewWindowView: View {
var body: some View {
Text("This is a new window!")
.frame(minWidth: 200, minHeight: 200)
.padding()
}
}
Explanation:
@Environment(\.openWindow)
:- The
openWindow
environment variable provides a way to programmatically open a new window. It allows you to specify theid
of the window you want to open.
- The
WindowGroup
:- The
WindowGroup("New Window")
defines the content for the new window. ThehandlesExternalEvents(matching: ["newWindow"])
makes this window group respond to the"newWindow"
event.
- The
ContentView
:- This is your main view containing a button. When the button is clicked, the
openWindow(id: "newWindow")
function is called, which opens the window associated with theid
"newWindow"
.
- This is your main view containing a button. When the button is clicked, the
NewWindowView
:- This view represents the content that will be displayed in the new window when it is opened.
Running the App:
- Clicking the “Open New Window” button in the
ContentView
triggers theopenWindow(id: "newWindow")
function, which opens a new window displaying theNewWindowView
content.
Notes:
-
handlesExternalEvents(matching:)
: This method is used to specify which external events (like window opening events) thisWindowGroup
should handle. Theid
you use inopenWindow(id:)
should match the event you define here. -
macOS Specific: The
openWindow
environment variable is available on macOS, and this method is specific to macOS applications.
This approach is straightforward and leverages SwiftUI’s native capabilities to manage windows, making it an elegant solution for opening windows programmatically in a macOS app.
Second Approach
In SwiftUI, you can open a new window when a button is clicked by leveraging the @State
property to manage the presentation of the window. Here’s how you can do it:
Steps to Open a Window on Button Click
-
Define a
WindowGroup
Scene: In yourApp
struct, you define aWindowGroup
that represents the window you want to open. -
Manage Window Presentation: Use a
@State
property in your main view to control when the new window should be presented. -
Button to Trigger Window Opening: Add a button in your view that toggles the
@State
property, causing the window to appear.
Example Implementation
Here’s a simple example where clicking a button opens a new window:
import SwiftUI
@main
struct WindowExampleApp: App {
@State private var showNewWindow = false
var body: some Scene {
WindowGroup {
ContentView(showNewWindow: $showNewWindow)
}
// This defines the new window
WindowGroup("New Window") {
NewWindowView()
}
.handlesExternalEvents(matching: ["openNewWindow"])
}
}
struct ContentView: View {
@Binding var showNewWindow: Bool
var body: some View {
VStack {
Button("Open New Window") {
showNewWindow = true
openNewWindow()
}
.padding()
}
}
private func openNewWindow() {
if let url = URL(string: "myapp://openNewWindow") {
NSWorkspace.shared.open(url)
}
}
}
struct NewWindowView: View {
var body: some View {
Text("This is a new window!")
.frame(minWidth: 200, minHeight: 200)
.padding()
}
}
Explanation:
@State private var showNewWindow = false
:- This state variable tracks whether the new window should be opened.
ContentView
:- The
ContentView
contains a button that toggles theshowNewWindow
state and callsopenNewWindow()
.
- The
WindowGroup
:- The
WindowGroup("New Window")
defines a new window in the app, and it’s configured to respond to the"openNewWindow"
event.
- The
openNewWindow()
Function:- This function opens the new window by triggering the event that corresponds to the
"openNewWindow"
handler in theWindowGroup
.
- This function opens the new window by triggering the event that corresponds to the
NewWindowView
:- This view represents the content of the new window that appears when the button is clicked.
Running the App:
- When you click the “Open New Window” button, the app triggers the URL scheme (
myapp://openNewWindow
), causing theWindowGroup
with the"openNewWindow"
event to open a new window displayingNewWindowView
.
Notes:
-
handlesExternalEvents(matching:)
: This method allows the app to handle custom URLs to trigger the opening of the new window. The URL scheme (myapp://openNewWindow
) is just an example. You need to make sure that this scheme is unique and does not conflict with other URL schemes in your app or other apps. -
macOS Specific: The above code is specific to macOS. On iOS, opening new windows is handled differently, typically using
NavigationView
for navigation or presenting new views modally.
This method offers a simple and effective way to open new windows in a SwiftUI macOS app when a button is clicked.