How to change Auto Layout constraints after they are set when using constraintEqualToAnchor()?

Question

I try to set up a view with AutoLayout constraints by using constraintEqualToAnchor():

override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()

    let myView = UIView()
    myView.backgroundColor = UIColor.orangeColor()
    myView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
    view.addSubview(myView)

    myView.leftAnchor.constraintEqualToAnchor(view.leftAnchor).active = true
    myView.trailingAnchor.constraintEqualToAnchor(view.trailingAnchor).active = true
    myView.topAnchor.constraintEqualToAnchor(view.topAnchor).active = true
    myView.bottomAnchor.constraintEqualToAnchor(view.bottomAnchor).active = true

    /******************************************/
    /* I try to change one of the constraints */
    /******************************************/
    myView.leftAnchor.constraintEqualToAnchor(view.rightAnchor, constant: -100).active = true  
}

In the last line of code, I try to change one of the constraints. I thought it would work but it gives some error in the console log

"<NSLayoutConstraint:0x7fb53a5180d0 H:|-(0)-[UIView:0x7fb53a5190b0](LTR)   (Names: '|':UIView:0x7fb53a519240 )>",
"<NSLayoutConstraint:0x7fb53a51f660 H:[UIView:0x7fb53a519240]-(-100)-[UIView:0x7fb53a5190b0](LTR)>",
"<NSLayoutConstraint:0x7fb53a711ee0 'UIView-Encapsulated-Layout-Width' H:[UIView:0x7fb53a519240(414)]>"

When using constraintEqualToAnchor()?, what's the right way to change the constraint later after I have set them?

Answer 1

You need to deactivate the previous constraint when activating a new one so that you don't end up over constraining your view. To do that, store a reference to each of the constraints as a property in your ViewController and then set the active property of the old constraint to false before creating and activating the new constraint:

Swift 2.x:

class ViewController: UIViewController {
    var leftConstraint: NSLayoutConstraint?
    var trailingConstraint: NSLayoutConstraint?
    var topConstraint: NSLayoutConstraint?
    var bottomConstraint: NSLayoutConstraint?

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()

        let myView = UIView()
        myView.backgroundColor = UIColor.orangeColor()
        myView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        view.addSubview(myView)

        leftConstraint = myView.leftAnchor.constraintEqualToAnchor(view.leftAnchor)
        leftConstraint?.active = true

        trailingConstraint = myView.trailingAnchor.constraintEqualToAnchor(view.trailingAnchor)
        trailingConstraint?.active = true

        topConstraint = myView.topAnchor.constraintEqualToAnchor(view.topAnchor)
        topConstraint?.active = true

        bottomConstraint = myView.bottomAnchor.constraintEqualToAnchor(view.bottomAnchor)
        bottomConstraint?.active = true

        /******************************************/
        /* I try to change one of the constraints */
        /******************************************/
        leftConstraint?.active = false
        leftConstraint = myView.leftAnchor.constraintEqualToAnchor(view.rightAnchor, constant: -100)
        leftConstraint?.active = true
    }
}

---

Update for Swift 3 syntax:

class ViewController: UIViewController {
    var leftConstraint: NSLayoutConstraint?
    var trailingConstraint: NSLayoutConstraint?
    var topConstraint: NSLayoutConstraint?
    var bottomConstraint: NSLayoutConstraint?

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()

        let myView = UIView()
        myView.backgroundColor = UIColor.orange
        myView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        view.addSubview(myView)

        leftConstraint = myView.leftAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.leftAnchor)
        leftConstraint?.isActive = true

        trailingConstraint = myView.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.trailingAnchor)
        trailingConstraint?.isActive = true

        topConstraint = myView.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.topAnchor)
        topConstraint?.isActive = true

        bottomConstraint = myView.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.bottomAnchor)
        bottomConstraint?.isActive = true

        /******************************************/
        /* I try to change one of the constraints */
        /******************************************/
        leftConstraint?.isActive = false
        leftConstraint = myView.leftAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.rightAnchor, constant: -100)
        leftConstraint?.isActive = true
    }
}