I wonder if anyone else has noticed this behavior - searching the web or these forums didn't unearth anything for me:
[Update: issue still exists on iPhones (but not iPads) as of iOS 7.0.1]
In an iPhone app on iOS 4.2.1, down to at least 3.2 (in the Simulator), if you
- have a toolbar (UIToolBar - whether explicitly created or provided by a UINavigationController) filled with UIBarButtonItem instances of style UIBarButtonItemStyleBordered (rectangular buttons with rounded borders)
- and you have considerable empty space between them (e.g. by using a UIBarButtonItem instance of system type UIBarButtonSystemItemFlexibleSpace between two buttons to place one on the far left and the other on the far right)
I observe the following, unexpected behavior:
If you tap in the empty space on the toolbar at a considerable distance from the nearest button, that button - unexpectedly - still registers a tap.
While you could consider that a feature, it can also be disconcerting to users, especially if the tap location does not clearly suggest what function was invoked. In "thickly settled" views where accidental taps are more likely (e.g. a game whose elements border the toolbar) this behavior increases the likelihood of accidentally invoking functionality.
In my specific case you can tap up to 56 pixels to the right of a button and still have it register a tap.
This behavior occurs both in the Simulator and on actual devices. Has anyone else had this experience? Am I overlooking something?
Thanks for listening/helping.
I can see how this behavior would be helpful in some cases but unexpected in others. Please consider filing a bug with Apple at https://feedbackassistant.apple.com/.