NSTextFieldCell

NSTextFieldCell is a subclass of NSCell that provides the rendering and editing logic for text content within an NSTextField when using AppKit’s cell-based architecture. It encapsulates the behavior needed to display a string and to hand off editing to the field editor used by NSTextField.

The cell stores and exposes text content through stringValue and can also handle attributed text via attributedStringValue. It offers configuration options such as alignment, font, textColor, and backgroundColor, and supports truncation and wrapping behavior. It can cooperate with an NSFormatter to present and parse values, enabling conversion between the on-screen text and underlying data.

Editing is coordinated with the field editor (an NSTextView) to provide in-place text editing. The cell participates in the editing lifecycle, including starting and committing edits, and can enforce constraints such as editable and selectable behavior. It also supports placeholder text handling and integrates with the control’s validation and formatting mechanisms.

Compatibility and usage notes: NSTextFieldCell belongs to the legacy, cell-based UI framework in AppKit. Modern macOS development commonly uses a view-based NSTextField, but NSTextFieldCell remains available for compatibility with older code and for scenarios that require fine-grained control over drawing and editing within a cell-based layout.

See also: NSCell, NSTextField, NSFormatter, NSAttributedString.