Email address in UITextView (UIDataDetectorTypeLink) opens in-app

Question

I have an email address in a UITextView (detected with UIDataDetectorTypes) that opens a mail composer in-app (like a MFMailComposeViewController) rather than opening the default Mail app itself.

self.textView.dataDetectorTypes = UIDataDetectorTypeLink;
// ...
self.textView.text = @"Blah blah email@address.com blah blah";

I was under the impression that email addresses and other links would, by default, open in an external app rather than the app itself. Is there a setting that determines this? The problem with this is that the mail composer doesn't fit with the app's layout and the send and cancel buttons are hidden (in iOS 7), but either way I'd prefer to have mail app open instead.

This is happening on iOS 6 and 7, both on devices on in the simulator. On an iOS 5 device it works as I expected (the mail app is opened).

Can you clarify the question? Do you want the mail app to start up or do you want to fix the cropped mail composer? — Aaron, Feb 13 '14 at 16:46
@Aaron: I'm not using code to open a mail composer. I'll add some code. — newenglander, Feb 13 '14 at 17:34
Got it. Your text view is opening the email in composer automatically. — Aaron, Feb 13 '14 at 17:37

score 3 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:14

Running some tests of my own, it seems we have no control over how the detected values are handled. You can't create custom detectors either, but you can fake it: https://stackoverflow.com/a/2433763/143225

For reference(though not an answer to your question), you can open the Mail app like so:

[UIApplication sharedApplication] openUrl:[NSURL URLWithString:@"mailto:email@address.com"]

Mail URL Scheme: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/featuredarticles/iPhoneURLScheme_Reference/MailLinks/MailLinks.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40007899-CH4-SW1

Opening URLs: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/uikit/reference/UIApplication_Class/Reference/Reference.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40006728-CH3-SW14

Much mail, very sendy.

Sorry, but I don't see how this answers my question. This seems to be more of an alternative than an answer. — newenglander, Feb 13 '14 at 17:24

score 0 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:30

0

Maybe this post will help you:

It allows to start a custom email view when you click on a text view mail adress

https://stackoverflow.com/a/31167489/3593801

It works for me.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:30

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answered Jul 01 '15 at 18:41

VictorPurMar

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Email address in UITextView (UIDataDetectorTypeLink) opens in-app

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