You can simply implement the UISearchResultsUpdating
protocol and set the results controller view to always show in updateSearchResultsForSearchController
:
func updateSearchResultsForSearchController(searchController: UISearchController) {
// Always show the search result controller
searchController.searchResultsController?.view.hidden = false
// Update your search results data and reload data
..
}
This works because the method is called even when the search bar is activated, without any text.