blank collection view in user login for the first time - swift

Question

Good day everyone,
I have root view controller set up as my HomeViewController, in this project i am using token based authentication ( which i am storing in user defaults ) and i am using token for all my API calls.
I have a check in my viewWillAppear method to check if there is access token present and then i make the api call in viewDidAppear to populate the collection view, and this works perfectly fine at all times except the first time.
If I log in for the first time it hits the viewWillAppear, viewDidAppear and then login screen pops up and once i authenticate the user and save it in the UserDefaults, dismiss the login screen and in the HomeViewController all i get is a spinner ( which means that viewDidAppear is also been called ) but if i close the app and open it again it all works fine.
What can i change in my code to make it work in the first time please and thank you!!
class HomeViewController: UIViewController {
// MARK: - Properties
let refreshControl = UIRefreshControl()
var publishedReportList: [ReportListDetail] = []
private let reportsCollectionView: UICollectionView = {
let viewLayout = UICollectionViewFlowLayout()
let collectionView = UICollectionView(frame: .zero, collectionViewLayout: viewLayout)
collectionView.register(ReportsCollectionViewCell.self, forCellWithReuseIdentifier: ReportsCollectionViewCell.identifier)
collectionView.backgroundColor = .systemBackground
return collectionView
}()
// MARK: - Initialisation
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
reportsCollectionView.delegate = self
reportsCollectionView.dataSource = self
print(publishedReportList.count)
refreshControl.tintColor = .blue
refreshControl.addTarget(self, action: #selector(pullToRefresh), for: .valueChanged)
reportsCollectionView.addSubview(refreshControl)
reportsCollectionView.alwaysBounceVertical = true
}
override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
super.viewWillAppear(animated)
// check auth status
handleNotAuthenticated()
}
override func viewDidAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
// call for reports
getReportUserLayout()
}
// MARK: - Handlers
#objc func pullToRefresh() {
// Code to refresh table view
getReportUserLayout()
}
fileprivate func getReportUserLayout() {
// publishedReportList.removeAll()
whySuchEmptyLabel.isHidden = true
spinner.show(in: view)
spinner.textLabel.text = "Loading Reports.."
DispatchQueue.main.async {
ReportsManager.shared.getReportData { [weak self] (listOfReports) in
guard let strongSelf = self else { return }
strongSelf.publishedReportList = listOfReports
if listOfReports.count == 0 {
strongSelf.whySuchEmptyLabel.isHidden = false
}
strongSelf.reportsCollectionView.reloadData()
strongSelf.spinner.dismiss()
strongSelf.refreshControl.endRefreshing()
}
}
}
private func handleNotAuthenticated() {
if UserDefaults.standard.string(forKey: "accessToken") == nil {
// show login view controller
let loginVC = LoginViewController()
loginVC.modalPresentationStyle = .overCurrentContext
present(loginVC, animated: false)
}
}
}

Answer 1

You are in the HomeViewController and presenting loginVC, so it will not trigger viewDidAppear or viewWillAppear because it is not disappeared from the app. You have to use closure or delegate or notification to communicate back to the HomeViewController. You can also use the Combine framework and save the state. Here is an example of using delegate.
// Add protocol
protocol ViewControllerDelegate {
func loggedIn()
}
class HomeViewController: UIViewController, ViewControllerDelegate {
private func handleNotAuthenticated() {
if UserDefaults.standard.string(forKey: "accessToken") == nil {
let loginVC = LoginViewController()
loginVC.modalPresentationStyle = .overCurrentContext
loginVC.viewDelegate = self
present(loginVC, animated: false)
}
}
}
class LoginViewController: UIViewController {
var viewDelegate: ViewControllerDelegate? = nil
func userLoggedIn() {
self.viewDelegate?.loggedIn()
}
}