Re-usable UITableView "base class" with custom section header - swift

Question

I have a custom table view section header (set of colored lines) that I am using in around a dozen different table views. Currently, I'm cutting and pasting the same code in every single UITableViewDelegate handler.
For example, something like this:
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, viewForHeaderInSection section: Int) -> UIView? {
let headerView = UIView()
let lineView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 40, y: 0, width: tableView.frame.width - 80, height: 1))
lineView.backgroundColor = .separator
headerView.addSubview(lineView)
return headerView
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, heightForHeaderInSection section: Int) -> CGFloat {
return 1
}
Is it possible to subclass or extend UITableView in some way so that this code is written once and automatically applied to any of my specified tableviews?

Answer 1

Create a class BaseVC and conform UITableViewDelegate protocol. Implement viewForHeaderInSection and heightForHeaderInSection methods in it, i.e.
class BaseVC: UIViewController, UITableViewDelegate {
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, viewForHeaderInSection section: Int) -> UIView? {
let headerView = UIView()
let lineView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 40, y: 0, width: tableView.frame.width - 80, height: 1))
lineView.backgroundColor = .separator
headerView.addSubview(lineView)
return headerView
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, heightForHeaderInSection section: Int) -> CGFloat {
return 1
}
}
Now, inherit your ViewControllers from BaseVC like so,
class VC: BaseVC, UITableViewDataSource {
func numberOfSections(in tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
return 5
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
return 3
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "cell", for: indexPath)
return cell
}
}