Swift; delegate embedded view controller and parent - swift

Sorry in advance that I can’t explain myself very well. I’m really new to programming and the topic of delegation still eludes me. I had some great help with this once before, but now I am trying to use a delegate in a different situation and I can’t get it right. I pieced together a bit of code that doesn’t work, and no matter how much I search I can’t find a way to fix it.
I have a view controller (MainController) with and embedded view controller (EmbeddedController) in a container view. I am trying to have a button in the embedded controller manipulate the container view (containerView).
EmbeddedController:
protocol ControllerDelegate {
func hideContainerView()
}
class EmbeddedController: UIViewController {
var delegate: VControllerDelegate?
#IBAction func button(sender: AnyObject) {
delegate?.hideContainerView()
}
}
MainController:
class MainController: UIViewController, ControllerDelegate {
#IBOutlet var containerView: UIView!
func hideContainerView() {
containerView.hidden = true
}
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
var vc = EmbeddedController()
vc.delegate = self
}
}
Does anyone have any idea what I am doing wrong? And why this isn’t working?

What I ended up doing is adding this to the MainController:
override func prepareForSegue(segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: AnyObject?) {
if (segue.identifier == "mySegue") {
let vc = segue.destinationViewController as! EmbeddedController
vc.delegate = self
}
}
In storyboard I selected the segue from the MainController to the EmbeddedController, and set the identifier to "mySegue".
Without the code above the delegate kept returning nil. I didn't look into this solution at first as I thought segues were only for transitioning between view controllers, and in my mind I didn't see the embedded controller as a transition. Maybe someone more knowledgable than me (which is practically anyone on here at this point) can explain how this is all fitting together.
In any case, this is how I solved my issue and hopefully someone else can benefit from this as well :)

First of all, to avoid strong reference cycles:
protocol ControllerDelegate: class {
func hideContainerView()
}
class EmbeddedController: UIViewController {
weak var delegate: ControllerDelegate?
And you haven't added your newly instantiated VC view to container view, and not added it as a child VC:
let vc = EmbeddedController()
vc.delegate = self
containerView.addSubview(vc.view)
self.addChildViewController(vc)
vc.didMoveToParentViewController(self)

Related

Xcode: didTransition to Won't Run in iMessage Extension

I am making an iMessage extension that uses the didTransition(to:). However, the function won't run when I resize the iMessage extension in the simulator. Am I doing something wrong?
This is the code I have:
import UIKit
import Messages
class EditorViewController: MSMessagesAppViewController {
#IBOutlet weak var input: UITextView!
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
input.text = "not changed"
}
// This part isn't working:
override func didTransition(to presentationStyle: MSMessagesAppPresentationStyle) {
input.text = "changed"
}
}
When I resize it in the simulator, nothing happens. The input.text changes the UITextView's text in the viewDidLoad() function, but not in the didTransition(to) function because it never runs.
Am I doing something wrong?
The EditorViewController is a view controller presented by the show (e.g. Push) segue, and has a NavigationController attached to it.
Here is a gif of it not changing:
The input's text never changes
How can I fix this?
EDIT: The willTransition and didTransition functions don't run when the View Controller is embedded in a Navigation Controller. Is there a way to fix this? (It works without the Navigation Controller, but I need the Navigation Controller for this project).
As pointed out in this answer, the entry point of a iMessage App need to be a subclass of MSMessagesAppViewController, so you can not use a NavigationViewController directly as root controller, until Apple adds support for this behavior.
But as suggested, you could solve this with a workaround like this:
import UIKit
import Messages
class MyRootVC: MSMessagesAppViewController {
var navVC: UINavigationViewController!
var editorVC: EditorViewController!
func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
editorVC = UIStoryboard(name: "Main", bundle: nil).instantiateInitialViewController() as! EditorViewController
navVC = UINavigationController(rootViewController: editorVC)
self.addChild(navVC)
self.view.addSubview(navVC.view)
navVC.didMove(toParent: self)
}
override func didTransition(to presentationStyle: MSMessagesAppPresentationStyle) {
editorVC.input.text = "changed"
}
}
class EditorViewController: UIViewController {
#IBOutlet weak var input: UITextView!
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
input.text = "not changed"
}
}

Sending data using protocols

I have issues with using protocols to send data back to previous controller. I have studied SO questions and guides, but for some reason my data doesn't get transferred back.
In my second class I create data, that is later being sent back to first class:
protocol ImageEditorDelegate {
func sendImage(image: UIImage, id: String)
}
class PhotoEditorViewController: UIViewController {
var delegate: ImageEditorDelegate?
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
}
#IBAction func didPressSave(_ sender: UIButton) {
delegate?.sendImage(image: finalImage, id: imageThatWasSelected)
self.dismiss(animated: true, completion: nil)
}
}
And in my receiving class I have:
class NewProductViewController: UIViewController, ImageEditorDelegate {
var imageEditor: PhotoEditorViewController?
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
imageEditor?.delegate = self
}
func sendImage(image: UIImage, id: String) {
print("Receiving images", image, id)
switch id {
case "1":
selectedImages[1] = image
productImage1.image = image
case "2":
selectedImages[2] = image
productImage2.image = image
case "3":
selectedImages[3] = image
productImage3.image = image
default:
break
}
}
}
But nothing happens, this func never gets called. I think my delegate is nil, or so, but how could I fix this issue? I have Also, I'm using VIPER as architecture with slightly customized segues, may this be the issue? I have tried simple segues, but had same issue.
I understand that this is rather simple question, but I couldn't understand what I doing wrong after I have read articles about protocols.
Thanks for your help!
What you're doing is very wrong. You have two view controllers with property references to one another:
class PhotoEditorViewController: UIViewController {
var delegate: ImageEditorDelegate?
}
class NewProductViewController: UIViewController, ImageEditorDelegate {
var imageEditor: PhotoEditorViewController?
}
Those are not weak references, so if you ever do get this to work — that is, if you ever arrange things so that the NewProductViewController's imageEditor is a PhotoEditorViewController whose delegate is that NewProductViewController — you will have a nasty retain cycle and a memory leak.
This suggests that you have not understood the protocol-and-delegate pattern. Only the presented view controller should have a delegate property pointing back to the presenter, and it should be weak. The presenter does not need any property pointing to the presented view controller, because it presents it.
you need to instantiate your photoEditor, like
photoEditor = PhotoEditorViewController()
before attempting to set its delegate.
you dont' have to do this next part, but I'd suggest making the delegate variable a weak variable to avoid any retain issues, like so
weak var delegate: ImageEditorDelegate?
and you'll need to mark the protocol as class like so
protocol ImageEditorDelegate : class {

Access the presenting view controller from the presented view controller?

I have a view controller (containing my menu) presented on top of another view controller (my application).
I would need to access the presenting view controller (below my menu) from the presented view controller (my menu), for example to access some variables or make the presenting view controller perform one of its segues.
However, I just can't figure out how to do it.
I'm aware of the "presentingViewController" and "presentedViewController" variables but I didn't manage to use them successfully.
Any Idea ?
Code (from the presented VC, which as a reference to the AppDelegate in which the window is referenced) :
if let presentingViewController = self.appDelegate.window?.rootViewController?.presentingViewController {
presentingViewController.performSegue(withIdentifier: "nameOfMySegue", sender: self)
}
Here is a use of the delegation Design pattern to talk back to the presenting view controller.
First Declare a protocol, that list out all the variables and methods a delegate is expected to respond to.
protocol SomeProtocol {
var someVariable : String {get set}
func doSomething()
}
Next : Make your presenting view controller conform to the protocol.
Set your presenting VC as the delegate
class MainVC: UIViewController, SomeProtocol {
var someVariable: String = ""
func doSomething() {
// Implementation of do
}
override func prepare(for segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: Any?) {
// Your code goes here.
if let destVC = segue.destination as? SubVC{
destVC.delegate = self
}
}
}
Finally, when you are ready to call a method on the presenting VC (Delegate).
class SubVC: UIViewController {
var delegate : SomeProtocol?
func whenSomeEventHappens() {
// For eg : When a menu item is selected
// Set some Variable
delegate?.someVariable = "Some Value"
// Call a method on the deleate
delegate?.doSomething()
}
}
Assuming that VCApplication is presenting VCMenu, in VCMenu you can access VCApplication with:
weak let vcApplication = self.presentingViewController as? VCApplicationType
Your example self.appDelegate.window?.rootViewController?.presentingViewController is looking for the ViewController that presented the rootViewController - it will be nil.
EDIT
Per TheAppMentor I've added weak so there are no retain cycles.

Use of unresolved identifier 'tableView'

I had an a problem with this code, this identifier didn't run with me
import UIKit
class RestaurantDetailViewController: UIViewController {
#IBOutlet var restaurantImageView: UIImageView!
var restaurantImage = ""
override func viewDidLoad () {
super.viewDidLoad ()
restaurantImageView.image = UIImage(named: restaurantImage)
}
override func prepareForSegue(segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: AnyObject?) {
if segue.identifier == "showRestaurantDetail" {
if let indexPath = tableView.indexPathSelectedRow {
let destinationController = segue.destinationViewController as! RestaurantDetailViewController
destinationController.restaurantImage = restaurantImageView[indexPath.row]
}
}
}
}
The error is : Use of unresolved identifier 'tableView'
Looking for a solution.
Thanks,
The prepareForSegue method is obviously in the wrong class (copy and paste error?).
It belongs to the Master controller.
Do you have a tableview in your VIEWCONTROLLER ? If yes then create a IBOOutlet between your class and viewcontroller
you can see this question or this this for reference.
This behavior is called "scope" and is crucial to any programming language. Variables declared inside a method are neither visible outside it nor do they persist when that method has finished running. and in your case for creating tableView variable you have to create an IBOoutlet or you can define it programmatically too you can get more detail from here
and here

How to pass a string between viewcontrollers with out the use of a SEGUE

Recently I have been making a app where you can create and quiz yourself on definitions or anything for that matter. I pass data to the next view after it the user hits the create button to make the title of the new notecard. The code I am using right now for that is:
override func prepareForSegue(segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: AnyObject?) {
let DestViewController: Card1 = segue.destinationViewController as! Card1
DestViewController.Content = Notetitle.text!
self.saved = self.Notetitle.text!
}
All of that works but, it will only work if I have a segue between viewcontrollers. I need to be able to pass that data with out a segue because I want the user to be able to create as many notecards as they want and the way I am trying to do that now is by using this code to make a copy of the UIView and then put in the new data (a master view). The new view can only be create using an IBAction. The prepare for segue I cannot use in the IBAction because it is it's own override function.
This is the code I am using to make a the new view:
let newCard =
self.storyboard!.instantiateViewControllerWithIdentifier("Main")
self.presentViewController(newCard, animated: true, completion:nil)
My hope is that I will be able to make a new view and then pass in the data pass in the data that the user just made to go on the notecard. (Hope this makes any sense at all)
MAIN TOPICS: -Create a new view and pass in new data Problem: Can pass data without a segue dont have one :/ -Be able to pass data between view controllers without a segue :)
I am new to all of this about 5 months. All of my code is in swift. Take it easy on me please. Feel free to ask me with any questions or comments. I have already posted a question on this but I didnt get an answer so have at it.
Thanks, Lucas Mazza
Don't use global variables unless you really need to. Making global static singleton's does not follow best practices. For more information read: What is so bad about singletons?
A better solution
You can use the protocol delegate pattern. I've actually written an article on this topic here:
https://www.codebeaulieu.com/36/Passing-data-with-the-protocol-delegate-pattern
You'll need a protocol that defines a function that will accept data. Then your other view controller will need to implement the delegate. If you need step-by-step details see the link provided above, alternatively you can simply download the project below and examine the code.
Download Working Example Project
Here's the code to make your protocol-delegate pattern work:
View Controller 1:
class ViewController: UIViewController, PresentedViewControllerDelegate {
#IBOutlet weak var textOutlet: UILabel!
#IBAction func doPresent(sender: AnyObject) {
let pvc = storyboard?.instantiateViewControllerWithIdentifier("PresentedViewController") as! PresentedViewController
pvc.data = "important data sent via delegate!"
pvc.delegate = self
self.presentViewController(pvc, animated: true, completion: nil)
}
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
// Do any additional setup after loading the view, typically from a nib.
}
override func didReceiveMemoryWarning() {
super.didReceiveMemoryWarning()
// Dispose of any resources that can be recreated.
}
func acceptData(data: AnyObject!) {
self.textOutlet.text = "\(data!)"
}
}
View Controller 2:
import UIKit
// place the protocol in the view controller that is being presented
protocol PresentedViewControllerDelegate {
func acceptData(data: AnyObject!)
}
class PresentedViewController: UIViewController {
// create a variable that will recieve / send messages
// between the view controllers.
var delegate : PresentedViewControllerDelegate?
// another data outlet
var data : AnyObject?
#IBOutlet weak var textFieldOutlet: UITextField!
#IBAction func doDismiss(sender: AnyObject) {
if textFieldOutlet.text != "" {
self.presentingViewController!.dismissViewControllerAnimated(true, completion: nil)
}
}
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
print("\(data!)")
// Do any additional setup after loading the view.
}
override func didReceiveMemoryWarning() {
super.didReceiveMemoryWarning()
// Dispose of any resources that can be recreated.
}
override func viewWillDisappear(animated: Bool) {
super.viewWillDisappear(animated)
if self.isBeingDismissed() {
self.delegate?.acceptData(textFieldOutlet.text)
}
}
}