Create new UI elements programmatically - iphone

Question

I'd like to be able to create elements (like UIViews) when for example the user touches a button
NSMutableString *myVar = [NSMutableString stringWithFormat:#"_view%i", num];
UIView * newView = [self valueForKey:myVar];
but without adding all the
UIView * _view1;
UIView * _view2;
...
in the .h file (if only this is possible..)

Answer 1

You can use an NSMutableArray to hold them. Each time you create a new view just add it to the array.

Answer 2

Here's sample code that should do what you want.
#interface MyViewController ()
#property (strong, nonatomic) NSMutableArray *listChildViews;
#end
#implementation MyViewController
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
[super viewDidLoad];
self.listChildViews = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
}
- (IBAction)addChildViewTapped:(id)sender
{
int numChildViews = [self.listChildViews count];
++numChildViews;
// add new child view
NSString *labelForNewView = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"view %d", numChildViews];
CGFloat labelHeight = 28.0;
UILabel *childView = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(10, numChildViews*labelHeight, 120.0, labelHeight)];
childView.text = labelForNewView;
[self.listChildViews addObject:childView];
[self.view addSubview:childView];
}
#end

Answer 3

Here is code implementation of pauls answer:
- (IBAction)userTouchedButton:(id)sender{
for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
UIView *view = [[UIView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(x, y, width, height)];
[view setBackgroundColor:[UIColor redColor]];//to distinguish theseViews from other views
[view setTag:i];//to identified it later
[_array insertObject:view atIndex:i];// globleMutble array
[self.view addSubview:view];
}
}

Answer 4

You need not add your views in the .h file. Just instantiate before and where you add them
-(void) addButton
{
UIView *view = [self view];
UIButton *button1 = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeRoundedRect];
[button1 setTitle:#"My Button" forState:UIControlStateNormal];
UILabel *myLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 50, 0, 0)];
[myLabel setText:#"My Label"];
[button1 sizeToFit];
[myLabel sizeToFit];
[view addSubview:button1];
[view addSubview:myLabel];
}