Change title of backbutton - iphone

Question

I need to change the default title value of the back button in a navigationcontroller to something else.
I am trying this with the following code:
UIBarButtonItem *newBackButton = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithTitle: #"Terug" style: UIBarButtonItemStyleBordered target:nil action:nil];
self.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = newBackButton;
[newBackButton release];
i also tried:
UIBarButtonItem *newBackButton = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithTitle: #"Terug" style: UIBarButtonItemStylePlain target:nil action:nil];
self.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = newBackButton;
[newBackButton release];
I am using this code at the end of the viewDidLoad.
I am able to create a normal button (square) with the following code:
UIBarButtonItem *newBackButton = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithTitle: #"Terug" style: UIBarButtonItemStyleBordered target:nil action:nil];
self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = newBackButton;
[newBackButton release];
The problem with this solution is that I need to create a seperate method that pop's the view controller. Another issue would be the shape of the button, I need an arrow shaped button.
do you have any idea?

Answer 1

If you want to have a custom back button you need to create new one and assign a new selector to it.
The backBarButtonItem is not editable, so you need to set the leftBarButtonItem.
This is how you can create a custom back button
UIButton *button = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeCustom];
[button setTitle:NSLocalizedString(#"Back", nil) forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[button setBackgroundImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"back.png"] forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[button addTarget:navigationController action:#selector(backAction:)forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
UIBarButtonItem *backButton = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithCustomView:button];
navigationController.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = backButton;
[backButton release];
And this is the selector to simulate the back button
- (IBAction)backAction:(id)sender
{
[self.navigationController popViewControllerAnimated:YES];
}

Answer 2

There is a simple solution
lets say you are moving from viewA to viewB
just before moving from viewA to viewB change the title of viewA
for example:
-(void)moveToViewB
{
// Add this line
self.title = #"Terug";
// and push the new view as normal
[self.navigationController pushViewController:viewB animated:NO];
}

Answer 3

Call this button from your 'viewDidLoad' method.
- (void)addCustomBackButton {
/* enter your image name and size here */
UIImage *backImage = [UIImage imageNamed:#"back_btn.png"];
CGRect buttonRect = CGRectMake(5.0f, 0.0f, 12.0f, 20.0f);
/* enter your image name and size here */
UIButton *backButton = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeCustom];
[backButton addTarget:self action:#selector(backAction) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside]; // implemeent 'backAction' method in each VC
[backButton setFrame:buttonRect];
UIImageView *imageView = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithImage:backImage];
[imageView setFrame:buttonRect];
[backButton addSubview:imageView];
UIBarButtonItem *homeButtonItem = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithCustomView:backButton];
self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = homeButtonItem;
}
[Or, make it a class method of a 'Utitlity' class and call it as a class method in each viewContorller it is required.]
Also, don't forget to implement the 'backAction', something like this:
- (void)backAction
{
[self.navigationController popViewControllerAnimated:YES];
}
Happy coding!