iOS: Custom view with xib

Question

I'm missing something important. Not exactly sure what it is.

I have a custom view subclass. I created a xib file to design its layout. I connected four buttons as outlets to the class.

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>

@interface MCQView : UIView
@property (strong, nonatomic) IBOutlet UIButton *btn1;
@property (strong, nonatomic) IBOutlet UIButton *btn2;
@property (strong, nonatomic) IBOutlet UIButton *btn3;
@property (strong, nonatomic) IBOutlet UIButton *btn4;

I then have

#import "MCQView.h"

@implementation MCQView
@synthesize btn1,btn2,btn3,btn4;

- (id)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame
{
    self = [super initWithFrame:frame];
    if (self) {
        [self addSubview:[[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:@"MCQView" owner:self options:nil] objectAtIndex:0]];
            NSLog(@"%@", btn1);

    return self;
}

I then add the view to another view controller via: initWithFrame.

When I try to log btn1, to see if it exists, it prints null. I assume that its because I haven't initialized it, but I'm not exactly sure how to do that, considering that if I create it as a new button then all of the stuff in the xib will be useless?

ArtSabintsev · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-21T19:15:47.967

13

Edited Response:

Oh wait, you're trying to initialize the view within your class? Don't do that.

In Interface Builder, set the Class of MCQview.xib in to MCQView to automatically create the connection. The, connect all your buttons, if you haven't already.

Afterwards, you'll be able to edit the properties automatically as you see fit.

enter image description here

Original Response

I'm doing this from memory, but I think you it should be done like this:

NSArray *nib = [[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:@"MCQView" owner:self options:nil];

UIView *view = [[UIView alloc] init]; // or if it exists, MCQView *view = [[MCQView alloc] init];

view = (UIView *)[nib objectAtIndex:0]; // or if it exists, (MCQView *)[nib objectAtIndex:0];

[self.view addSubview:view];

edited Sep 21 '13 at 19:15

answered Sep 21 '13 at 00:21

ArtSabintsev

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I don't quite understand. How do then instantiate that view from another view controller? With the custom xib. – JoshDG Sep 21 '13 at 01:37
To instantiate the view in another view controller, use the code under the **Original Response** header. – ArtSabintsev Sep 21 '13 at 02:36
Ah, that works. How do I go about initializing the custom view? – JoshDG Sep 21 '13 at 06:37
What are you trying to initialize exactly? To set information on the views properties just call them via their accessor methods. As an example, `[view.btn1 addTarget...]` – ArtSabintsev Sep 21 '13 at 14:03
1

Why do you create this "UIView *view = [[UIView alloc] init];" – Andrew Paul Simmons Feb 24 '16 at 13:28
3 years ago, you had to pass in an empty, initialized view. These days, returning nil works, i think. – ArtSabintsev Feb 24 '16 at 16:06

score 4 · Answer 2 · edited Feb 11 '14 at 11:00

4

This should be simple:

view = [[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:@"MCQView" owner:self options:nil] objectAtIndex:0]

edited Feb 11 '14 at 11:00

Navnath Godse

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answered Jan 27 '14 at 18:41

Chandu

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score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 17 '15 at 04:34

1

For Swift (2):

    var nib = NSBundle.mainBundle().loadNibNamed("MCQView", owner: self, options: nil)
    view : MCQView = nib[0] as! MCQView
    self.view.addSubview(view)

answered Sep 17 '15 at 04:34

Motoko

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score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 21 '13 at 00:19

0

You are right that you don't need to init the buttons with the XIB. Try using initWithNibName instead of loadNibNamed.

answered Sep 21 '13 at 00:19

Dan Loughney

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UIView does not respond to initWithNibName: – ArtSabintsev Sep 21 '13 at 00:23
Yea i think thats for view controllers – JoshDG Sep 21 '13 at 00:25

iOS: Custom view with xib

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