Can't access and set Text of UILabel in a programmatically loaded XIB

Question

This is my first time posting on StackOverflow - been pulling my hair out on this one for too long. Hoping the community here can help.

I've setup a UIScrollView/PageControl to page through 4 pages. I'm trying to load a .xib into the ScrollView 4 times, each time with a different text and image.

Unfortunately, I'm able to load the xib, but not able to change the text/image, I'm not sure why. I think it might have something to do with not being able to access the UILabel of the loaded NIB in my ViewController.

Here's the .h file of the CardView.xib (CardView.h):

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>

@interface BMTutorialCardView : UIView

@property (strong, nonatomic) IBOutlet UIView *contentView;
@property (weak, nonatomic) IBOutlet UIImageView *cardImage;
@property (weak, nonatomic) IBOutlet UILabel *cardLabel;

@end

And here's the CardView.m file:

#import "CardView.h"

@implementation CardView

- (id)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame
{
    self = [super initWithFrame:frame];
    if (self) {
        // Initialization code
        UIView *xibView = [[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:@"BMTutorialCardView" owner:self options:nil] objectAtIndex:0];
        [self addSubview:xibView];
    }
    return self;
}
@end

I hooked up both the UIImageView and UILabel outlets from the xib to CardView.h.

Now in my ViewController, I add the xib 4 times into my scrollView:

@implementation BMViewController

- (void)viewDidLoad
{
    [super viewDidLoad];
    for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
        CGRect frame;
        frame.origin.x = self.scrollView.frame.size.width * i;
        frame.origin.y = 0;
        frame.size = self.scrollView.frame.size;

        CardView *subview = [[BMTutorialCardView alloc] initWithFrame:frame];

        //The following line doesn't change the text.
        subview.cardLabel.text = @"This line doesn't change the text on the label";
        [self.scrollView addSubview:subview];
    }

    self.scrollView.contentSize = CGSizeMake(self.scrollView.frame.size.width * 4, self.scrollView.frame.size.height);
}

I'm not sure why subview.cardLabel.text doesn't actually change the text. It seems like subview.cardLabel is nil, but I clearly see the UILabel with the default text that I had in the xib when iOS simulator is run.

Not sure of an answer but `@implementation CardView` looks strange. How are `CardView` and `BMTutorialCardView` supposed to be related? — Phillip Mills, Dec 09 '13 at 02:26
Sorry - bad copy and paste. They're the same thing. Thanks for all the help all, got it to work. Looks like it was the view on top of another view problem. — user3081257, Dec 09 '13 at 04:32

Lyndsey Scott · Answer 1 · 2013-12-09T03:03:56.127

OK, assuming you've already created the xib in the interface builder and linked the IBOutlets, I think these lines in initWithFrame

UIView *xibView = [[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:@"BMTutorialCardView" owner:self options:nil] objectAtIndex:0];
[self addSubview:xibView];

are essentially creating a view on top of your view so although you're changing the label created in the interface, you're unable to see the changes because of the duplicate view you've layered on top of it all. Try taking out the lines I quoted above.

Edit: Also, like Phillip pointed out, why does the CardView.h say "BMTutorialCardView" and why are you initializing the view with a "BMTutorialCardView" xib when everything else in the .m and file names say "CardView"? Are there two separate classes you're confusing with one another? Actually, the more I look at your code, the more confused I get about what you're trying to do…

score 0 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:13

Replace these 2 lines:

UIView *xibView = [[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:@"BMTutorialCardView" owner:self options:nil] objectAtIndex:0];
[self addSubview:xibView];

With this:

self = [[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:@"CardView" owner:self options:nil] objectAtIndex:0];
self.frame = frame;

I don't think it's the best solution, but it should work in your situation without having to change too much.

...and as the others have already said, you need to check your class names (BMTutorialCardView vs CardView).

EDIT:

I think I prefer this approach. Make sure you change the File's Owner in your nib file to UIViewController and hook up its view outlet to your CardView (or whatever your UIView subclass is called).

Then you can remove the code that's not working in your initWithFrame: method altogether, and replace this line in your viewDidLoad:

CardView *subview = [[BMTutorialCardView alloc] initWithFrame:frame];

With this:

UIViewController *controller = [[UIViewController alloc] initWithNibName:@"CardView" bundle:nil];
CardView *subview = (CardView *)controller.view;
subview.frame = frame;

Can't access and set Text of UILabel in a programmatically loaded XIB

2 Answers2