Display image when UITableView is empty

Question

I'm trying to display an image when my UITableView is empty, but for some reason the code won't run when the tableView is empty, though it's fine when there are cells:

// Configures cell
override func tableView(tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAtIndexPath indexPath: NSIndexPath, object: PFObject!) -> (PFTableViewCell!) {
    let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier("upcomingCell", forIndexPath: indexPath) as! UpcomingTVCell
    cell.configureCell(object)

    //makes it so the separators won't dissapear on us
    self.tableView.separatorStyle = UITableViewCellSeparatorStyle.None
    self.tableView.separatorStyle = UITableViewCellSeparatorStyle.SingleLine

    if (self.objects?.count == nil) {
        println("test")
        UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(self.view.frame.size);
        UIImage(named: "homeZero")?.drawInRect(self.view.bounds)
        var backImage: UIImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
        UIGraphicsEndImageContext();
        self.tableView.backgroundColor = UIColor(patternImage: backImage)

        } else {
        self.tableView.backgroundColor = UIColor.whiteColor()
        println("this other code ran")

    }

    return cell
}

I've tried self.objects?.count == 0, I've tried using numberOfRowsInSection, and I've tried visibleCells.

What am I missing?

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 02 '15 at 23:56

1

If there is no objects in the datasource, the function above will not be called. Hence you need to find another place to do it. If your datasource is static (no delete or add operations), I suggest to check if the datasource is empty in viewDidLoad. If the datasource could be changed, then I suggest to do it in the function where you delete the object from datasource. Every time you delete an object, you check the datasource, if it becomes empty then show the image.

answered Jul 02 '15 at 23:56

Eric Qian

2,246
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It doesn't work in the viewDidLoad function either. Unless you mean something different by check if the data source is empty in viewDidLoad. – Z-Man Jones Jul 02 '15 at 23:59
OK, in your console did you see "test" being printed out? Just want to make sure it is hitting the if case – Eric Qian Jul 03 '15 at 00:06
No it's not. Either the "this other code ran" is printed when the tableview has cells, or the code doesn't run at all. – Z-Man Jones Jul 03 '15 at 00:36
Since the `objects` is an optional value, so you need to add an extra check in your if statement: `if (self.objects?.count == nil || self.objects?.count == 0)`. The first half is true when `objects` is nil, and the second half is true when `objects` is not nil but have no elements in there. – Eric Qian Jul 03 '15 at 01:07

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 03 '15 at 00:00

0

In your numberOfRowsInSection delegate check self.objects?.count if it is equal to 0 (no data) then return 1 else return the count as the number of rows in your table. This will allow the cellForRowAtIndexPath delegate to fire, even where there is not data so you can show your image.

answered Jul 03 '15 at 00:00

rmp

3,503
1
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Where do I find my `numberOfRowsInSection` delegate? Do I have to write it? – Z-Man Jones Jul 03 '15 at 00:04
It has to be implemented as part of the `TableViewDelegate` – pbush25 Jul 03 '15 at 00:15

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 03 '15 at 01:01

I subclass UITableView with slight modification. If a section contains no cells, then the table shows placeholder view.

class PlaceholderTableView: UITableView {
    @IBOutlet var placeholder: UIView?
    @IBInspectable var emptiableSection:Int = 0


    override func reloadData() {
        super.reloadData()
        let count = self.numberOfRowsInSection(emptiableSection)
        self.placeholder?.hidden =  (count != 0)
    }


}

Display image when UITableView is empty

3 Answers3