Data from firebase not populating in my table view - ios

Question

So I recently asked a question regarding firebase - but have refactored my code quite a bit as I wanted all of my firebase methods to be done in the same place. I am having the following issue after the refactor...
Data from my firebase database is not populating my tableview. I'm not too sure why this would be, as it was working fine before I moved the method to a separate file from my table view(for cleaner code). All I did was move the method that populates the array to a separate file, return an array and then reload the tableview after calling the method. Below is the code in question:
In my FireBaseMethods class
//-------------- POPULATE TABLE ARRAY -----------------//
public func populateConsumableTableArray() -> [Consumable]{
var tableArray = [Consumable]()
//let the object populate itself.
ref.child("Consumables").observe(.childAdded, with: { snapshot in
let dataChange = snapshot.value as? [String:AnyObject]
let aRequest = Consumable(aDict: dataChange!)
tableArray.append(aRequest)
})
return tableArray
}
In my ListOfConsumablesViewController table view class
class ListOfConsumablesViewController: UIViewController, UITableViewDataSource, UITableViewDelegate, UIImagePickerControllerDelegate, UINavigationControllerDelegate {
private var methods:MethodsForController = MethodsForController()
private var fireBaseMethods:FireBaseMethods = FireBaseMethods()
private var consumableArray = [Consumable]()
let picker = UIImagePickerController()
#IBOutlet weak var consumableTable: UITableView!
//-------------------- VIEW DID LOAD -----------------------//
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
//Trying to populate the table view here...
consumableArray = fireBaseMethods.populateConsumableTableArray()
consumableTable.reloadData()
self.consumableTable.dataSource = self
self.consumableTable.delegate = self
}
...
//---------------------- FUNCTIONS FOR TABLE VIEW CELLS & TABLE ----------------------//
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
print(consumableArray.count)
return consumableArray.count
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "consumableCell", for: indexPath) as! ConsumablesCell
cell.layer.borderWidth = 1
cell.layer.borderColor = UIColor.lightGray.cgColor
cell.backgroundColor = UIColor.white
cell.adapterType.text = consumableArray[indexPath.row].getType()
cell.count.text = String(consumableArray[indexPath.row].getCount())
if Int(consumableArray[indexPath.row].getCount()) ?? 0 <= 0{
cell.count.textColor = UIColor.red
}else{
cell.count.textColor = UIColor.black
}
cell.sku.text = consumableArray[indexPath.row].getSku()
return cell
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, heightForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> CGFloat {
return 90
}
}
As shown below, nothing populates in the table view... I'm assuming it's something to do with the method being in a separate file, but I'm not really sure why that would be?

Answer 1

Simple implementation of a completion handler
//-------------- POPULATE TABLE ARRAY -----------------//
public func populateConsumableTableArray(completion: #escaping (Consumable) -> Void) {
//let the object populate itself.
ref.child("Consumables").observe(.childAdded, with: { snapshot in
guard let dataChange = snapshot.value as? [String:AnyObject] else { return }
let aRequest = Consumable(aDict: dataChange)
completion(aRequest)
})
}
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
self.consumableTable.dataSource = self
self.consumableTable.delegate = self
//Trying to populate the table view here...
fireBaseMethods.populateConsumableTableArray { [unowned self] consumable in
self.tableArray.append(consumable)
DispatchQueue.main.async {
self.consumableTable.reloadData()
}
}
}