Create new view controller upon UICollectionViewCell clicked - ios

Question

I currently have a UICollectionView table with cells, I am trying to allow each cell that is created to have their own unique view controller. For example, when the UICollectionViewCell is tapped, the view controller shows for that specific cell. I know that I can create one viewcontroller and perform a segue to only that one view controller. That only covers one cell... If the user creates 25 cells... how do I make a view controller for each cell without making a segue? The code below is to create a cell.
// MARK: Create collection View cell with title, image, and rounded border
func collectionView(_ collectionView: UICollectionView, cellForItemAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UICollectionViewCell {
let cell = collectionView.dequeueReusableCell(withReuseIdentifier: "cell", for: indexPath) as! ChatCell
let object = objects[indexPath.row]
cell.chatLabel.text = object.title ?? ""
cell.chatImage.image = object.image
if let chatImagePath = object.imagePath {
if let imageURL = URL(string: chatImagePath) {
cell.chatImage.sd_setImage(with: imageURL)
}
}
cell.layer.borderWidth = 0.5
cell.layer.borderColor = UIColor.darkGray.cgColor
cell.layer.masksToBounds = true
cell.layer.cornerRadius = 8
return cell
}
func collectionView(_ collectionView: UICollectionView, numberOfItemsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
return objects.count
}
func collectionView(_ collectionView: UICollectionView, layout collectionViewLayout: UICollectionViewLayout, sizeForItemAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> CGSize {
let itemWidth = photoCollectionView.bounds.width
let itemHeight = photoCollectionView.bounds.height / 2
return CGSize(width: itemWidth, height: itemHeight)
}

Answer 1

In the comments under your question, you clarified that you really only have one basic type of view controller that you're transitioning to, but you want to make sure that you supply the correct information to it on the basis of which cell of the collection view you tapped on.
There are two basic approaches:
Easiest, in IB, create a segue from the collection view cell to the next scene in the storyboard, and then implement prepare(for:sender:) in the originating scene to pass whatever you need to that next scene.
For example, you might have a prepare(for:sender:) that does something like:
override func prepare(for segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: Any?) {
if let indexPath = collectionView?.indexPathsForSelectedItems?.first, let destination = segue.destination as? DetailsViewController {
destination.object = objects[indexPath.item]
}
}
Now, this makes a ton of assumptions (e.g. that my collection view has an array, objects, that my destination view controller is a DetailsViewController, that it has some object property, etc.), but hopefully it illustrates the basic idea.
You said you didn't want to use a segue. I'm not sure why, but, if you really don't want segue, then just use implement collectionView(_:didSelectItemAt:) and initiate the transition programmatically, however you want.