How to avoid Callback hell in iOS? - ios

Question

How do I avoid callback hell in the following or similar cases,
[self saveSomethingToTheServerWithCompletion:^(BOOL saveSucceeded) {
dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
[self dismissViewControllerAnimated:YES completion:^{
dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
if (saveSucceeded) {
[self showAlertControllerWithTitle:#"Message" message:#"Save successful."];
} else {
[self showAlertControllerWithTitle:#"Message" message:#"Save failed."];
}
});
}];
});
}];
My understanding is that dismissViewControllerAnimated:completion: and showAlertControllerWithTitle:message: must be executed on the main thread.

Answer 1

The question was fairly vague, so I'm taking a best guess at what you're asking. The only thing I can think of is that you're not happy with the nested calls. You can tidy that up with methods to an extent. e.g. you know that showing an alert always needs to be done on the main thread, so move the main thread code to your alert method:
[self saveSomethingToTheServerWithCompletion:^(BOOL saveSucceeded) {
dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
[self dismissViewControllerAnimated:YES completion:^{
NSString *message = saveSucceeded ? #"Save successful." : #"Save failed.";
[self showAlertControllerWithTitle:#"Message" message:message];
}];
});
}];
- (void)showAlertControllerWithTitle:(NSString *)title message:(NSString *)message {
dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
//Show alert;
}
}
Additionally, you could consider removing the completion block from the dismissViewControllerAnimated call. i.e. does your alert being shown really depend on whether or not the view controller has dismissed?
[self saveSomethingToTheServerWithCompletion:^(BOOL saveSucceeded) {
dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
NSString *message = saveSucceeded ? #"Save successful." : #"Save failed.";
[self showAlertControllerWithTitle:#"Message" message:message];
[self dismissViewControllerAnimated:YES completion:nil];
});
}];
Ultimately though, sometimes you just have to nest callbacks. There's nothing really wrong with that.
Edit: I also replaced your if statement with a ternary one without really thinking about it. Not sure if you count that as "callback hell".

Answer 2

You can try something like this
[self saveSomethingToTheServerWithCompletion:^(BOOL saveSucceeded) {
dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
NSString *strMsg = saveSucceeded ? #"Save successful." : #"Save failed.";
UIAlertAction *okAction = [UIAlertAction actionWithTitle:#"OK" style:UIAlertActionStyleDefault handler:^(UIAlertAction * _Nonnull action) {
dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
[self dismissViewControllerAnimated:YES completion:^{
}];
});
}];
[self showAlertWithTitle:#"Message" message:strMsg actions:#[okAction]];
});
}];
- (void)showAlertWithTitle:(NSString * _Nonnull)title message:(NSString * _Nonnull)msg actions:(NSArray * _Nonnull)actions {
UIAlertController *alertVC = [UIAlertController alertControllerWithTitle:title message:msg preferredStyle:UIAlertControllerStyleAlert];
for (UIAlertAction *action in actions) {
[alertVC addAction:action];
}
[self presentViewController:alertVC animated:true completion:nil];
}
So on callback it will show alert with message and on ok button top alert will dismiss and also dismiss the presented view controller. So it will be on main thread.

Answer 3

You don't have to wrap dismissViewControllerAnimated: with callback in main thread because it's already in main thread, also try to avoid duplicated code:
[self saveSomethingToTheServerWithCompletion:^(BOOL saveSucceeded) {
dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
[self dismissViewControllerAnimated:YES completion:^{
NSString *messageContent = saveSucceeded ? #"Save successful." : #"Save failed.";
[self showAlertControllerWithTitle:#"Message" message:messageContent];
}];
});
}];