Alignment in TableView Cell - ios

Question

I have been having alignment issues.The message label keeps over writing the time stamp and the username is disappearing. I have tried the suggested constraints but nothing has worked for me.
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "cell")
//Transform Data From ^ to load at the bottom
tableView.transform = CGAffineTransform (scaleX: 1,y: -1);
cell?.contentView.transform = CGAffineTransform (scaleX: 1,y: -1);
cell?.accessoryView?.transform = CGAffineTransform (scaleX: 1,y: -1);
//Set username label to display username
let usernameLabel = cell?.viewWithTag(1) as! UILabel
usernameLabel.text = generalRoomDataArr[indexPath.row].username
//Set message label to display message
let messageLabel = cell?.viewWithTag(2) as! UILabel
messageLabel.text = generalRoomDataArr[indexPath.row].message
messageLabel.numberOfLines = 0
//initialize UI Profile Image
let imageView = cell?.viewWithTag(3) as! UIImageView
//Make Porfile Image Cirlce
imageView.layer.cornerRadius = imageView.frame.size.width/2
imageView.clipsToBounds = true
//Set timeStampLabel to current time AGO
let timeStampLabel = cell?.viewWithTag(4) as! UILabel
timeStampLabel.text = generalRoomDataArr[indexPath.row].timeStamp
timeStampLabel.numberOfLines = 0
//Loading and change of Usesrs profile image on chat cell
let userProfileChatImage = generalRoomDataArr[indexPath.row].photoURL
//Load profile image(on cell) with URL & Alamofire Library
let downloadURL = NSURL(string: userProfileChatImage!)
imageView.af_setImage(withURL: downloadURL as! URL)
// your cell coding
return cell!
}
Problem
StoryBoard
//TableView Cell word wrap (Dynamic Text)
self.tableView.dataSource = self
self.tableView.delegate = self
self.tableView.estimatedRowHeight = 78
self.tableView.rowHeight = UITableViewAutomaticDimension
Do i need to set the time stamp label to 0 as well?
messageLabel.numberOfLines = 0

Answer 1

I used to use labels like you are using and found out about NSMutableAttributedString(). There are tons of videos and web pages that explain how it works. If there are people who like a specific one, they can link it in the comments! I use the attributedString with a UITextView in order to display everything (text-based) that I need. I defer to this video (beginning at 12:00 mins) on YouTube because it is difficult to explain in text. In order to tackle the problem of creating a UITableViewCell that fits varying amounts of text, you will want to drag in a UITextView that does not have a specific width or height constraint. This will allow it to change with the cell. Then, using the code you have...
self.tableView.estimatedRowHeight = 78
self.tableView.rowHeight = UITableViewAutomaticDimension
Your cells will dynamically change. One trick to get this working is to do the following steps:
1) Disable user interaction on the UITextView using isUserInteractionEnabled = false
2) Uncheck Editable and Selectable in the Interface Builder (Storyboard), as well as unchecking Scrolling Enabled in the IB.

Answer 2

If you've already captured all the constraints in that screenshot. I think you missed a vertical spacing constraint between timestamp label and message label. After add this constraint, you will also need to change vertical compress resistance and hugging priority for 1 of three labels. I recommend decrease message label's.