Dynamic height for UITableView ( Not Cell ) - ios

Question

I'm trying to have a UITableView that lists all the different HomeKit devices a user has available.
Obviously there is no way to know how many devices they have, so I need to have the UITableView's height in the storyboard change.
I've tried this, which I call in the viewDidLoad() function:
func adjustHeightOfTableView() {
//getting the height of the tableview
var tableHeight = self.tableView.contentSize.height
//the height of the content inside the view
var maxHeight = self.tableView.superview?.frame.size.height
//if the height of the content is bigger then the height of the tableview
if (maxHeight! > tableHeight) {
tableHeight = maxHeight!
//set the tableview height to be the content height
}
//trying to reload the tableview height?
self.view.layoutIfNeeded()
self.tableView.reloadData()
}
I am trying to have some UI Elements under the tableview, and I want them to be a set space from the bottom of the tableview, but also have the tableview be the height that it needs to be, for whatever amount of cells there is.
But it's just not working.
If I'm doing anything wrong, or if anyone knows how to make this work, please let me know.
Thanks!

Answer 1

Note: For this approach you need to have static cell height or figure out a way to know before hand whats the total contentsize height
Assuming you are using constraints, create following constraints on your UITableView (apart from leading and trailing!)
Add a height constraint with a priority of 750 and a bottom spacing constraint of 0 to your super view that will be >= 0 and have a priority of 1000. Create outlet for this height constraint that you created in your UIViewController
Now,
func adjustHeightOfTableView() {
//set the height to be equal to the number of elements multiplied by the height of each cell.
//or use some logic that allows you to know what content size or space the cells will occupy!
tableViewHeightConstraint.constant = dataArray.count * rowHeight
view.layoutIfNeeded()
}
Now if your UITableView height is less than super view, no problems! But if it is greater than screen bounds, it will break the height constraint and become full screen and display the content normally as you expect a UITableView to!
Edit:
Even if you are using UIAutomaticRowDimensions what you can do is add constraints programmatically to your UITableView. i.e
Of course all your other views will still have a bottom constraint to your UITableView.
Create a UITableView in your storyboard with normal leading, trailing, top and bottom to the super view. Fetch the data. Get the contentSize for your UITableView and then remove the bottom constraint. Now add a height constraint that will be the minimum value of your UIScreen.main().bounds.size.height and contentSize.

Answer 2

you can use Automatic Dimensions if you are using autolayouts
in view didload:
let nib = UINib(nibName: "YOURCELLNIB", bundle: nil)
tableView.registerNib(nib, forCellReuseIdentifier: "REUSEIDENTIFIER")
tableView.rowHeight = UITableViewAutomaticDimension
tableView.estimatedRowHeight = 140
Remove the function
func tableView(tableView: UITableView, heightForRowAtIndexPath indexPath: NSIndexPath)

Answer 3

In your code, you have:
tableHeight = maxHeight!
//set the tableview height to be the content height
But this does not change the table height - it only changes some variable that previously was assigned the value of the old table content height. Nowhere in your code do you actually do anything to change the table height.
One way to change the table height directly is to assign it a completely new frame with values from the old frame, except for the frame's height, which you calculate however you like.
Try something like this (adding whatever other logic you need):
oldFrame = self.tableView.frame
newHeight = rowCount * rowHeight
self.tableView.frame = CGRectMake(oldFrame.origin.x, oldFrame.origin.y, oldFrame.size.width, newHeight)

Answer 4

There is a workaround which can make it seems like the height changes according to the number of the cells.
set tableview height to a proper value when init.
UITableView.init(frame: CGRect.init(x: 0, y: 70, width: self.view.frame.width, height: self.view.frame.height - 350))
set the tableview background color white transparent.
pulldownTableView?.backgroundColor = UIColor.white.withAlphaComponent(0)
set tableFooterView.
pulldownTableView?.tableFooterView = UIView(frame: CGRect.zero)
Below is the result, there are two table in the img. I set the transparent for the front tableview, left img set the backgroundColor to white, right white transparent.
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