How do I get this UITableView to display? - ios

Question

I can't figure out how to get this UITableView to display.
The code creates the table fully programmatically except for the nib.
The nib is a simple cell that works in other UITableViews in the same app.
When the table view is created and added as a subview to the view and reloadData is called then numberOfSectionsInTableView: and tableView:numberOfRowsInSection: are both called. They both return 1. (I checked in the debugger.)
However tableView:cellForRowAtIndexPath: is never called.
I add the tableView to it's parent view with a NSLayoutConstraint that forces it's height, but nothing is displayed in that spot.
The view hierarchy debugger shows nothing in that spot and that there isn't a view on top of the table.
The app runs without any error or crashes.
I would appreciate your help.
#interface MyViewCell : UITableViewCell
#property (weak, nonatomic) IBOutlet UIButton *button;
#end
#implementation MyViewCell
#end
#interface MyDataTableEntry : NSObject
#property (nonatomic, strong) NSString* title;
#end
#implementation MyDataTableEntry
#end
#interface MyDataTable : NSObject <UITableViewDataSource, UITableViewDelegate>
#property (strong, nonatomic) UITableView *tableView;
#property (strong, nonatomic) NSArray *rows;
#property (strong, nonatomic) UINib* nib;
#end
#implementation MyDataTable
- (UINib*)getAndRegisterNib:(NSString*)reuseIdentifier {
UINib* nib = [UINib nibWithNibName:reuseIdentifier bundle:nil];
[self.tableView registerNib:nib forCellReuseIdentifier:reuseIdentifier];
return nib;
}
- (id)initWithRows:(NSArray*) rows andView:(UIView*)view {
if (self = [super init]) {
self.rows = rows;
self.tableView = [[UITableView alloc] initWithFrame:view.bounds style:UITableViewStylePlain];
self.nib = [self getAndRegisterNib:#"PrototypeCell"];
self.tableView.delegate = self;
self.tableView.dataSource = self;
self.tableView.backgroundColor = [UIColor grayColor];
}
return self;
}
- (NSInteger)numberOfSectionsInTableView:(UITableView *)tableView
{
return 1;
}
- (NSInteger)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView numberOfRowsInSection:(NSInteger)section
{
return self.rows.count;
}
- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
MyViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:#"PrototypeCell" forIndexPath:indexPath];
MyDataTableEntry* entry = self.rows[indexPath.row];
[cell.button setTitle:entry.name forState:UIControlStateNormal];
cell.button.backgroundColor = [UIColor blueColor];
return cell;
}
#end
Here is a snippet that creates the table:
MyDataTableEntry* entry = [[MyDataTableEntry alloc] init];
entry.title = #"hello";
self.dataTable = [[MyDataTable alloc] initWithRows:#[entry] andView:self.view];
[self.view addSubview:self.dataTable.tableView];
[self.dataTable.tableView setNeedsLayout];
[self.dataTable.tableView layoutIfNeeded];
[self.dataTable.tableView reloadData];

Answer 1

Without confirming in a debugger:
The problem is here:
self.dataTable = [[MyDataTable alloc] initWithRows:#[entry] andView:self.view];
[self.view addSubview:self.dataTable];
self.dataTable is an NSObject. The second line should read something like this:
[self.view addSubview:self.dataTable.tableView];
I would also suggest that you engage in some refactoring. MyDataTable is not a view. It's a controller. So rename to MyDataTableController. Then the bug would have been more obvious.
I would also ask why you are doing this in code? you are already using nibs. So why not go to storyboards. Doing that and using UITableViewController as a base class should enable you to remove a lot of the code and potential bugs.