What does MVC Even mean in the context of IOS? - ios

Question

I used to have a massive packed 8k+ line FeedViewController and anytime I wanted to change anything involving the look of statuses I had to change no less than a dozen viewcontrllers so I decided to try to refactor to follow a MVC type standard. I put most of the functionality in the tableviewcells so that I could just change the cell class instead of 12 files, now im hearing "you should keep your VIEWS dumb.....is this really so wrong?
//
// TriCornerFeedCell.m
//
//
#import "NSDate+TimeAgo.h"
#import "TriCornerFeedCell.h"
#import "AFNetworking.h"
#implementation TriCornerFeedCell
-(void)refreshGestureRecognizers{
while (self.gestureRecognizers.count) {
[self removeGestureRecognizer:[self.gestureRecognizers objectAtIndex:0]];
}
UITapGestureRecognizer *doubleTap = [[UITapGestureRecognizer alloc] initWithTarget:self action:#selector(processDoubleTap:)];
doubleTap.numberOfTapsRequired = 2;
[self addGestureRecognizer:doubleTap];
UILongPressGestureRecognizer *lpgr = [[UILongPressGestureRecognizer alloc]
initWithTarget:self action:#selector(handleLongPress:)];
lpgr.minimumPressDuration = 1.3; //seconds
lpgr.delegate = self;
[self addGestureRecognizer:lpgr];
}
-(void)refreshCell{
_sdmanager = [SDWebImageManager sharedManager];
//Set Name Label
self.NameLabel.text=[NSString stringWithFormat:#"%# %#",self.statusObject.first_name,self.statusObject.last_name];
//Set Message Label
if(self.statusObject.message!=nil){
self.StatusLabel.enabledTextCheckingTypes = NSTextCheckingTypeLink;
self.StatusLabel.text = self.statusObject.message;
self.StatusLabel.delegate = self;
[self checkForShoutoutsAndHashtags];
self.StatusLabel.lineBreakMode=0;
self.StatusLabel.numberOfLines=0;
//Cell.StatusLabel.text=[tempDictionary objectForKey:#"message"];
[self.StatusLabel sizeToFit];
}
//Set Date Label
NSDate *date = [[NSDate alloc] initWithTimeIntervalSince1970:self.statusObject.created];
self.timeLabel.text=[date timeAgo];
//Set Bump Views
if(self.statusObject.isBumped){
[self.bumpCornerBG setBackgroundImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"corner_bump_yellow.png"] forState:UIControlStateNormal];
}else{
[self.bumpCornerBG setBackgroundImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"corner_bump_grey.png"] forState:UIControlStateNormal];
}
self.bumpCount.text=[#(self.statusObject.bump_count) stringValue];
[self.bumpClearViewBtn addTarget:self action:#selector(bump:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
[self.bumpCornerBG addTarget:self action:#selector(bump:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
//Set Comment Related Views
if(self.statusObject.comment_count>0){
NSLog(#"COMMENT_COUNT:%d",self.statusObject.comment_count);
[self.commentCount setHidden:NO];
[self.miniCommentColorCircle setHidden:NO];
self.commentCount.text=[#(self.statusObject.comment_count) stringValue];
}else{
[self.commentCount setHidden:YES];
[self.miniCommentColorCircle setHidden:YES];
}
//Set Follow Btn Views
[self.followBtn.titleLabel setFont:[UIFont fontWithName:#"BloggerSans" size:14]];
[self.followBtn removeFromSuperview];
if(!self.statusObject.isFollowing){
[self.followBtn removeFromSuperview];
UIButton *followBtn= [[UIButton alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(235, 16, 75, 25)];
[followBtn setImage:nil forState:UIControlStateNormal];
followBtn.layer.cornerRadius =2; // this value vary as per your desire
[followBtn.titleLabel setFont:[UIFont fontWithName:#"BloggerSans" size:14.0f]];
followBtn.titleEdgeInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(3, 0, 0, 0);
followBtn.clipsToBounds = YES;
[followBtn setTitleColor:[self colorWithHexString:#"ff68a8"] forState:UIControlStateNormal];
followBtn.layer.borderWidth=1.5f;
followBtn.layer.borderColor=[[self colorWithHexString:#"ff68a8"] CGColor];
[followBtn setTitle:#"Follow" forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[followBtn addTarget:self action:#selector(follow) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
self.followBtn=followBtn;
[self addSubview:self.followBtn];
}
//Reset icon to default in case default==nill
[self bringSubviewToFront:self.DefaultImgBorder];
[self bringSubviewToFront:self.DefaultImgBtn];
UIImage *noDefault = [UIImage imageNamed:#"female_mini_no_default_icon.png"];
[self.DefaultImgBtn setBackgroundImage:noDefault forState:UIControlStateNormal];
//Attempt to create hexagon cropped default photo
UIImage *hex_img = [UIImage imageNamed:#"big_hex_thumb.png"];
UIImage *tan=[UIImage imageNamed:#"feed_grey.png"];
UIImage *finalBG= [self maskImage:tan withMask:hex_img];
[self.DefaultImgBorder setImage:finalBG];
NSURL *thumb_url=[NSURL URLWithString:[NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#%#",s3thumbURL,self.statusObject.thumb_img]];
#autoreleasepool {
[_sdmanager downloadWithURL:thumb_url
options:0
progress:^(NSInteger receivedSize, NSInteger expectedSize){}completed:^(UIImage *image, NSError *error, SDImageCacheType cacheType, BOOL finished){
if (image)
{
UIImage *thumbimg = image;
UIImage *hex_img = [UIImage imageNamed:#"big_hex_thumb.png"];
UIImage *noDefault = [UIImage imageNamed:#"female_mini_no_default_icon.png"];
[self.DefaultImgBtn setBackgroundImage:noDefault forState:UIControlStateNormal];
UIImage *finalImg= [self maskImage:thumbimg withMask:hex_img];
[self.DefaultImgBtn setBackgroundImage:finalImg forState:UIControlStateNormal ];
}
}];
}
[self.DefaultImgBtn removeTarget:nil
action:NULL
forControlEvents:UIControlEventAllEvents];
[self.DefaultImgBtn addTarget:self action:#selector(viewProfile:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
//Misc Stuff
[self setSelectionStyle:UITableViewCellSelectionStyleNone];
}
#pragma mark - Interaction Methods
-(void)follow{
[self.followSpinner removeFromSuperview];
[self.followBtn removeFromSuperview];
self.followSpinner = [[RTSpinKitView alloc] initWithStyle:RTSpinKitViewStyleFadingCircleAlt color: [self colorWithHexString:#"b4b4b2"] spinnerSize:25];
[self.followSpinner setFrame:CGRectMake(260,15,30,30)];
self.spinner.tag=9;
[self addSubview:self.followSpinner];
[self.statusObject follow];
}
-(void)handleLongPress:(UILongPressGestureRecognizer *)gestureRecognizer
{
if (self.indexPath != nil && gestureRecognizer.state == UIGestureRecognizerStateBegan) {
NSString*loggedin_uid = [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] objectForKey:#"uid"];
if([self.statusObject.IMPORT_SOURCE isEqualToString:#"INSTAGRAM"] || [self.statusObject.IMPORT_SOURCE isEqualToString:#"TWITTER"]){
if([loggedin_uid isEqualToString:#"1"] || [loggedin_uid isEqualToString:#"2"]){
[self.delegate showImportAdminControls:self.indexPath];
}
}else{
if([loggedin_uid isEqualToString:#"1"] || [loggedin_uid isEqualToString:#"2"]){
[self.delegate showAdminControls:self.indexPath];
}else if ([self.statusObject.uid isEqualToString:loggedin_uid]){
[self.delegate deletePostAlert:self.indexPath];
}
}
}
}
- (void) processDoubleTap:(UITapGestureRecognizer *)sender
{
if (sender.state == UIGestureRecognizerStateEnded)
{
if (self.indexPath)
{
self.statusObject.indexPath=self.indexPath;
if(!self.statusObject.isBumped){
int value = self.statusObject.bump_count+1;
self.statusObject.isBumped=YES;
self.statusObject.bump_count=value;
[self.bumpCount setText:[#(value) stringValue]];
[self.bumpCornerBG setBackgroundImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"corner_bump_yellow.png"] forState:UIControlStateNormal];
UIImageView *bumpBlowUpIcon=[[UIImageView alloc]initWithFrame:CGRectMake((self.frame.size.width/2)-5, (self.frame.size.height/2)-5, 10, 10)];
[bumpBlowUpIcon setImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"heart_yellow.png"]];
bumpBlowUpIcon.alpha=.2;
[self addSubview:bumpBlowUpIcon];
[UIView animateWithDuration:.8 delay:0 usingSpringWithDamping:.3 initialSpringVelocity:.3 options:UIViewAnimationOptionCurveEaseOut animations:^{
[bumpBlowUpIcon setFrame:CGRectMake((self.frame.size.width/2)-(self.frame.size.height/2), 0, self.frame.size.height, self.frame.size.height)];
bumpBlowUpIcon.alpha=.5;
}completion:^(BOOL finished) {
[bumpBlowUpIcon removeFromSuperview];
}];
}else{
int value = self.statusObject.bump_count-1;
self.statusObject.isBumped=NO;
self.statusObject.bump_count=value;
[self.bumpCount setText:[#(value) stringValue]];
[self.bumpCornerBG setBackgroundImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"corner_bump_grey.png"] forState:UIControlStateNormal];
}
[self.statusObject bump];
}
}
}
-(void)viewProfile{
}
-(void)viewHashtag{
}
#pragma mark - Misc Methods
- (UIImage*) maskImage:(UIImage *) image withMask:(UIImage *) mask
{
CGImageRef imageReference = image.CGImage;
CGImageRef maskReference = mask.CGImage;
CGImageRef imageMask = CGImageMaskCreate(CGImageGetWidth(maskReference),
CGImageGetHeight(maskReference),
CGImageGetBitsPerComponent(maskReference),
CGImageGetBitsPerPixel(maskReference),
CGImageGetBytesPerRow(maskReference),
CGImageGetDataProvider(maskReference),
NULL, // Decode is null
YES // Should interpolate
);
CGImageRef maskedReference = CGImageCreateWithMask(imageReference, imageMask);
CGImageRelease(imageMask);
UIImage *maskedImage = [UIImage imageWithCGImage:maskedReference];
CGImageRelease(maskedReference);
return maskedImage;
}
-(UIColor*)colorWithHexString:(NSString*)hex
{
NSString *cString = [[hex stringByTrimmingCharactersInSet:[NSCharacterSet whitespaceAndNewlineCharacterSet]] uppercaseString];
// String should be 6 or 8 characters
if ([cString length] < 6) return [UIColor grayColor];
// strip 0X if it appears
if ([cString hasPrefix:#"0X"]) cString = [cString substringFromIndex:2];
if ([cString length] != 6) return [UIColor grayColor];
// Separate into r, g, b substrings
NSRange range;
range.location = 0;
range.length = 2;
NSString *rString = [cString substringWithRange:range];
range.location = 2;
NSString *gString = [cString substringWithRange:range];
range.location = 4;
NSString *bString = [cString substringWithRange:range];
// Scan values
unsigned int r, g, b;
[[NSScanner scannerWithString:rString] scanHexInt:&r];
[[NSScanner scannerWithString:gString] scanHexInt:&g];
[[NSScanner scannerWithString:bString] scanHexInt:&b];
return [UIColor colorWithRed:((float) r / 255.0f)
green:((float) g / 255.0f)
blue:((float) b / 255.0f)
alpha:1.0f];
}
#end

Answer 1

Ok. I've tried to merge all comments to a suitable answer.
When you want to stick to the MVC pattern you should keep your views as dumb as possible (regarding the coupling of view- and business-related components). In the best case they should not contain any business logic.
That implies that they also should not know anything about business objects (the model). As long as your statusObject in self.StatusLabel.text = self.statusObject.message; is anything else than a Data Transfer Object it is not a good idea to let the cells retrieve their values on their own - because then these cells would need to have knowledge about your model structure.
Usually each view does have its own view controller but - of course - you're allowed to compose your view controllers with functionality they need.
For example: if some view controllers need data you could introduce a separate (view related) component which will provide that data (e.g. by creating and returning cells). This component would be fed with your model data (or Data Transfer Objects) and would return a structure which could be used by all view controllers who need those information.