Filling UITableView cell from remote database - ios

I am facing an issue with UITableView.
I want to dynamically fill its cells with data fetched from a remote database, so it takes some times before the data arrived.
Here is the code:
class MailBoxViewController: UIViewController, UITableViewDelegate, UITableViewDataSource {
#IBOutlet weak var tableView: UITableView!
var users: [NSDictionary] = []
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
// call to rest API code to get all users in [NSDictionary]
(...)
// set table view delegate and data source
self.tableView.delegate = self
self.tableView.dataSource = self
}
// set number of sections within table view
func numberOfSectionsInTableView(tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
return 1
}
// set number of rows for each section
func tableView(tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
if section == 0 {
return self.users.count
}
return 0
}
// set header title for each section
func tableView(tableView: UITableView, titleForHeaderInSection section: Int) -> String? {
if section == 0 {
return "Users"
}
}
// set cell content for each row
func tableView(tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAtIndexPath indexPath: NSIndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
// deque reusable cell
let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier("myCell", forIndexPath: indexPath) as UITableViewCell
// set item title
if indexPath.section == 0 {
cell.textLabel?.text = self.users[indexPath.row]["firstname"] as? String
}
return cell
}
}
The problem is that when tableView functions are called to set number of rows for each section and to set cell content for each row, my [NSDictionary] users is still empty.
How could I do to set rows and cells only after my call to rest API code to get all users in [NSDictionary] is finished?
Thank you for any feedback.
Regards

When you get the response from the API, you should set self.users = arrayOfUsersYouReceivedFromServer and then call self.tableView.reloadData(). This

After users is populated, call tableView.reloadData(). This will call your data source methods again.

When you're done fetching the users call tableView.reloadData().

Related

How can I divide my table view data in sections alphabetically using Swift? (rewritten)

I have a data source in this form:
struct Country {
let name: String
}
The other properties won't come into play in this stage so let's keep it simple.
I have separated ViewController and TableViewDataSource in two separate files. Here is the Data source code:
class CountryDataSource: NSObject, UITableViewDataSource {
var countries = [Country]()
var filteredCountries = [Country]()
var dataChanged: (() -> Void)?
var tableView: UITableView!
let searchController = UISearchController(searchResultsController: nil)
var filterText: String? {
didSet {
filteredCountries = countries.matching(filterText)
self.dataChanged?()
}
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
return filteredCountries.count
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "cell", for: indexPath)
let country: Country
country = filteredCountries[indexPath.row]
cell.textLabel?.text = country.name
return cell
}
}
As you can see there is already a filtering mechanism in place.
Here is the most relevant part of the view controller:
class ViewController: UITableViewController, URLSessionDataDelegate {
let dataSource = CountryDataSource()
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
dataSource.tableView = self.tableView
dataSource.dataChanged = { [weak self] in
self?.tableView.reloadData()
}
tableView.dataSource = dataSource
// Setup the Search Controller
dataSource.searchController.searchResultsUpdater = self
dataSource.searchController.obscuresBackgroundDuringPresentation = false
dataSource.searchController.searchBar.placeholder = "Search countries..."
navigationItem.searchController = dataSource.searchController
definesPresentationContext = true
performSelector(inBackground: #selector(loadCountries), with: nil)
}
The loadCountries is what fetches the JSON and load the table view inside the dataSource.countries and dataSource.filteredCountries array.
Now, how can I get the indexed collation like the Contacts app has without breaking all this?
I tried several tutorials, no one worked because they were needing a class data model or everything inside the view controller.
All solutions tried either crash (worst case) or don't load the correct data or don't recognise it...
Please I need some help here.
Thank you
I recommend you to work with CellViewModels instead of model data.
Steps:
1) Create an array per word with your cell view models sorted alphabetically. If you have data for A, C, F, L, Y and Z you are going to have 6 arrays with cell view models. I'm going to call them as "sectionArray".
2) Create another array and add the sectionArrays sorted alphabetically, the "cellModelsData". So, The cellModelsData is an array of sectionArrays.
3) On numberOfSections return the count of cellModelsData.
4) On numberOfRowsInSection get the sectionArray inside the cellModelsData according to the section number (cellModelsData[section]) and return the count of that sectionArray.
5) On cellForRowAtindexPath get the sectionArray (cellModelsData[indexPath.section]) and then get the "cellModel" (sectionArray[indexPath.row]). Dequeue the cell and set the cell model to the cell.
I think that this approach should resolve your problem.
I made a sample project in BitBucket that could help you: https://bitbucket.org/gastonmontes/reutilizablecellssampleproject
Example:
You have the following words:
Does.
Any.
Visa.
Count.
Refused.
Add.
Country.
1)
SectionArrayA: [Add, Any]
SectionArrayC: [Count, Country]
SectionArrayR: [Refused]
SectionArrayV: [Visa]
2)
cellModelsData = [ [SectionArrayA], [SectionArrayC], [SectionArrayR], [SectionArrayV] ]
3)
func numberOfSections(in tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
return self.cellModelsData.count
}
4)
public func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
let sectionModels = self.cellModelsData[section]
return sectionModels.count
}
5)
public func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
let sectionModels = self.cellModelsData[indexPath.section]
let cellModel = sectionModels[indexPath.row]
let cell = self.sampleCellsTableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "YourCellIdentifier",
for: indexPath) as! YourCell
cell.cellSetModel(cellModel)
return cell
}

UITableViewCell dequeuereusablecellwithidentifier returns the same cell

I am creating a UITableView that enables the user to add a variable amount of data. Table looks like this initially:
When the user clicks on the "+" button, i would like to add a new cell with a UITextField for entering data. This new cell is a Custom UITableViewCell called "RecordValueCell". Here's what is looks like:
//Custom UITableViewCell
class RecordValueCell : UITableViewCell {
#IBOutlet weak var textField: UITextField!
#IBOutlet weak var deleteButton: UIButton!
var onButtonTapped : ((_ sender : UIButton)->Void)?
#IBAction func deleteButtonTouched(_ sender: Any) {
guard let senderButton = sender as? UIButton else {
return
}
onButtonTapped?(senderButton)
}
}
However when i try to add another cell, using the tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: ) function, it seems to return the same cell. And here is what my UI looks like:
Empty space at the top of the section where my new cell should be. Here is the code to add the cell:
func addNewValueCell() {
guard let reusableValueCell = self.tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "valueCell") as? RecordValueCell else {
fatalError("failed to get reusable cell valueCell")
}
var cell = Cell() //some custom cell Object
//add the gray horizontal line you see in the pictures
reusableValueCell.textField.addBorder(toSide: .Bottom, withColor: UIColor.gray.cgColor, andThickness: 0.5)
reusableValueCell.onButtonTapped = { (sender) in
self.removeValue(sender: sender)
}
cell.cell = reusableValueCell
self.sections[self.sections.count - 1].cells.insert(cell, at: 0)
//When i put a break point at this spot, i find that reusableValueCell is the same object as the cell that is already being used.
tableView.reloadData()
reusableValueCell.prepareForReuse()
}
When i debug it, i find that dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: ) returns the exact same RecordValueCell multiple times.
Here is my cellForRowAt:
override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
guard let cell = self.sections[indexPath.section].cells[indexPath.row].cell else {
fatalError("error getting cell")
}
return cell
}
numberOfRowsInSection
override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
return self.sections[section].cells.count
}
First of all, you will need to set the View Controller Class that this table is contained in as the table's UITableViewDataSource
tableView.dataSource = self // view controller that contains the tableView
Create an array of strings as member of your View Controller class which contains the data for each cell:
var strings = [String]()
Then you will need to implement the following method for the UITableViewDataSource protocol:
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
return strings.count
}
You should also be dequeueing the cells in your cellForRowAt method like so:
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: yourIdentifier) as! YourCellClass
cell.textLabel = strings[indexPath.row]
return cell
}
Then whenever the user enters into the textField, their input will be appended to this array:
let input = textField.text
strings.append(input)
tableView.reloadData()
Once the data is reloaded, the cell will be added to the table automatically since the number of rows are defined by the String array's length and the label is set in the cellForRowAt method.
This feature is very easy to implement if you will do in a good way.
First, you have to create two TableCell. First to give the option to add a record with plus button and second for entering a value with textfield. Now always return first cell (AddRecordTableCell) in the last row in tableView, and return the number of rows according to entered values like
return totalValues.count + 1

Data not correctly getting populated in tableview sections

I am making an app in which I need this thing in one of the screens.
I have used the tableview with sections as shown in the code below
var sections = ["Adventure type"]
var categoriesList = [String]()
var items: [[String]] = []
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
categoryTableView.delegate = self
categoryTableView.dataSource = self
Client.DataService?.getCategories(success: getCategorySuccess(list: ), error: getCategoryError(error: ))
}
func getCategorySuccess(list: [String])
{
categoriesList = list
let count = list.count
var prevInitial: Character? = nil
for categoryName in list {
let initial = categoryName.first
if initial != prevInitial { // We're starting a new letter
items.append([])
prevInitial = initial
}
items[items.endIndex - 1].append(categoryName)
}
for i in 0 ..< count
{
var tempItem = items[i]
let tempSubItem = tempItem[0]
let char = "\(tempSubItem.first)"
sections.append(char)
}
}
func getCategoryError(error: CError)
{
print(error.message)
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, titleForHeaderInSection section: Int) -> String? {
return self.sections[section]
}
func numberOfSectionsInTableView(tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
return self.sections.count
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
return self.items[section].count
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
let cell = categoryTableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "tableCell", for: indexPath)
cell.textLabel?.text = self.items[indexPath.section][indexPath.row]
return cell
}
But it is producing runtime errors on return self.items[section].count
The reason for this error is because I am loading data (items array) is from server and then populating sections array after it. At the time when tableview gets generated, both the sections and items array is empty. That is why error occurs.
I am new to iOS and not getting grip over how to adjust data in sections of tableview.
Can someone suggest me a better way to do this?
What should be number of rows in section when I have no idea how much items server call will return?
Also i want to cover the case when server call fails and no data is returned. Would hiding the tableview (and showing error message) be enough?
Any help would be much appreciated.
See if this works: Make your data source an optional:
var items: [[String]]?
And instantiate it inside your getCategorySuccess and fill it with values. Afterwards call categoryTableView.reloadData() to reload your table view.
You can add a null check for your rows like this:
return self.items?[section].count ?? 0
This returns 0 as a default. Same goes for number of sections:
return self.items?.count ?? 0
In case the call fails I would show an error message using UIAlertController.
Your comment is incorrect: "At the time when tableview gets generated, both the sections and items array is empty. That is why error occurs."
According to your code, sections is initialized with one entry:
var sections = ["Adventure type"]
This is why your app crashes. You tell the tableview you have one section, but when it tries to find the items for that section, it crashes because items is empty.
Try initializing sections to an empty array:
var sections = [String]()
Already things should be better. Your app should not crash, although your table will be empty.
Now, at the end of getCategorySuccess, you need to reload your table to reflect the data retrieved by your service. Presumably, this is an async callback, so you will need to dispatch to the main queue to do so. This should work:
DispatchQueue.main.async {
self.categoryTableView.reloadData()
}

How to fill a Table View in Swift?

I have written this code:
//Basic methods
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
// Do any additional setup after loading the view, typically from a nib.
self.DevicesTableView.registerClass(UITableViewCell.self,forCellReuseIdentifier: "cell")
self.DevicesTableView.dataSource = self
}
var array = ["one","two"]
func tableView(tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int
{
return array.count
}
func tableView(tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAtIndexPath indexPath: NSIndexPath) -> UITableViewCell
{
let cell: UITableViewCell! = self.DevicesTableView
.dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier("cell") as UITableViewCell!
cell.textLabel!.text = self.array[indexPath.row]
return cell
}
So the code works pretty well and shows me the tableview filled with:
Row1 "One"
Row2 "Two"
But how can I fill the TableView not at the beginning of my program but anytime else? I tried to call the methods below in an other function that viewDidLoad but it doest't work... why?
self.DevicesTableView.registerClass(UITableViewCell.self,forCellReuseIdentifier: "cell")
self.DevicesTableView.dataSource = self
EDIT:
I would like to display an array which isn't initialized at the beginning of my program. It contains some BLE devices after the user searched for them.
Its very simple
Update your data in your array
Then reload your tableview by using
your_tableview.reloadData()
Ex:
var array = ["one","two","Three","Four"] // your array will take no.of.row in section
DevicesTableView.reloadData()
Table views have a reloadData method which does what you want.

Using UITableView with storyboard but separate datasource

EDIT Answer below in this post
I'm trying to set up a UITableView controller in storyboard, with a separate datasource, and I've hit a wall. The data source doesn't seem to respond to changes or push it's 'updates' to the table view. I've tried implementing the data source in the MainMenuTableViewController which worked fine.
This is my MainMenuTableViewController
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
sharedLightsManager.delegate = self
sharedLightsManager.loadNetworkContext()
dataSource = MainMenuTableViewDataSource(sharedLightsManager: sharedLightsManager)
tableView.dataSource = dataSource
tableView.delegate = dataSource
title = "test"
}
//This method fires each time a change happens
func updateLights(){
lights = sharedLightsManager.localNetworkContext.allLightsCollection.lights
tableView.reloadData()
}
MainMenuDataSource:
class MainMenuTableViewDataSource: NSObject, UITableViewDataSource, UITableViewDelegate
{
let reuseIdentifier = "tableViewCell"
var sharedLightsManager: SharedLightsManager?
var lights = []
init(sharedLightsManager: SharedLightsManager)
{
self.sharedLightsManager = sharedLightsManager
}
func numberOfSectionsInTableView(tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
return 1
}
func tableView(tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
return lights.count
}
func tableView(tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAtIndexPath indexPath: NSIndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
let cell: UITableViewCell = tableView.dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier("tableViewCell", forIndexPath: indexPath) as UITableViewCell
var lights = sharedLightsManager!.localNetworkContext.allLightsCollection.lights
var light = LFXLight()
if lights.count == 0 {
println("Lights array still loading...")
} else {
light = lights[indexPath.row] as LFXLight
}
return cell
}
}
and here is my outlets:
I've just figured it out. A bit embarrassing. It was due to the lights array not having any objects in it, so obv. lights.count would return 0, therefore no rows...
The data source will not push updates unless the UITableView is told to reloadData. If you change the numberOfRows value, it will not update unless the tableView is notified through methods like insertRowAtIndexPath, reloadData, deleteRowAtIndexPath etc.

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