CustomTableViewCell Properties aren't being set (they are nil) - ios

Question

I have a customTableViewCell that I am trying to set an image and some text on. The cell is created successfully, but the properties are nil. I'm not sure if there is something I'm missing in the .xib, but I just can't figure it out. The outlets are set in the .h of the customViewCell and connected in the .xib
-(UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath {
static NSString *cellIdentifier = #"socialMediaCell";
CustomSocialMediaTableViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:cellIdentifier];
CustomSocialMediaTableViewCell *tagCell = (CustomSocialMediaTableViewCell*)[tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:#"socialMediaCell"];
if (cell == nil) {
cell = [[CustomSocialMediaTableViewCell alloc]
initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleDefault reuseIdentifier:cellIdentifier];
tagCell = [[CustomSocialMediaTableViewCell alloc] initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleDefault reuseIdentifier:cellIdentifier];
}
NSData* imageData = [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] objectForKey:#"socialPosts"];
UIImage* image = [UIImage imageWithData:imageData];
cell.socialMediaTextView.text = #"TEXT";
cell.socialMediaImageView.image = image;
return cell;
}

Answer 1

You are referencing the same CustomTableViewCell twice and then you are allocating things to it:
static NSString *cellIdentifier = #"socialMediaCell";
****Declared once here****
CustomSocialMediaTableViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:cellIdentifier];
****Declared a second time here***
CustomSocialMediaTableViewCell *tagCell = (CustomSocialMediaTableViewCell*)[tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:#"socialMediaCell"];
Use the first declared cell and remove the second.
Then you are saying if the cell is empty, style it and you have done that twice. Do it once.
if (cell == nil) {
cell = [[CustomSocialMediaTableViewCell alloc]
initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleDefault];
}
Then you can add and assign the things you need.
I have a feeling that you may have tried to do this a more difficult way by modern methods by creating a .xib for it when you can just select the TableViewCell in your storyboard and set it's class. Then you can ctrl + drag from your UILabel and UIImage to your .h file.
If you do not wish to do this or have not structured it this way ensure that your referenced UILabel and UIImage are connected properly and that you have declared an IBOutlet for both - like so
#property (nonatomic, weak) IBOutlet UILabel * customText;

Answer 2

Edit inside if (cell==nil) with the below code
if (cell == nil) { //Check cell is nil or not
NSArray *nib;
nib = [[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"CustomSocialMediaTableViewCell"
owner:self options:nil]; //if cell is nil add CustomSocialMediaTableViewCell Xib
for (id oneObject in nib) if ([oneObject isKindOfClass:[CustomSocialMediaTableViewCell class]])
cell = (CustomSocialMediaTableViewCell *)oneObject;
}