Customize a simple UITableViewCell efficiently - ios

Question

I would like to customize a simple UITableViewCell so that I run the customization only once and add values (e.g., cell title) later. My app's cell is more complex - it has subviews and uses auto layout; however, a simple example, I believe, will help in focusing on the objective.
I am using iOS 8, Xcode 6.X, Objective-C and Nibs (no storyboard) to keep it simple. I have not created a custom class for UITableViewCell. Instead, I have the following code:
- (void)viewDidLoad {
[super viewDidLoad];
//[self.tableView registerClass:[UITableViewCell class] forCellReuseIdentifier:#"Cell"];
}
- (NSInteger)numberOfSectionsInTableView:(UITableView *)tableView {
return 1; //FIXED VALUE FOR EXAMPLE'S SAKE
}
- (NSInteger)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView numberOfRowsInSection:(NSInteger)section {
return 3; //FIXED VALUE FOR EXAMPLE'S SAKE
}
- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath {
NSLog(#"tableView:cellForRowAtIndexPath:");
static NSString *CellIdentifier = #"Cell";
UITableViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:CellIdentifier];
//UITableViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:CellIdentifier forIndexPath:indexPath];
if (cell == nil) {
NSLog(#"cell == nil");
cell = [[UITableViewCell alloc] initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleDefault reuseIdentifier:CellIdentifier];
//CUSTOMIZING CELL THAT I WANT TO RUN ONLY ONCE
cell.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor];
}
NSArray *numbersArray = #[#1,#2,#3];
cell.textLabel.text = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#", numbersArray[indexPath.row]];
return cell;
}
Which outputs:
tableView:cellForRowAtIndexPath:
cell == nil
tableView:cellForRowAtIndexPath:
cell == nil
tableView:cellForRowAtIndexPath:
cell == nil
FIRST QUESTION: Why is cell == nil run 3 times? It seems wasteful to run the customization code cell.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor]; 3 times.
Now, when I enable:
[self.tableView registerClass:[UITableViewCell class] forCellReuseIdentifier:#"Cell"];
And use:
UITableViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:CellIdentifier forIndexPath:indexPath];
Instead of:
UITableViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:CellIdentifier];
I get the output:
tableView:cellForRowAtIndexPath:
tableView:cellForRowAtIndexPath:
tableView:cellForRowAtIndexPath:
SECOND QUESTION: Why isn't cell == nil run at all?
FINAL QUESTIONS: How can I make cell == nil run only once so that I format the UITableViewCell only once? Is there a better way to customize a simple cell, running the customization code only once?

Answer 1

Why is cell == nil run 3 times? It seems wasteful to run the customization code cell.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor]; 3 times.
The table view most likely displays three cells at once, hence requiring three distinct cell objects.
Why isn't cell == nil run at all?
The documentation states that -dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:forIndexPath: always returns a valid cell if you registered the identifier previously. It basically takes care of checking if a new cell is required for you.
How can I make cell == nil run only once so that I format the UITableViewCell only once?
You don't. You will have to customize every single instance. I would recommend to use a custom subclass though, rather then messing with UITableViewCell from the outside.

Answer 2

The best way to do this, is to create a custom class for your cell, and do any customization that isn't dependent on the indexPath there. Usually, I do this in initWithCoder or awakeFromNib. You should register the nib in viewDidLoad; I don't see anything wrong with the code you mention in your comment to Christian's answer, unless the name of the file is wrong. It really isn't the view controller's business to be adding subviews or customizing your cell; that code belongs in the cell's class.
BTW, this doesn't keep the customization code from running multiple times. It needs to run once for each cell instance that you create, just like it does in your original code. The number of cells created will be equal to the number that fit on the screen at one time (plus one maybe).