If no Table View results, display "No Results" on screen - ios

Question

I have a tableview, where sometimes there might not be any results to list, so I would like to put something up that says "no results" if there are no results (either a label or one table view cell?).
Is there an easiest way to do this?
I would try a label behind the tableview then hide one of the two based on the results, but since I'm working with a TableViewController and not a normal ViewController I'm not sure how smart or doable that is.
I'm also using Parse and subclassing as a PFQueryTableViewController:
#interface TableViewController : PFQueryTableViewController
I can provide any additional details needed, just let me know!
TableViewController Scene in Storyboard:
EDIT: Per Midhun MP, here's the code I'm using
- (NSInteger)numberOfSectionsInTableView:(UITableView *)tableView
{
NSInteger numOfSections = 0;
if ([self.stringArray count] > 0)
{
self.tableView.separatorStyle = UITableViewCellSeparatorStyleSingleLine;
numOfSections = 1;
//yourTableView.backgroundView = nil;
self.tableView.backgroundView = nil;
}
else
{
UILabel *noDataLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, self.tableView.bounds.size.width, self.tableView.bounds.size.height)];
noDataLabel.text = #"No data available";
noDataLabel.textColor = [UIColor blackColor];
noDataLabel.textAlignment = NSTextAlignmentCenter;
//yourTableView.backgroundView = noDataLabel;
//yourTableView.separatorStyle = UITableViewCellSeparatorStyleNone;
self.tableView.backgroundView = noDataLabel;
self.tableView.separatorStyle = UITableViewCellSeparatorStyleNone;
}
return numOfSections;
}
And here's the View I'm getting, it still has separator lines. I get the feeling that this is some small change, but I'm not sure why separator lines are showing up?

Answer 1

You can easily achieve that by using backgroundView property of UITableView.
Objective C:
- (NSInteger)numberOfSectionsInTableView:(UITableView *)tableView
{
NSInteger numOfSections = 0;
if (youHaveData)
{
yourTableView.separatorStyle = UITableViewCellSeparatorStyleSingleLine;
numOfSections = 1;
yourTableView.backgroundView = nil;
}
else
{
UILabel *noDataLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, yourTableView.bounds.size.width, yourTableView.bounds.size.height)];
noDataLabel.text = #"No data available";
noDataLabel.textColor = [UIColor blackColor];
noDataLabel.textAlignment = NSTextAlignmentCenter;
yourTableView.backgroundView = noDataLabel;
yourTableView.separatorStyle = UITableViewCellSeparatorStyleNone;
}
return numOfSections;
}
Swift:
func numberOfSections(in tableView: UITableView) -> Int
{
var numOfSections: Int = 0
if youHaveData
{
tableView.separatorStyle = .singleLine
numOfSections = 1
tableView.backgroundView = nil
}
else
{
let noDataLabel: UILabel = UILabel(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: tableView.bounds.size.width, height: tableView.bounds.size.height))
noDataLabel.text = "No data available"
noDataLabel.textColor = UIColor.black
noDataLabel.textAlignment = .center
tableView.backgroundView = noDataLabel
tableView.separatorStyle = .none
}
return numOfSections
}
Reference UITableView Class Reference
backgroundView Property
The background view of the table view.
Declaration
Swift
var backgroundView: UIView?
Objective-C
#property(nonatomic, readwrite, retain) UIView *backgroundView
Discussion
A table view’s background view is automatically resized to match the
size of the table view. This view is placed as a subview of the table
view behind all cells, header views, and footer views.
You must set this property to nil to set the background color of the
table view.

Answer 2

For Xcode 8.3.2 - Swift 3.1
Here is a not-so-well-known but incredibly easy way to achieve adding a "No Items" view to an empty table view that goes back to Xcode 7. I'll leave it to you control that logic that adds/removes the view to the table's background view, but here is the flow for and Xcode (8.3.2) storyboard:
Select the scene in the Storyboard that has your table view.
Drag an empty UIView to the "Scene Dock" of that scene
Add a UILabel and any constraints to the new view and then create an IBOutlet for that view
Assign that view to the tableView.backgroundView
Behold the magic!
Ultimately this works anytime you want to add a simple view to your view controller that you don't necessarily want to be displayed immediately, but that you also don't want to hand code.

Answer 3

Swift Version of above code :-
func numberOfSectionsInTableView(tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
var numOfSection: NSInteger = 0
if CCompanyLogoImage.count > 0 {
self.tableView.backgroundView = nil
numOfSection = 1
} else {
var noDataLabel: UILabel = UILabel(frame: CGRectMake(0, 0, self.tableView.bounds.size.width, self.tableView.bounds.size.height))
noDataLabel.text = "No Data Available"
noDataLabel.textColor = UIColor(red: 22.0/255.0, green: 106.0/255.0, blue: 176.0/255.0, alpha: 1.0)
noDataLabel.textAlignment = NSTextAlignment.Center
self.tableView.backgroundView = noDataLabel
}
return numOfSection
}
But If you are loading Information From a JSON , you need to check whether the JSON is empty or not , therefor if you put code like this it initially shows "No data" Message then disappear. Because after the table reload data the message hide. So You can put this code where load JSON data to an array. SO :-
func numberOfSectionsInTableView(tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
return 1
}
func extract_json(data:NSData) {
var error: NSError?
let jsonData: AnyObject? = NSJSONSerialization.JSONObjectWithData(data, options:NSJSONReadingOptions.MutableContainers , error: &error)
if (error == nil) {
if let jobs_list = jsonData as? NSArray
{
if jobs_list.count == 0 {
var noDataLabel: UILabel = UILabel(frame: CGRectMake(0, 0, self.tableView.bounds.size.width, self.tableView.bounds.size.height))
noDataLabel.text = "No Jobs Available"
noDataLabel.textColor = UIColor(red: 22.0/255.0, green: 106.0/255.0, blue: 176.0/255.0, alpha: 1.0)
noDataLabel.textAlignment = NSTextAlignment.Center
self.tableView.backgroundView = noDataLabel
}
for (var i = 0; i < jobs_list.count ; i++ )
{
if let jobs_obj = jobs_list[i] as? NSDictionary
{
if let vacancy_title = jobs_obj["VacancyTitle"] as? String
{
CJobTitle.append(vacancy_title)
if let vacancy_job_type = jobs_obj["VacancyJobType"] as? String
{
CJobType.append(vacancy_job_type)
if let company_name = jobs_obj["EmployerCompanyName"] as? String
{
CCompany.append(company_name)
if let company_logo_url = jobs_obj["EmployerCompanyLogo"] as? String
{
//CCompanyLogo.append("http://google.com" + company_logo_url)
let url = NSURL(string: "http://google.com" + company_logo_url )
let data = NSData(contentsOfURL:url!)
if data != nil {
CCompanyLogoImage.append(UIImage(data: data!)!)
}
if let vacancy_id = jobs_obj["VacancyID"] as? String
{
CVacancyId.append(vacancy_id)
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
do_table_refresh();
}
func do_table_refresh() {
dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), {
self.tableView.reloadData()
return
})
}

Answer 4

You can try this control. Its is pretty neat. DZNEmptyDataSet
Or if I were you all I would do is
Check to see if your data array is empty
If it is empty then add one object called #"No Data" to it
Display that string in cell.textLabel.text
Easy peasy

Answer 5

Swift 3 (updated):
override func numberOfSections(in tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
if myArray.count > 0 {
self.tableView.backgroundView = nil
self.tableView.separatorStyle = .singleLine
return 1
}
let rect = CGRect(x: 0,
y: 0,
width: self.tableView.bounds.size.width,
height: self.tableView.bounds.size.height)
let noDataLabel: UILabel = UILabel(frame: rect)
noDataLabel.text = "Custom message."
noDataLabel.textColor = UIColor.white
noDataLabel.textAlignment = NSTextAlignment.center
self.tableView.backgroundView = noDataLabel
self.tableView.separatorStyle = .none
return 0
}

Answer 6

Swift3.0
I hope it server your purpose......
In your UITableViewController .
override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
if searchController.isActive && searchController.searchBar.text != "" {
if filteredContacts.count > 0 {
self.tableView.backgroundView = .none;
return filteredContacts.count
} else {
Helper.EmptyMessage(message: ConstantMap.NO_CONTACT_FOUND, viewController: self)
return 0
}
} else {
if contacts.count > 0 {
self.tableView.backgroundView = .none;
return contacts.count
} else {
Helper.EmptyMessage(message: ConstantMap.NO_CONTACT_FOUND, viewController: self)
return 0
}
}
}
Helper Class with function :
/* Description: This function generate alert dialog for empty message by passing message and
associated viewcontroller for that function
- Parameters:
- message: message that require for empty alert message
- viewController: selected viewcontroller at that time
*/
static func EmptyMessage(message:String, viewController:UITableViewController) {
let messageLabel = UILabel(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: viewController.view.bounds.size.width, height: viewController.view.bounds.size.height))
messageLabel.text = message
let bubbleColor = UIColor(red: CGFloat(57)/255, green: CGFloat(81)/255, blue: CGFloat(104)/255, alpha :1)
messageLabel.textColor = bubbleColor
messageLabel.numberOfLines = 0;
messageLabel.textAlignment = .center;
messageLabel.font = UIFont(name: "TrebuchetMS", size: 18)
messageLabel.sizeToFit()
viewController.tableView.backgroundView = messageLabel;
viewController.tableView.separatorStyle = .none;
}

Answer 7

I think the most elegant way to solve your problem is switching from a UITableViewController to a UIViewController that contains a UITableView. This way you can add whatever UIView you want as subviews of the main view.
I wouldn't recommend using a UITableViewCell to do this you might need to add additional things in the future and things can quicky get ugly.
You can also do something like this, but this isn't the best solution either.
UIWindow* window = [[UIApplication sharedApplication] keyWindow];
[window addSubview: OverlayView];

Answer 8

Use this code in Your numberOfSectionsInTableView method:-
if ([array count]==0
{
UILabel *fromLabel = [[UILabel alloc]initWithFrame:CGRectMake(50, self.view.frame.size.height/2, 300, 60)];
fromLabel.text =#"No Result";
fromLabel.baselineAdjustment = UIBaselineAdjustmentAlignBaselines;
fromLabel.backgroundColor = [UIColor clearColor];
fromLabel.textColor = [UIColor lightGrayColor];
fromLabel.textAlignment = NSTextAlignmentLeft;
[fromLabel setFont:[UIFont fontWithName:Embrima size:30.0f]];
[self.view addSubview:fromLabel];
[self.tblView setHidden:YES];
}

Answer 9

I would present a an overlay view that has the look and message you want if the tableview has no results. You could do it in ViewDidAppear, so you have the results before showing/not showing the view.

Answer 10

SWIFT 3
let noDataLabel: UILabel = UILabel(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: tableView.bounds.size.width, height: tableView.bounds.size.height))
noDataLabel.text = "No data available"
noDataLabel.textColor = UIColor.white
noDataLabel.font = UIFont(name: "Open Sans", size: 15)
noDataLabel.textAlignment = .center
tableView.backgroundView = noDataLabel
tableView.separatorStyle = .none

Answer 11

If you don't use the tableview footer and do not want the tableview to fill up the screen with empty default table cells i would suggest that you set your tableview footer to an empty UIView. I do not know the correct syntax for doing this in obj-c or Swift, but in Xamarin.iOS i would do it like this:
public class ViewController : UIViewController
{
UITableView _table;
public ViewController (IntPtr handle) : base (handle)
{
}
public override void ViewWillAppear(bool animated) {
// Initialize table
_table.TableFooterView = new UIView();
}
}
Above code will result in a tableview without the empty cells

Answer 12

Here is the solution that worked for me.
Add the following code to a new file.
Change your table class to the custom class "MyTableView" from storyboard or .xib
(this will work for the first section only. If you want to customize more, do changes in the MyTableView reloadData() function accordingly for other sections)
public class MyTableView: UITableView {
override public func reloadData() {
super.reloadData()
if self.numberOfRows(inSection: 0) == 0 {
if self.viewWithTag(1111) == nil {
let noDataLabel = UILabel()
noDataLabel.textAlignment = .center
noDataLabel.text = "No Data Available"
noDataLabel.tag = 1111
noDataLabel.center = self.center
self.backgroundView = noDataLabel
}
} else {
if self.viewWithTag(1111) != nil {
self.backgroundView = nil
}
}
}
}

Answer 13

If you want to do this without any code, try this!
Click on your tableView.
Change the style from "plain" to "grouped".
Now when you use ....
tableView.backgroundView = INSERT YOUR LABEL OR VIEW
It will not show the separators!

Answer 14

Add this code in one file and change your collection type to CustomCollectionView
import Foundation
class CustomCollectionView: UICollectionView {
var emptyModel = EmptyMessageModel()
var emptyView: EmptyMessageView?
var showEmptyView: Bool = true
override func reloadData() {
super.reloadData()
emptyView?.removeFromSuperview()
self.backgroundView = nil
if !showEmptyView {
return
}
if numberOfSections < 1 {
let rect = CGRect(x: 0,
y: 0,
width: self.bounds.size.width,
height: self.bounds.size.height)
emptyView = EmptyMessageView()
emptyView?.frame = rect
if let emptyView = emptyView {
// self.addSubview(emptyView)
self.backgroundView = emptyView
}
emptyView?.setView(with: emptyModel)
} else {
emptyView?.removeFromSuperview()
self.backgroundView = nil
}
}
}
class EmptyMessageView: UIView {
#IBOutlet weak var messageLabel: UILabel!
#IBOutlet weak var imageView: UIImageView!
var view: UIView!
override init(frame: CGRect) {
super.init(frame: frame)
xibSetup()
}
required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
super.init(coder: aDecoder)
xibSetup()
}
func xibSetup() {
view = loadViewFromNib()
view.frame = bounds
view.autoresizingMask = [.flexibleWidth, .flexibleHeight]
addSubview(view)
}
func loadViewFromNib() -> UIView {
let bundle = Bundle(for: type(of: self))
let nib = UINib(nibName: "EmptyMessageView", bundle: bundle)
let view = nib.instantiate(withOwner: self, options: nil)[0] as! UIView
return view
}
func setView(with model: EmptyMessageModel) {
messageLabel.text = model.message ?? ""
imageView.image = model.image ?? #imageLiteral(resourceName: "no_notification")
}
}
///////////
class EmptyMessageModel {
var message: String?
var image: UIImage?
init(message: String = "No data available", image: UIImage = #imageLiteral(resourceName: "no_notification")) {
self.message = message
self.image = image
}
}