I have created a custom subclass of UIView along with a xib file and declared IBOutlets and IBActions within the custom class.
#interface ContactUsView : UIView
#property (nonatomic, weak) IBOutlet UIButton *displayCloseButton;
- (IBAction)callButtonPressed:(id)sender;
- (IBAction)emailButtonPressed:(id)sender;
- (IBAction)displayCloseButtonPressed:(id)sender;
#end
In the xib file I have dragged in a UIView to represent my custom view. I have set:
Files owner = to my custom class
Have set the dragged in UIView to my custom class.
I have then added various buttons which are hooked up to the 3 methods stated above.
Inside the ContactUsView.m I have the following:
- (id)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame
{
if (self = [super initWithFrame:frame]) {
NSArray* array = [[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"ContactUsView" owner:self options:nil];
for (id object in array) {
if ([object isKindOfClass:[ContactUsView class]])
self = (ContactUsView *)object;
}
}
return self;
}
When I come to create this view I do the following:
- (void)viewWillAppear:(BOOL)animated
{
ContactUsView *contactUs = [[ContactUsView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectZero];
CGPoint origin = self.view.frame.origin;
CGSize size = self.view.frame.size;
[contactUs setFrame:CGRectMake(origin.x,
CGRectGetMaxY(self.view.frame) - 100,
size.width,
contactUs.frame.size.height)];
[self.view addSubview:contactUs];
}
Issue
When I press on one of the buttons the application crashes with:
Thread 1: EXC_BAD_ACCESS(code=2, address=0xb0c
Can anyone help me with this. I feel like I am probably making a mistake somewhere in regards to creating and loading custom uiviews from xibs.
If you require anymore information let me know. Many thanks.
Future reference
When creating a custom view using a xib DO NOT set the files owner. Instead create all your IBOutlets and IBActions as you normally would and then to hook them up open the Utilities tab and control drag from there.
• Files owner = to my custom class
Wrong. Files owner should be empty. The view itself is files owner. It means that you should connect all actions and outlets with ContactUsView in your xib.
[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"ContactUsView" owner:self options:nil]
...
self = (ContactUsView *)object;
After you passed self as ownerparameter. You changing it. Which means that previously allocated ContactUsView (self) will be destroyed since -loadNibNamed:owner:options: do not retain it. If you apply my first advice you should send nil as owner parameter
forloop here is not necessary use just array[0], because this is always your view if you have valid views hierarchy in your xib
If you are loading a UIView for an xib then you should create a class method to load the view.
In your customview.h
+(id)customView;
& in your customview.m
+ (id)customView
{
CustomView *customView = [[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"CustomView" owner:nil options:nil] lastObject];
if ([customView isKindOfClass:[CustomView class]])
return customView;
else
return nil;
}
You can initialize it anywhere using:
CustomView *myView = [CustomView customView];
EDIT: Make sure you have changed your customview's class in identity inspecter & also make sure your connection of IBActions are with that class' methods.
You can use delegate for this
this is how you can do this
#protocol CustomViewDelegate <NSObject>
- (void)callButtonPressed:(id)sender;
- (void)emailButtonPressed:(id)sender;
- (void)displayCloseButtonPressed:(id)sender;
#end
#interface ContactUsView : UIView
#property (nonatomic, weak) IBOutlet UIButton *displayCloseButton;
#property (nonatomic, weak) id<CustomViewDelegate> ButtonDelegate;
- (IBAction)callButtonPressed:(id)sender;
- (IBAction)emailButtonPressed:(id)sender;
- (IBAction)displayCloseButtonPressed:(id)sender;
#end
and in .m file
- (IBAction)callButtonPressed:(id)sender
{
[self.ButtonDelegate callButtonPressed:sender];
}
- (IBAction)emailButtonPressed:(id)sender{
[self.ButtonDelegate emailButtonPressed:sender];
}
- (IBAction)displayCloseButtonPressed:(id)sender{
[self.ButtonDelegate displayCloseButtonPressed:sender];
}
After that just set the delegate with viewcontroller refrence and use those delegate here
- (void)viewWillAppear:(BOOL)animated
{
ContactUsView *contactUs = [[ContactUsView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectZero];
contactUs.ButtonDelegate = self;
CGPoint origin = self.view.frame.origin;
CGSize size = self.view.frame.size;
[contactUs setFrame:CGRectMake(origin.x,
CGRectGetMaxY(self.view.frame) - 100,
size.width,
contactUs.frame.size.height)];
[self.view addSubview:contactUs];
}
- (void)callButtonPressed:(id)sender
{}
- (void)emailButtonPressed:(id)sender
{}
- (void)displayCloseButtonPressed:(id)sender
{}
I have done this and works totlly fine
Related
I am using multiple XIBs/Storyboards to build my application.
I have the views laid out in the XIBs. Some have UIStackView to help organize the layout.
My main storyboard has two views embedded in a UIStackView that pulls in those views that are created with the XIBs.
Nothing will display correctly. The views are mis-sized or do not show up at all, despite displaying properly in interface builder.
My suspicion is the views are being displayed, BEFORE they are fully loaded into the view causing the frames to be different sizes.
I've been told the best practice is to give views their own Storyboard/XIB for better merging, maintenance etc... So that is what I am trying to learn.
Does anyone know the proper way to accomplish what I am doing?
Here is what I am doing:
ViewController
#import "OrangeView.h"
#import "GreenView.h"
#interface ViewController () {
OrangeView *ov;
GreenView *gv;
}
#property (weak, nonatomic) IBOutlet UIView *viewOrange;
#property (weak, nonatomic) IBOutlet UIView *viewGreen;
#end
#implementation ViewController
- (void)viewDidLoad {
[super viewDidLoad];
//Load Orange View
ov = [[OrangeView alloc] initWithFrame:_viewOrange.frame];
[_viewOrange addSubview:ov];
//Load GreenView
gv = [[GreenView alloc] initWithFrame:_viewGreen.frame];
[_viewGreen addSubview:gv];
}
Main Storyboard
OrangeView
GreenView (with multiple stackviews)
Overview
The contents of a .xib file are not "linked" to the class. That is, when you instantiate the class, that does not - by itself - also load the views and subviews you've laid out in the xib.
There are a couple ways to go about it. One method is to include the "load the elements" code inside your view class. That allows a more "conventional" approach of load/create a view instance, add as subview, set parameters (frame or constraints), etc.
Here is an example of subclassing UIView with the "xib-load" functions, and then making your actual class a sub-class of this "base":
//
// XIBViewBase.h
//
#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
#interface XIBViewBase : UIView
#end
//
// XIBViewBase.m
//
#import "XIBViewBase.h"
#implementation XIBViewBase
- (id)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame
{
self = [super initWithFrame:frame];
if (self) {
[self xibSetup];
}
return self;
}
- (id)initWithCoder:(NSCoder *)coder
{
self = [super initWithCoder:coder];
if (self) {
[self xibSetup];
}
return self;
}
- (void)awakeFromNib {
[super awakeFromNib];
[self xibSetup];
}
- (void)xibSetup {
// make sure we don't add the subviews more than once
if (!self.subviews.count) {
UIView *view = [self loadFromXIB];
view.frame = self.bounds;
view.autoresizingMask = UIViewAutoresizingFlexibleWidth | UIViewAutoresizingFlexibleHeight;
[self addSubview:view];
[self sendSubviewToBack:view];
}
}
- (UIView *)loadFromXIB {
// Note: the .xib file MUST be named the same as the class for this to work
NSString *className = NSStringFromClass([self class]);
NSBundle *bundle = [NSBundle bundleForClass:[self class]];
UINib *nib = [UINib nibWithNibName:className bundle:bundle];
UIView *v = [nib instantiateWithOwner:self options:nil].firstObject;
return v;
}
#end
I put together an example of this (using your target) that you can take a look at. Might help you get a handle on it:
https://github.com/DonMag/SimpleXIB
So, I am using storyboard and I have dragged inside my UIViewController a UIView.
Let's call it customView, and it's class is called SPView. The class is set in the inspector window. Inside the SPView.h there are a number of properties
I have tried the following :
If I drag a label inside the UIView (in the storyboard), the label is shown, but I cannot connect it to one of my outlets in the SPView.h by drag and drop.
If I create a new XIB file, with the label inside, I can do the connections as I like.
Then inside my UIViewController I have tried either of these:
self.customView =[[SPView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(60, 60, 200, 260)]
self.customView =[[SPView alloc]init];
and inside my SPView, if I use this:
- (id)initWithCoder:(NSCoder *)aDecoder {
NSLog(#"initWitchCoder called");
if ((self = [super initWithCoder:aDecoder])) {
//[self addSubview:[[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"SPView" owner:self options:nil] objectAtIndex:0]];
[self baseInit];
}
the label is not shown.
If I uncomment the comment, the initWithCoder is called for ever and the app eventually crashes.
What I want is :
to have a custom UIView inside a UIViewController, set either in the storyboard or programmatically (but it will be better if the graphic data are set in storyboard or in a separate .XIB file so as to inspect them more easily).
Can you help me on that?
you cannot drag outlets to custom class uiview class . only its allowed when using xib.
you can drop outlets of that custom view in its parent viewcontroller only.
you can set tags in subviews of your custom view. and can easily access them by using this below code .
lets say you have a subview in your custom view with tag :2
- (id)initWithCoder:(NSCoder *)aDecoder {
NSLog(#"initWitchCoder called");
if ((self = [super initWithCoder:aDecoder])) {
//[self addSubview:[[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"SPView" owner:self options:nil] objectAtIndex:0]];
UILabel *lbl = (UILabel *)[self viewWithTag:2];
[self baseInit];
}
so you had to set tags to subviews to access them
in your uiviewcontroller you had to drop outlet directly . no need for this
like this it will be initialized automatically
#property (weak, nonatomic) IBOutlet SPView *customView; //right and easy way
X self.customView =[[SPView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(60, 60, 200, 260)]
X self.customView =[[SPView alloc]init];
You can have following method defined in your UIViewController class and have an XIB created for SPView.
- (SPView*) loadCustomViewFromNib
{
SPView *spView = nil;
NSArray *array = [[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"SPView"
owner:nil
options:nil];
for (id object in array)
{
if ([object isKindOfClass:[SPView class]])
{
spView = (SPView*)object;
break;
}
}
return spView;
}
And have SPView initialized as shown below
self.customView = [self loadCustomViewFromNib];
I've managed to setup a custom UIView class with a nib.
My .h looks like
#interface MyView : UIView <UITextFieldDelegate>
#property (nonatomic, weak) IBOutlet UITextField *textField;
#property (nonatomic, strong) MyView *topView;
And .m
#implementation MyView
NSString *_detail;
-(id)initWithCoder:(NSCoder *)aDecoder{
if ((self = [super initWithCoder:aDecoder])&&self.subviews.count==0){
MyView *v = [[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"MyView" owner:self options:nil] objectAtIndex:0];
self.textField = v.textField;
if (self.topView == nil)self.topView = self;
v.topView = self.topView;
[self addSubview:v];
}
return self;
}
-(NSString *)topDetail{
return _detail;
}
-(NSString *)detail{
return [self.topView topDetail];
}
-(void)setTopDetail:(NSString *)detail{
_detail = detail;
}
-(void)setDetail:(NSString *)detail{
[self.topView setTopDetail:detail];
}
- (BOOL)textFieldShouldReturn{
//here I show an UIAlertView using self.detail for the message
}
Note: The setup I have works exactly how I want it to.
The problem
What I would like to do is remove my manual detail methods and turn NSString *_detail into #property (...)NSString *detail
When I try it with the #property, then within my ViewController if i call
myView.detail = someString, myView will be referring to the top most view. Then if textFieldShouldReturn gets called because of user interaction, then it calls the nested MyViews _detail which has not been set.
What I want:
To not have to write extra code for access to _detail regardless of where I'm accessing it from. I want to merely declare the property and go on with my usual coding.
Your problem is that you're trying to keep the a class reference, topView, with an object property.
In other words every objects' topView is the object itself, which makes no sense.
Your definition should be:
#interface MyView : UIView <UITextFieldDelegate>
// Class "properties"
+ (instancetype)topview;
+ (void)setTopView:(UIView *)topView;
// Object properties
#property (nonatomic, weak) IBOutlet UITextField *textField;
#property (nonatomic, strong) NSString *detail;
Now you can keep track of the topView:
static MyView * _topView;
#implementation MyView
+ (instancetype)topView {return _topView}; // You could also create one here lazily
+ (void)setTopView:(UIView *)topView { _topView = topView };
-(id)initWithCoder:(NSCoder *)aDecoder{
if ((self = [super initWithCoder:aDecoder])&&self.subviews.count==0){
JUITextFieldHint *v = [[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"JUITextFieldHint" owner:self options:nil] objectAtIndex:0];
self.textField = v.textField;
if ([MyView topView] == nil)[MyView setTopView:self];
v.topView = self.topView;
[self addSubview:v];
}
return self;
}
No more need for manual setters and getters. Now you can use your detail property, either with anyInstance.detail or [MyView topView].detail, or even MyView.topView.detail if you like dots like me ;)
You're init method still looks weird but should work. Check Apples init template.
Lastly, textField can be weak as long as it has a superview, otherwise make it strong.
My xib contained one UIView (no controller). I had the UIView set to MyView for the class.
I changed the UIView back to just UIView then set File's Owner to MyView. This solved issues of recursion (which is why I had such a weird setup in the first place) and caused my variables and IBOutlets to be linked up properly.
Credit goes to How do I create a custom iOS view class and instantiate multiple copies of it (in IB)? and some of the comments which I missed the first couple times I read through it.
I know this is quite straight forward but after too much hair-pulling I am nowhere near solution.
I have seen tutorials explaining how to create view using XIB and all. But none of them address the situation that I have here.
I have an XIB file, a custom UIView subclass that has few labels and buttons. The UIView subclass is reusable, and that is the reason I can't have outlets inside any single View controller. As a result I store individual controls (subviews) of this view inside my custom UIView itself. This is logical, as no view controller should own the subviews of this custom view which is to be included in every view controller.
The problem is, I don't know how to initialize the entire UI fully.
Here is my code for UIView Subclass:
#interface MCPTGenericView : UIView
+(id)createInstance : (bool) bPortrait;
#property (weak, nonatomic) IBOutlet UIView *topView;
#property (weak, nonatomic) IBOutlet UIView *titleView;
#property (weak, nonatomic) IBOutlet UILabel *titleLabel;
#property (weak, nonatomic) IBOutlet UIButton *logoButton;
#property (weak, nonatomic) IBOutlet UITextField *searchTextField;
#property (weak, nonatomic) IBOutlet UIButton *menuButton;
#end
Later on, I also plan to use this same XIB file for landscape orientation of this UIView too, and I plan to use the same above outlets with landscape oriented controls in same XIB.
And here is the implementation:
#implementation MCPTGenericView
//#synthesize topView, titleLabel, titleView;
+(id)createInstance : (bool) bPortrait
{
UIView * topLevelView = nil;
MCPTGenericView * instance = [MCPTGenericView new];
NSArray * views = [[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"MoceptGenericView" owner:instance options:nil];
int baseTag = (bPortrait)?PORTRAIT_VIEW_TAG_OFFSET:LANDSCAPE_VIEW_TAG_OFFSET;
// make sure customView is not nil or the wrong class!
for (UIView * view in views)
{
if (view.tag == baseTag)
{
topLevelView = view;
break;
}
}
instance.topView = (MCPTGenericView *)[topLevelView viewWithTag:baseTag + 1];
instance.searchTextField = (UITextField *)[topLevelView viewWithTag:baseTag + 2];
instance.menuButton = (UIButton *)[topLevelView viewWithTag:baseTag + 3];
instance.logoButton = (UIButton *)[topLevelView viewWithTag:baseTag + 4];
instance.titleView = [topLevelView viewWithTag:baseTag + 5];
instance.titleLabel = (UILabel *)[topLevelView viewWithTag:baseTag + 6];
return instance;
}
-(id)initWithCoder:(NSCoder *)aDecoder
{
if ((self = [super initWithCoder:aDecoder]))
{
[self addSubview:[[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"MCPTGenericView" owner:self options:nil] objectAtIndex:0]];
}
return self;
}
-(void)awakeFromNib
{
[super awakeFromNib];
[self addSubview: self.titleView];
[self addSubview:self.topView];
}
- (id) init
{
self = [super init];
if (self)
{
[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"MCPTGenericView" owner:self options:nil];
[self addSubview:self.topView];
[self addSubview:self.titleView];
}
return self;
}
- (id)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame
{
self = [super initWithFrame:frame];
if (self)
{
// Initialization code
[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"MCPTGenericView" owner:self options:nil];
[self addSubview:self.topView];
[self addSubview:self.titleView];
}
return self;
}
/*
// Only override drawRect: if you perform custom drawing.
// An empty implementation adversely affects performance during animation.
- (void)drawRect:(CGRect)rect
{
// Drawing code
}
*/
#end
Something that worked:
I succeeded in calling initWithFrame:frame from my viewcontroller. That way, I could see all controls properly initialized. But then, why should I be supplying a frame if I have already drawn an XIB? Shouldn't loadNibNamed be handling frame setting and layout stuff since that is the intended use of XIBs?
I am also baffled at the way loadNibNamed needs an owner object. Why do we already need an object to get the same object from XIB? That too, a half-baked one?
Please help...
What was baffling me was the way loadnibnamed loses xib layout & outlet information. I finally found a way to achieve it.
Here is a recap of what works:
1) Suppose MyCustomView is your custom view class - you design it and its subviews as part of XIBs. You do this via interface builder, so self-explanatory.
2) Add MyCustomView.h and MyCustomView.m (boilerplate) via Xcode -> File -> New -> Objective C Class.
3) Next, within MyCustomView.xib, set File's Owner = MyCustomView (class name just added). Do not touch top most View's custom class - leave it as UIView. Else it will end up in recursion!!!
4) In MyCustomView.h, create few outlets corresponding to subviews within MyCustomView.xib.
Such as:
#property (weak) IBOutlet UILabel * label1;
#property (weak) IBOutlet UIButton * button1;
5) Go to MyCustomView.xib. Select each subview (label, button), right click, drag from "New Referencing Outlet" and drag it up to File's Owner.
This will popup a list of outlets matching the subview's type from where you have dragged. If you dragged from a label, it will pop up label1, and so on. This shows that all you did up to this step is correct.
If you, on the other hand, screwed up in any step, no popup will appear. Check steps, especially 3 & 4.
If you do not perform this step correctly, Xcode will welcome you will following exception:
setValue:forUndefinedKey: this class is not key value coding-compliant for the key
6) In your MyCustomView.m, paste / overwrite following code:
-(id)initWithCoder:(NSCoder *)aDecoder
{
self = [super initWithCoder:aDecoder];
if (self)
{
NSString * nibName = #"MyCustomView";
[[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:nibName owner:self options:nil] firstObject];
[self addSubview:self.labelContinentName];
}
return self;
}
This step is crucial - it sets your outlet values (label1, button1) from nil to tangible subviews, and most importantly, sets their frame according to what you have set within MyCustomView.xib.
7) In your storyboard file, add view of type MyCustomView - just like any other view:
Drag a UIView in your View Controller main view rectangle
Select the newly added view
In Utilities -> Identity Inspector, set custom class value = MyCustomView.
It should be up & running no problem!
loadNibNamed does not handle frame setting, it only loads content and makes the objecet available to your code. initWithFrame: must be called to insert a new object to the view heirarchy of a window.
I'm trying to create a custom UIView which holds references to its own IBOutlets. I then want to put this custom UIView into another nib.
I'm doing some additional logic in the custom UIView's awakeFromNib method. Unfortunately, when I try to access the IBOutlets in awakeFromNib, they are nil.
Here's the setup:
I have a UIView subclass, CustomView.
I have a custom .xib file with three subviews
In the other nib (that belongs to the view controller), I have dragged a UIView onto the view, and then changed the custom class to CustomView.
I tried setting the view in the CustomView nib in IB to a custom class CustomView and connecting the IBOutlets to the view, but they were still nil.
I tried setting file owner to CustomView and connecting the IBOutlets to file's owner, but they were still nil.
I also tried using another IBOutlet UIView *view and then adding that as a subview to self in awakeFromNib but that also didn't do anything.
Here's the code:
// CustomView.h
#interface CustomView : UIView
#property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UITextField *textField;
#property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UIView *subview1;
#property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UIView *subview2;
// CustomView.m
#implementation CustomView
#synthesize textField, subview1, subview2;
- (id)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame {
self = [super initWithFrame:frame];
if (self) {
[[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"CustomView" owner:self options:nil];
}
return self;
}
- (id)initWithCoder:(NSCoder *)aDecoder {
self = [super initWithCoder:aDecoder];
if (self) {
}
return self;
}
- (void)awakeFromNib {
[super awakeFromNib];
[self setup];
}
- (void)setup {
// Fails because self.textField is nil
self.textField.text = #"foo";
}
I ended up using the steps in the most recent edit here and they worked beautifully.
You use a plain UIView as the top level view in the xib.
You then set file's owner to the custom subclass (CustomView).
Finally, you add a line:
[self addSubview:[[[UINib nibWithNibName:#"CustomView" bundle:nil] instantiateWithOwner:self options:nil] objectAtIndex:0]];
in the if (self != nil) block in both initWithCoder and initWithFrame.
Voila! The IBOutlets are hooked up and ready to go after the call. Really pleased with the solution, but it was very difficult to dig up.
Hope this helps anyone else.
EDIT: I updated the link to one that isn't dead. Since I never spelled out the full code, here is what it looks like after modification:
- (id)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame {
self = [super initWithFrame:frame];
if (self) {
UIView *nib = [[[UINib nibWithNibName:#"CustomView" bundle:nil] instantiateWithOwner:self options:nil] objectAtIndex:0];
[self addSubview:nib];
}
return self;
}
- (id)initWithCoder:(NSCoder *)aDecoder {
self = [super initWithCoder:aDecoder];
if (self) {
UIView *nib = [[[UINib nibWithNibName:#"CustomView" bundle:nil] instantiateWithOwner:self options:nil] objectAtIndex:0];
[self addSubview:nib];
}
return self;
}
- (void)awakeFromNib {
[super awakeFromNib];
[self setup];
}
- (void)setup {
// Doesn't fail because life is awesome
self.textField.text = #"foo";
}
This pattern has become so common that I actually created a category on UIView called UIView+Nib, which implements the following method:
+ (UIView *)viewWithNibName:(NSString *)nibName owner:(id)owner {
return [[[UINib nibWithNibName:nibName bundle:nil]
instantiateWithOwner:owner options:nil]
objectAtIndex:0];
}
So the above code can be simplified to:
[self addSubview:[UIView viewWithNibName:#"CustomView" owner:self]];
Note also that the above code can be refactored even more, since the logic is exactly the same in initWithFrame: and initWithCoder:. Hope that helps!
As in Dr. Acula's answer, This is probably because custom view's nib is lazy loaded when loaded from another nib (Nested nib loading), so we need to instantiate it manually. In swift code will look like this :
override func awakeFromNib() {
super.awakeFromNib()
self.customview = UINib(nibName: "CustomViewNib", bundle: nil).instantiateWithOwner(self, options:nil)[0] as! UIView
self.customview?.frame = self.viewContainer.bounds
self.viewContainer.addSubview(self.customview!)
}
I am assuming the XIBs' structure is something like this
CustomView.xib
CustomView
UITextField -> linked to IBOutlet textField
other views
CustomViewController.xib
CustomView
If this is right, then your CustomView will be created but as it is not read from CustomView.xib it doesn't have any IBOutlets assigned.
However, if your CustomViewController.xib looks like following
CustomViewController.xib
CustomView
UITextField -> linked to IBOutlet textField of CustomView
then this should work. The IBOutlet of CustomView instance should be set by the CustomViewController.xib.
Better than setting any IBOutlets in the CustomViewController.xib would be to implement awakeAfterUsingCoder: in your CustomView and create a replacement object by loading your CustomView.xib in there. This way your CustomView remains truly custom and you don't have to edit other XIBs to change the structure, add/remove IBOutlets, etc.