Swift iOS custom cell properties can't be changed (unwrap empty optional) - ios

Question

I have gone through all the questions regarding this matter that seems to be popular. Anyhow, I have created a simple app with a table view that uses custom cells.
I use the storyBoard, and defined the cells with the same name the class I created, Xcode even auto-completed me.
Though when I initialise a new cell, I can't change the properties of the labels and image contained in the cell. I receive an error saying I accessed a nil, and I kinda get it. Though I couldn't seem to find a way around it. Can someone help?
import UIKit
class ExtenderCell: UITableViewCell {
#IBOutlet var main_image: UIImageView!
#IBOutlet var name_label: UILabel!
#IBOutlet var desc_label: UILabel!
init(to_put_image: UIImage, name: String, desc:String){
super.init(style: UITableViewCellStyle.Subtitle, reuseIdentifier: "cell")
name_label.text = name
desc_label.text = desc
main_image.image = to_put_image
}
}

Answer 1

You are using storyBoard for cell creation with outlets.Your outlets are not accessible to you till awakeForNib() using storyBoard as it is not unarchived till awakeFromNib. Your outlets or properties are nil in init so you are getting this exception as you are trying to unwrap nil outlet property in init method.
As your outlet properties are not accessible in init method and they are nil in init.So you need to set your outlets in awakeForNib().Or you can set the properties in cellForRowAtIndexPath.So best approach is to make your init method as instance method if you want to use storyBoard.
import UIKit
class ExtenderCell: UITableViewCell {
#IBOutlet var main_image: UIImageView!
#IBOutlet var name_label: UILabel!
#IBOutlet var desc_label: UILabel!
func setContents(to_put_image: UIImage, name: String, desc:String){
name_label.text = name
desc_label.text = desc
main_image.image = to_put_image
}
}
set the contents of cell in cellForRowAtIndexPath
override func tableView(tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAtIndexPath indexPath: NSIndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
//Check your identifier in storyBoard is "cell"
let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier("cell", forIndexPath: indexPath) as ExtendedCell
cell.setContents(yourImage, name: yourName, desc: yourDescription)
return cell
}