Change map pin (color or image) - ios

Question

I know this is a question asked a lot. I have been reading through many of the questions on here regarding this for a while. I was hoping someone would have a simpler way using the code I have to replace the pins on my map with an image. I am still very new to objective c.The code I have is very short and easy. Most of what I have found online to post pins to a map is very long and drawn out. I have the following classes and controllers for my map view:
LocationsViewController.h
#import "TechBookAppDelegate.h"
#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
#import <MapKit/MapKit.h>
#interface LocationsViewController : UIViewController <MKMapViewDelegate>
{
IBOutlet MKMapView *worldView;
IBOutlet UIActivityIndicatorView *activityIndicator;
}
#end
LocationsViewController.m
#import "LocationsViewController.h"
#import "MapAnnotation.h"
#interface LocationsViewController ()
#end
#implementation LocationsViewController
- (id)initWithNibName:(NSString *)nibNameOrNil bundle:(NSBundle *)nibBundleOrNil
{
self = [super initWithNibName:nibNameOrNil bundle:nibBundleOrNil];
if (self) {
// Initialization code
}
return self;
}
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
[super viewDidLoad];
// Do any additional setup after loading the view.
CLLocationCoordinate2D wisconsin = {.latitude = xx.xxxxxxx, .longitude = -xx.xxxxxx};
CLLocationCoordinate2D pennsyvainia = {.latitude = xx.xxxxxxx, .longitude = -xx.xxxxxx};
CLLocationCoordinate2D nevada = {.latitude = xx.xxxxxxx, .longitude = -xx.xxxxxx};
CLLocationCoordinate2D texas = {.latitude = xx.xxxxxxx, .longitude = -xx.xxxxxx};
MapAnnotation *pinWI = [[MapAnnotation alloc] initWithCoordinate: wisconsin];
MapAnnotation *pinPA = [[MapAnnotation alloc] initWithCoordinate: pennsyvainia];
MapAnnotation *pinNV = [[MapAnnotation alloc] initWithCoordinate: nevada];
MapAnnotation *pinTX = [[MapAnnotation alloc] initWithCoordinate: texas];
[worldView addAnnotation:pinTX];
[worldView addAnnotation:pinNV];
[worldView addAnnotation:pinWI];
[worldView addAnnotation:pinPA];
}
MapAnnotation.h
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
#import <MapKit/MapKit.h>
#interface MapAnnotation : NSObject <MKAnnotation> {
CLLocationCoordinate2D _coordinate;
MKAnnotationView *mapView;
}
- (id)initWithCoordinate:(CLLocationCoordinate2D)coordinate;
#end
MapAnnotation.m
#import "MapAnnotation.h"
#import "LocationsViewController.h"
#implementation MapAnnotation
#synthesize coordinate = _coordinate;
- (id)initWithCoordinate:(CLLocationCoordinate2D)coordinate
{
self = [super init];
if (self != nil)
{
_coordinate = coordinate;
}
return self;
}
#end
I have tried to implement methods similar to this:
-(MKAnnotationView *) mapView:(MKMapView *)mapView viewForAnnotation:(id<MKAnnotation>)annotation{.......
with various types of code but to no avail. Not sure what I am doing wrong. Isn't there a shorter way to do what I am thinking than this than what I have seen so far online.
I was hoping there was something similar to :
MapAnnotation *pinWI = [[[MapAnnotation alloc] initWithCoordinate: wisconsin] initWithPinImage:#"imagename.png"];
or could I implement something similar to this:
pinWI:MKPinAnnotationColorGreen;
only with a image location defined?
or something along those lines. Thanks in advance for everyones help and patience with a newbie.
I really need to change the pin to a custom image. One coding schema I tried was this:
- (MKAnnotationView *)mapView:(MKMapView *)map viewForAnnotation:(id <MKAnnotation>)annotation
{
static NSString *AnnotationViewID = #"annotationViewID";
MKAnnotationView *annotationView = (MKAnnotationView *)[mapView dequeueReusableAnnotationViewWithIdentifier:AnnotationViewID];
if (annotationView == nil)
{
annotationView = [[[MKAnnotationView alloc] initWithAnnotation:annotation reuseIdentifier:AnnotationViewID] autorelease];
}
annotationView.image = [UIImage imageNamed:#"location.png"];
annotationView.annotation = annotation;
return annotationView;
}
WORKING CODE:
- (MKAnnotationView *)mapView:(MKMapView *)mapView viewForAnnotation:(id <MKAnnotation>)annotation
{
static NSString *AnnotationViewID = #"annotationViewID";
MKAnnotationView *annotationView = (MKAnnotationView *)[worldView dequeueReusableAnnotationViewWithIdentifier:AnnotationViewID];
if (annotationView == nil)
{
annotationView = [[MKAnnotationView alloc] initWithAnnotation:annotation reuseIdentifier:AnnotationViewID];
}
annotationView.image = [UIImage imageNamed:#"locations_marker.png"];
annotationView.annotation = annotation;
return annotationView;
}

Answer 1

add the type property(example-firstPin, secondPin,thirdPin etc) to your custom MapViewAnnotation class.
MapViewAnnotation *newAnnotation = [[MapViewAnnotation alloc] init...
newAnnotation.type = #"firstPin"; // <-- set property in annotation
[self.mapView addAnnotation:newAnnotation];
and in your - (MKAnnotationView *) mapView:(MKMapView *)mapView viewForAnnotation:(id <MKAnnotation>) annotation method put a simple check
MapViewAnnotation *mvAnn = (MapViewAnnotation *)annotation;
if ([mvAnn.type isEqualToString:#"firstPin"])
{
annView.pinColor = MKPinAnnotationColorGreen;
}
else if ([mvAnn.type isEqualToString:#"secondPin"])
{
annView.pinColor = MKPinAnnotationColorRed;
}
else if ([mvAnn.type isEqualToString:#"thirdPin"])
{
annView.pinColor = MKPinAnnotationColorOrange;
}