Change view position when configuring cell. Strange behavior - ios

Question

I have a standard UINavigationController with a UITableViewController at it's root. In IB, I paint a prototype cell with a label and a UIView. The UIView contains a button. I'd like the UIView to be x-aligned after the label, as a function of the length of text in the label.
In IB, the view's left side is initially aligned with the label's left side. There are no layout constraints in IB.
Here's my cellForRowAtIndexPath ...
- (NSInteger)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView numberOfRowsInSection:(NSInteger)section {
return 5;
}
- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath {
static NSString *CellIdentifier = #"Cell";
UITableViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:CellIdentifier forIndexPath:indexPath];
NSArray *labels = #[#"SOME STRING", #"SHORTER", #"A VERY MUCH LONGER ONE", #"REGULAR ONE", #"TINY"];
UILabel *label = (UILabel *)[cell viewWithTag:32];
label.text = labels[indexPath.row];
UIView *view = [cell viewWithTag:33];
CGSize size = [label.text sizeWithAttributes:#{NSFontAttributeName:label.font}];
view.frame = CGRectOffset(label.frame, size.width, 0);
return cell;
}
Two problems: I've set breakpoints and watch this code running the first time the view appears. I see the view.frame get changed for each row, but the view does not change position. I remains in it's IB-position, right on top of the label. If I scroll the table down, the views on lower cells (presumably reused) are in the desired position. If I scroll back up, the upper rows are also good. It just fails to work on the initial presentation of the upper cells.
Second problem is that the button contained in only the first row has a subtle, strange effect applied to it's text, like a blur. See attached...
First Row Button (zoomed in mac preview... see that extra blur on the left edge of the letters?)
Other Row Buttons
Stuff I tried:
I've tried a few variations, including using a regular view controller with a table view added (rather than a UITableViewController). I've found that if I reloadData on viewDidAppear, that solves the placement problem, but not the blurry button. (Also, I don't like the idea of needing to reload on viewDidAppear). Doing so on viewWillAppear has no effect at all. I've also tried animating the label change slowly. It happens, but again, only on the second time the cell is configured. I try changing the UIView color to prove the code is being run. The color change happens every time, including the first time, but not the view placement. Am I nuts?

Answer 1

For problem 1:
Try calling [cell layoutIfNeeded] before returning the cell, there should be no performance hit when it does not need relayout.
For problem 2:
try calling CGRectIntegral before you set the frame. ie
view.frame = CGRectIntegral( CGRectOffset(label.frame, size.width, 0) );