Add loading view controller before tableview shows - ios

Question

I have a tableView controller that loads my parsed XML data. It takes some time to do.
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
[super viewDidLoad];
CustomStringParser *customStringParser = [[CustomStringParser alloc] init];
// Set MORE logo in navigation bar
self.navigationItem.titleView = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithImage:[UIImage imageNamed:#"Navigation"]];
// Download and parse XML data
RXMLElement *rxml = [RXMLElement elementFromXMLData:[NSData dataWithContentsOfURL:[NSURL URLWithString:#"http://www.morecobalt.co.uk/rss/?t=events"]]];
// Create an array to store each feed
eventsFeeds = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
// Loop through XML data
[rxml iterate:#"channel" usingBlock:^(RXMLElement *supportElement) {
[supportElement iterate:#"item" usingBlock:^(RXMLElement *repElement) {
// Assign element to string
NSString *title = [repElement child:#"title"].text;
NSString *subtitle = [repElement child:#"tagline"].text;
NSString *description = [repElement child:#"description"].text;
NSString *imageurl = [repElement child:#"image"].text;
NSString *startDate = [repElement child:#"start_date"].text;
NSString *endDate = [repElement child:#"end_date"].text;
// Assign element value to MoreCobalt.h propertys
currentFeed = [MoreCobaltEvents alloc];
currentFeed.title = title;
currentFeed.subtitle = subtitle;
currentFeed.imageurl = imageurl;
// DESCRIPTION FORMATTING
description = [customStringParser parseHTML:description];
description = [customStringParser parseLinesMultiple:description];
description = [customStringParser removeSocialSignifiers:description];
currentFeed.description = description;
// DATE FORMATTING
currentFeed.startDate = [customStringParser formatDate:startDate];
currentFeed.endDate = [customStringParser formatDate:endDate];
// Add a new object to the feeds array
[eventsFeeds addObject:currentFeed];
}];
}];
}
While the data is been parsed I want to add a loading screen with a activity indicator on. Im guessing this is going to be a sub view. How can I do this?
NOTE: Im using storyboards. Image below

Answer 1

Just drag an activity indicator component on your xib.
Declare a property in your .h file. Hook it up.
In your .m file in viewDidLoad call.
[self.activityIndicator starAnimating];
[self.activityIndicator.hidesWhenStopped = YES;
And then after your table loads call:
[self.activityIndicator stopAnimating];
No need for subviews.

Answer 2

Write below code in **AppDelegate.h**
UIActivityIndicatorView *progressIndicator;
UIView *progressIndicatorView;
Write below code in **AppDelegate.m**
-(void) addProgressIndicator:(UIView *)parentView
{
[self.progressIndicatorView removeFromSuperview];
self.progressIndicatorView = [[UIView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0,0, parentView.frame.size.width,parentView.frame.size.height)];
self.progressIndicatorView.backgroundColor = [[UIColor blackColor] colorWithAlphaComponent:0.5];
self.progressIndicator = [[UIActivityIndicatorView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake((parentView.frame.size.width - 70) / 2,(parentView.frame.size.height - 70) / 2,70,70)];
[self.progressIndicatorView addSubview:self.progressIndicator];
[parentView addSubview:self.progressIndicatorView];
[parentView bringSubviewToFront:self.progressIndicatorView];
[self.progressIndicatorView bringSubviewToFront:self.progressIndicator];
[self.progressIndicator setActivityIndicatorViewStyle:UIActivityIndicatorViewStyleWhiteLarge];
[self.progressIndicator setHidesWhenStopped:YES];
[self.progressIndicator stopAnimating];
[self.progressIndicatorView setHidden:YES];
}
-(void) startProgressIndicator
{
[NSThread detachNewThreadSelector:#selector(showProgressIndicator) toTarget:self withObject:nil];
}
-(void) showProgressIndicator
{
[self.progressIndicatorView setHidden:NO];
[self.progressIndicator startAnimating];
}
-(void) stopProgressIndicator
{
[self.progressIndicator stopAnimating];
[self.progressIndicatorView setHidden:YES];
}
Call this methods where you want to show Progress Indicator,in viewDidLoad/ViewWillAppear .
Good Luck !!