iOS create a invisible space between cells - ios

Question

I have a standard tableview here and I wanted to be able to add a space between each cell that is invisible/hidden that shows the background. What is the correct way of doing it?
Here is the code I am using:
- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
static NSString *CellIdentifier = #"Cell";
JointCAD *currentCall = [[xmlParser calls] objectAtIndex:indexPath.row];
UITableViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:CellIdentifier];
if (cell == nil)
{
cell = [[UITableViewCell alloc] initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleSubtitle reuseIdentifier:CellIdentifier];
// Format each frame that holds each piece of content in each row
CGRect countyImageFrame = CGRectMake(275, 6, 18, 18);
UIImageView *countyImageLabel = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithFrame:countyImageFrame];
countyImageLabel.tag = 0016;
countyImageLabel.backgroundColor = BG_COLOR
[cell.contentView addSubview:countyImageLabel];
CGRect callTypeImageFrame = CGRectMake(275, 30, 18, 18);
UIImageView *callTypeImageLabel = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithFrame:callTypeImageFrame];
callTypeImageLabel.tag = 0017;
callTypeImageLabel.backgroundColor = BG_COLOR
[cell.contentView addSubview:callTypeImageLabel];
CGRect callTypeFrame = CGRectMake(5, 2, 175, 15);
UILabel *callTypeLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:callTypeFrame];
callTypeLabel.tag = 0011;
callTypeLabel.backgroundColor = BG_COLOR
callTypeLabel.numberOfLines = 2;
callTypeLabel.font = [UIFont boldSystemFontOfSize:12];
[cell.contentView addSubview:callTypeLabel];
CGRect locationFrame = CGRectMake(5, 21, 175, 10);
UILabel *locationLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:locationFrame];
locationLabel.tag = 0014;
locationLabel.backgroundColor = BG_COLOR
locationLabel.numberOfLines = 2;
locationLabel.font = [UIFont systemFontOfSize:10];
[cell.contentView addSubview:locationLabel];
CGRect unitsFrame = CGRectMake(3, 40, 175, 10);
UILabel *unitsLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:unitsFrame];
unitsLabel.tag = 0012;
unitsLabel.backgroundColor = BG_COLOR
unitsLabel.textColor = [UIColor blackColor];
unitsLabel.font = [UIFont italicSystemFontOfSize:10];
[cell.contentView addSubview:unitsLabel];
CGRect stationFrame = CGRectMake(185 , 28, 85, 20);
UILabel *stationLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:stationFrame];
stationLabel.tag = 0013;
stationLabel.backgroundColor = BG_COLOR
stationLabel.font = [UIFont boldSystemFontOfSize:12];
[cell.contentView addSubview:stationLabel];
CGRect callnumberFrame = CGRectMake(185 , 5, 80, 20);
UILabel *callnumberLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:callnumberFrame];
callnumberLabel.tag = 0015;
callnumberLabel.backgroundColor = BG_COLOR
callnumberLabel.font = [UIFont boldSystemFontOfSize:12];
[cell.contentView addSubview:callnumberLabel];
}
// Display content in each cell
if ([currentCall.county isEqualToString:#"W"]) {
UIImage *countyImage = [UIImage imageNamed:#"blue.png"];
UIImageView *countyImageLabel = (UIImageView *)[cell.contentView viewWithTag:0016];
countyImageLabel.image = countyImage;
}
else {
UIImage *countyImage = [UIImage imageNamed:#"green.png"];
UIImageView *countyImageLabel = (UIImageView *)[cell.contentView viewWithTag:0016];
countyImageLabel.image = countyImage;
}
if ([currentCall.callType isEqualToString:#"F"]) {
UIImage *callTypeImage = [UIImage imageNamed:#"red.png"];
UIImageView *callTypeImageLabel = (UIImageView *)[cell.contentView viewWithTag:0017];
callTypeImageLabel.image = callTypeImage;
}
else {
UIImage *callTypeImage = [UIImage imageNamed:#"yellow.png"];
UIImageView *callTypeImageLabel = (UIImageView *)[cell.contentView viewWithTag:0017];
callTypeImageLabel.image = callTypeImage;
}
UILabel *callTypeLabel = (UILabel *)[cell.contentView viewWithTag:0011];
callTypeLabel.text = [currentCall currentCallType];
UILabel *locationLabel = (UILabel *)[cell.contentView viewWithTag:0014];
locationLabel.text = [currentCall location];
UILabel *unitsLabel = (UILabel *)[cell.contentView viewWithTag:0012];
unitsLabel.text = [currentCall units];
NSString *station = [#"Station: " stringByAppendingString:currentCall.station];
UILabel *stationLabel = (UILabel *)[cell.contentView viewWithTag:0013];
stationLabel.text = station;
NSString *callnumber = [#"Call No: " stringByAppendingString:currentCall.callnumber];
UILabel *callnumberLabel = (UILabel *)[cell.contentView viewWithTag:0015];
callnumberLabel.text = callnumber;
cell.backgroundColor = BG_COLOR
return cell;
}
// Set how tall each cell is
- (CGFloat)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView heightForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
return 55;
}

Answer 1

Let me start by saying I did not read all your code. That said I have done exactly this. The first approach is to declare in the heightForCell a larger value for the cell above where the gap should be. The cell.contentView might need to have its clipToBounds set. I believe in this case the cell size should be set by setting the cell.frame.size (the origin is 0,0), and the contentsView and backgroundview properly sized too.
The second way to do it is to insert empty cells - cells with a different reuse identifier, and which are just empty cells with everything set to have a clear color.

Answer 2

Just use the trick to have spaces between each cells..
static NSString *CELL_ID2 = #"SOME_STUPID_ID2";
// even rows will be invisible
if (indexPath.row % 2 == 1)
{
UITableViewCell * cell2 = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:CELL_ID2];
if (cell2 == nil)
{
cell2 = [[UITableViewCell alloc] initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleDefault
reuseIdentifier:CELL_ID2];
[cell2.contentView setAlpha:0];
[cell2 setUserInteractionEnabled:NO]; // prevent selection and other stuff
}
return cell2;
}

Answer 3

I just use different heights and alternate colours between cells.
- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
tableView.separatorStyle = UITableViewCellSeparatorStyleNone;
if (indexPath.row % 2 == 1)
{
static NSString *CellIdentifier = #"cellID1";
UITableViewCell *cell = (UITableViewCell *)[tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:CellIdentifier];
if (cell == nil) {
cell = [[UITableViewCell alloc] initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleDefault
reuseIdentifier:CellIdentifier];
}
cell.backgroundColor = [UIColor colorWhite];
return cell;
} else {
static NSString *CellIdentifier2 = #"cellID2";
UITableViewCell *cell2 = (UITableViewCell *)[tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:CellIdentifier2];
if (cell2 == nil) {
cell2 = [[UITableViewCell alloc] initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleDefault
reuseIdentifier:CellIdentifier2];
}
cell2.backgroundColor = [UIColor clearColor];
return cell2;
}
}
- (CGFloat)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView heightForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
if (indexPath.row % 2 == 1) {
return 40.0;
} else {
return 2.0;
}
}