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UITableView tutorial in Swift – The.Swift.Dev.

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This information is made for freshmen to study the foundations of the UITableView class programmatically with auto structure in Swift.

UIKit

Tips on how to create a desk view programmatically?

Let’s soar straight into the coding half, however first: begin Xcode, create a brand new iOS single view app challenge, enter some title & particulars for the challenge as normal, use Swift and at last open the ViewController.swift file straight away. Now seize your keyboard! ⌨️

Professional tip: use Cmd+Shift+O to shortly soar between information

I am not going to make use of interface builder on this tutorial, so how can we create views programmatically? There’s a technique known as loadView that is the place you must add customized views to your view hierarchy. You possibly can choice+click on the strategy title in Xcode & learn the dialogue about loadView technique, however let me summarize the entire thing.

We’ll use a weak property to carry a reference to our desk view. Subsequent, we override the loadView technique & name tremendous, to be able to load the controller’s self.view property with a view object (from a nib or a storyboard file if there may be one for the controller). After that we assign our model new view to a neighborhood property, flip off system supplied structure stuff, and insert our desk view into our view hierarchy. Lastly we create some actual constraints utilizing anchors & save our pointer to our weak property. Simple! 🤪

class ViewController: UIViewController {

    weak var tableView: UITableView!

    override func loadView() {
        tremendous.loadView()

        let tableView = UITableView(body: .zero, fashion: .plain)
        tableView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        self.view.addSubview(tableView)
        NSLayoutConstraint.activate([
        self.view.safeAreaLayoutGuide.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: tableView.topAnchor),
            self.view.safeAreaLayoutGuide.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: tableView.bottomAnchor),
            self.view.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: tableView.leadingAnchor),
            self.view.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: tableView.trailingAnchor),
        ])
        self.tableView = tableView
    }
}

At all times use auto structure anchors to specify view constarints, if you do not know how you can use them, verify my structure anchors tutorial, it is takes solely about quarter-hour to study this API, and you will not remorse it. It is a particularly great tool for any iOS developer! 😉

You may ask: ought to I exploit weak or sturdy properties for view references? I would say in many of the instances if you’re not overriding self.view you must use weak! The view hierarchy will maintain your customized view via a powerful reference, so there isn’t any want for silly retain cycles & reminiscence leaks. Belief me! 🤥


UITableViewDataSource fundamentals

Okay, now we have an empty desk view, let’s show some cells! So as to fill our desk view with actual knowledge, now we have to adapt to the UITableViewDataSource protocol. By means of a easy delegate sample, we are able to present varied info for the UITableView class, so it will to understand how a lot sections and rows will probably be wanted, what sort of cells must be displayed for every row, and lots of extra little particulars.

One other factor is that UITableView is a extremely environment friendly class. It will reuse all of the cells which are presently not displayed on the display screen, so it will devour method much less reminiscence than a UIScrollView, if you must cope with a whole bunch or 1000’s of things. To help this conduct now we have to register our cell class with a reuse identifier, so the underlying system will know what sort of cell is required for a particular place. ⚙️

class ViewController: UIViewController {

    var gadgets: [String] = [
        "👽", "🐱", "🐔", "🐶", "🦊", "🐵", "🐼", "🐷", "💩", "🐰",
        "🤖", "🦄", "🐻", "🐲", "🦁", "💀", "🐨", "🐯", "👻", "🦖",
    ]

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        tremendous.viewDidLoad()

        self.tableView.register(UITableViewCell.self, forCellReuseIdentifier: "UITableViewCell")

        self.tableView.dataSource = self
    }
}

extension ViewController: UITableViewDataSource {

    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection part: Int) -> Int {
        return self.gadgets.depend
    }

    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
        let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "UITableViewCell", for: indexPath)
        let merchandise = self.gadgets[indexPath.item]
        cell.textLabel?.textual content = merchandise
        return cell
    }
}

After including a number of traces of code to our view controller file, the desk view is now capable of show a pleasant checklist of emojis! We’re utilizing the built-in UITableViewCell class from UIKit, which comes actually useful if you’re good to go together with the “iOS-system-like” cell designs. We additionally conformed to the information supply protocol, by telling what number of gadgets are in our part (presently there is just one part), and we configured our cell contained in the well-known cell for row at indexPath delegate technique. 😎


Customizing desk view cells

UITableViewCell can present some primary components to show knowledge (title, element, picture in numerous types), however often you will want customized cells. Here’s a primary template of a customized cell subclass, I am going to clarify all of the strategies after the code.

class MyCell: UITableViewCell {

    override init(fashion: UITableViewCell.CellStyle, reuseIdentifier: String?) {
        tremendous.init(fashion: fashion, reuseIdentifier: reuseIdentifier)

        self.initialize()
    }

    required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
        tremendous.init(coder: aDecoder)

        self.initialize()
    }

    func initialize() {

    }
    
    override func prepareForReuse() {
        tremendous.prepareForReuse()

    }
}

The init(fashion:reuseIdentifier) technique is a good place to override the cell fashion property if you will use the default UITableViewCell programmatically, however with completely different types (there isn’t any choice to set cellStyle after the cell was initialized). For instance for those who want a .value1 styled cell, simply move the argument on to the tremendous name. This manner you may profit from the 4 predefined cell types.

You may additionally must implement init(coder:), so you must create a typical initialize() perform the place you’ll add your customized views ot the view hierarchy, like we did within the loadView technique above. In case you are utilizing xib information & IB, you need to use the awakeFromNib technique so as to add further fashion to your views via the usual @IBOutlet properties (or add further views to the hierarchy as effectively). 👍

The final technique that now we have to speak about is prepareForReuse. As I discussed earlier than cells are being reused so if you wish to reset some properties, just like the background of a cell, you are able to do it right here. This technique will probably be known as earlier than the cell goes to be reused.

Let’s make two new cell subclasses to mess around with.

class DetailCell: UITableViewCell {

    override init(fashion: UITableViewCell.CellStyle, reuseIdentifier: String?) {
        tremendous.init(fashion: .subtitle, reuseIdentifier: reuseIdentifier)

        self.initialize()
    }

    required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
        tremendous.init(coder: aDecoder)

        self.initialize()
    }

    func initialize() {
        
    }

    override func prepareForReuse() {
        tremendous.prepareForReuse()

        self.textLabel?.textual content = nil
        self.detailTextLabel?.textual content = nil
        self.imageView?.picture = nil
    }
}

Our customized cell could have an enormous picture background plus a title label within the heart of the view with a customized sized system font. Additionally I’ve added the Swift brand as an asset to the challenge, so we are able to have a pleasant demo picture. 🖼

class CustomCell: UITableViewCell {

    weak var coverView: UIImageView!
    weak var titleLabel: UILabel!

    override init(fashion: UITableViewCell.CellStyle, reuseIdentifier: String?) {
        tremendous.init(fashion: fashion, reuseIdentifier: reuseIdentifier)

        self.initialize()
    }

    required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
        tremendous.init(coder: aDecoder)

        self.initialize()
    }

    func initialize() {
        let coverView = UIImageView(body: .zero)
        coverView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        self.contentView.addSubview(coverView)
        self.coverView = coverView

        let titleLabel = UILabel(body: .zero)
        titleLabel.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        self.contentView.addSubview(titleLabel)
        self.titleLabel = titleLabel

        NSLayoutConstraint.activate([
            self.contentView.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: self.coverView.topAnchor),
            self.contentView.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: self.coverView.bottomAnchor),
            self.contentView.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: self.coverView.leadingAnchor),
            self.contentView.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: self.coverView.trailingAnchor),

            self.contentView.centerXAnchor.constraint(equalTo: self.titleLabel.centerXAnchor),
            self.contentView.centerYAnchor.constraint(equalTo: self.titleLabel.centerYAnchor),
        ])

        self.titleLabel.font = UIFont.systemFont(ofSize: 64)
    }

    override func prepareForReuse() {
        tremendous.prepareForReuse()

        self.coverView.picture = nil
    }
}

That is it, let’s begin utilizing these new cells. I am going to even inform you how you can set customized top for a given cell, and how you can deal with cell choice correctly, however first we have to get to know with one other delegate protocol. 🤝


Fundamental UITableViewDelegate tutorial

This delegate is accountable for many issues, however for now we’ll cowl only a few attention-grabbing points, like how you can deal with cell choice & present a customized cell top for every gadgets contained in the desk. Here’s a fast pattern code.

class ViewController: UIViewController {

    override func viewDidLoad() {
            tremendous.viewDidLoad()

            self.tableView.register(UITableViewCell.self, forCellReuseIdentifier: "UITableViewCell")
            self.tableView.register(DetailCell.self, forCellReuseIdentifier: "DetailCell")
            self.tableView.register(CustomCell.self, forCellReuseIdentifier: "CustomCell")

            self.tableView.dataSource = self
            self.tableView.delegate = self
    }
}
extension ViewController: UITableViewDataSource {

    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
        let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "CustomCell", for: indexPath) as! CustomCell
        let merchandise = self.gadgets[indexPath.item]
        cell.titleLabel.textual content = merchandise
        cell.coverView.picture = UIImage(named: "Swift")
        return cell
    }
}

extension ViewController: UITableViewDelegate {

    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, heightForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> CGFloat {
        return 128
    }

    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, didSelectRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) {
        tableView.deselectRow(at: indexPath, animated: true)
        let merchandise = self.gadgets[indexPath.item]

        let alertController = UIAlertController(title: merchandise, message: "is in da home!", preferredStyle: .alert)
        let motion = UIAlertAction(title: "Okay", fashion: .default) { _ in }
        alertController.addAction(motion)
        self.current(alertController, animated: true, completion: nil)
    }
}

As you may see I am registering my model new customized cell lessons within the viewDidLoad technique. I additionally modified the code contained in the cellForRowAt indexPath technique, so we are able to use the CustomCell class as a substitute of UITableViewCells. Do not be afraid of power casting right here, if one thing goes unsuitable at this level, your app ought to crash. 🙃

There are two delegate strategies that we’re utilizing right here. Within the first one, now we have to return a quantity and the system will use that top for the cells. If you wish to use completely different cell top per row, you may obtain that too by checking indexPath property or something like that. The second is the handler for the choice. If somebody faucets on a cell, this technique will probably be known as & you may carry out some motion.

An indexPath has two attention-grabbing properties: part & merchandise (=row)


A number of sections with headers and footers

It is doable to have a number of sections contained in the desk view, I will not go an excessive amount of into the small print, as a result of it is fairly easy. You simply have to make use of indexPaths to be able to get / set / return the right knowledge for every part & cell.

import UIKit

class ViewController: UIViewController {

    weak var tableView: UITableView!

    var placeholderView = UIView(body: .zero)
    var isPullingDown = false

    enum Type {
        case `default`
        case subtitle
        case customized
    }

    var fashion = Type.default

    var gadgets: [String: [String]] = [
        "Originals": ["👽", "🐱", "🐔", "🐶", "🦊", "🐵", "🐼", "🐷", "💩", "🐰","🤖", "🦄"],
        "iOS 11.3": ["🐻", "🐲", "🦁", "💀"],
        "iOS 12": ["🐨", "🐯", "👻", "🦖"],
    ]

    override func loadView() {
        tremendous.loadView()

        let tableView = UITableView(body: .zero, fashion: .plain)
        tableView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        self.view.addSubview(tableView)
        NSLayoutConstraint.activate([
            self.view.safeAreaLayoutGuide.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: tableView.topAnchor),
            self.view.safeAreaLayoutGuide.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: tableView.bottomAnchor),
            self.view.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: tableView.leadingAnchor),
            self.view.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: tableView.trailingAnchor),
        ])
        self.tableView = tableView
    }

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        tremendous.viewDidLoad()

        self.tableView.register(UITableViewCell.self, forCellReuseIdentifier: "UITableViewCell")
        self.tableView.register(DetailCell.self, forCellReuseIdentifier: "DetailCell")
        self.tableView.register(CustomCell.self, forCellReuseIdentifier: "CustomCell")

        self.tableView.dataSource = self
        self.tableView.delegate = self
        self.tableView.separatorStyle = .singleLine
        self.tableView.separatorColor = .lightGray
        self.tableView.separatorInset = .zero

        self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = .init(barButtonSystemItem: .refresh, goal: self, motion: #selector(self.toggleCells))
    }

    @objc func toggleCells() {

        swap self.fashion {
        case .default:
            self.fashion = .subtitle
        case .subtitle:
            self.fashion = .customized
        case .customized:
            self.fashion = .default
        }

        DispatchQueue.foremost.async {
            self.tableView.reloadData()
        }
    }

    

    func key(for part: Int) -> String {
        let keys = Array(self.gadgets.keys).sorted { first, final -> Bool in
            if first == "Originals" {
                return true
            }
            return first < final
        }
        let key = keys[section]
        return key
    }

    func gadgets(in part: Int) -> [String] {
        let key = self.key(for: part)
        return self.gadgets[key]!
    }

    func merchandise(at indexPath: IndexPath) -> String {
        let gadgets = self.gadgets(in: indexPath.part)
        return gadgets[indexPath.item]
    }
}

extension ViewController: UITableViewDataSource {

    func numberOfSections(in tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
        return self.gadgets.keys.depend
    }

    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection part: Int) -> Int {
        return self.gadgets(in: part).depend
    }

    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
        let merchandise = self.merchandise(at: indexPath)
        let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "CustomCell", for: indexPath) as! CustomCell
        cell.titleLabel.textual content = merchandise
        cell.coverView.picture = UIImage(named: "Swift")
        return cell
    }

    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, titleForHeaderInSection part: Int) -> String? {
        return self.key(for: part)
    }

}

extension ViewController: UITableViewDelegate {

    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, heightForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> CGFloat {
        return 128
    }

    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, didSelectRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) {
        tableView.deselectRow(at: indexPath, animated: true)

        let merchandise = self.merchandise(at: indexPath)
        let alertController = UIAlertController(title: merchandise, message: "is in da home!", preferredStyle: .alert)
        let motion = UIAlertAction(title: "Okay", fashion: .default) { _ in }
        alertController.addAction(motion)
        self.current(alertController, animated: true, completion: nil)
    }
}

Though there may be one attention-grabbing addition within the code snippet above. You possibly can have a customized title for each part, you simply have so as to add the titleForHeaderInSection knowledge supply technique. Yep, it appears to be like like shit, however this one is just not about U&I/X. 😂

Nonetheless if you’re not happy with the structure of the part titles, you may create a customized class & use that as a substitute of the built-in ones. Right here is how you can do a customized part header view. Right here is the implementation of the reusable view:

class HeaderView: UITableViewHeaderFooterView {

    weak var titleLabel: UILabel!

    override init(reuseIdentifier: String?) {
        tremendous.init(reuseIdentifier: reuseIdentifier)

        self.initialize()
    }

    required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
        tremendous.init(coder: aDecoder)

        self.initialize()
    }

    func initialize() {
        let titleLabel = UILabel(body: .zero)
        titleLabel.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        self.contentView.addSubview(titleLabel)
        self.titleLabel = titleLabel

        NSLayoutConstraint.activate([
            self.contentView.centerXAnchor.constraint(equalTo: self.titleLabel.centerXAnchor),
            self.contentView.centerYAnchor.constraint(equalTo: self.titleLabel.centerYAnchor),
        ])

        self.contentView.backgroundColor = .black
        self.titleLabel.font = UIFont.boldSystemFont(ofSize: 16)
        self.titleLabel.textAlignment = .heart
        self.titleLabel.textColor = .white
    }
}

There’s only some issues left to do, you must register your header view, similar to you probably did it for the cells. It is precisely the identical method, besides that there’s a separate registration “pool” for the header & footer views. Lastly you must implement two further, however comparatively easy (and acquainted) delegate strategies.




extension ViewController: UITableViewDelegate {

    

    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, heightForHeaderInSection part: Int) -> CGFloat {
        return 32
    }

    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, viewForHeaderInSection part: Int) -> UIView? {
        let view = tableView.dequeueReusableHeaderFooterView(withIdentifier: "HeaderView") as! HeaderView
        view.titleLabel.textual content = self.key(for: part)
        return view
    }
}

Footers works precisely the identical as headers, you simply must implement the corresponding knowledge supply & delegate strategies to be able to help them.

You possibly can even have a number of cells in the identical tableview based mostly on the row or part index or any particular enterprise requirement. I am not going to demo this right here, as a result of I’ve a method higher answer for mixing and reusing cells contained in the CoreKit framework. It is already there for desk views as effectively, plus I already lined this concept in my final assortment view tutorial put up. You must verify that too. 🤓


Part titles & indexes

Okay, in case your mind is just not melted but, I am going to present you two extra little issues that may be attention-grabbing for freshmen. The primary one is predicated on two further knowledge supply strategies and it is a very nice addition for lengthy lists. (I favor search bars!) 🤯

extension ViewController: UITableViewDataSource {
    

    func sectionIndexTitles(for tableView: UITableView) -> [String]? {
        return ["1", "2", "3"]
    }

    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, sectionForSectionIndexTitle title: String, at index: Int) -> Int {
        return index
    }
}

If you will implement these strategies above you may have a bit of index view on your sections in the best aspect of the desk view, so the end-user will have the ability to shortly soar between sections. Similar to within the official contacts app. 📕


Choice vs spotlight

Cells are highlighed when you’re holding them down together with your finger. Cell goes to be chosen for those who launch your finger from the cell.

Do not overcomplicate this. You simply must implement two strategies in you customized cell class to make all the things work. I favor to deselect my cells straight away, if they don’t seem to be for instance utilized by some kind of knowledge picker structure. Right here is the code:

class CustomCell: UITableViewCell {

    

    override func setSelected(_ chosen: Bool, animated: Bool) {
        self.coverView.backgroundColor = chosen ? .crimson : .clear
    }

    override func setHighlighted(_ highlighted: Bool, animated: Bool) {
        self.coverView.backgroundColor = highlighted ? .blue : .clear
    }
}

As you may see, it is ridiculously simple, however many of the freshmen do not understand how to do that. Additionally they often overlook to reset cells earlier than the reusing logic occurs, so the checklist retains messing up cell states. Don’t fret an excessive amount of about these issues, they will go away as you are going to be extra skilled with the UITableView APIs.

That is it for now, subsequent time I’ll proceed with some superior desk views!

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