How to create a reusable custom view class?

jemicha · February 2012

I am currently making an app that will have multiple timers, which are basically all the same.

I want to create a custom class that uses all of the code for the timers as well as the layout/animations, so I can have 5 identical timers that operate independently of each other.

I created the layout using IB (xcode 4.2) and all the code for the timers is currently just in the viewcontroller class.

I am having difficulty wrapping my brain around how to encapsulate everything into a custom class and then add it to the viewcontroller, any help would be much appreciated.

Duncan C · February 2012

jemicha;408691 said:
I am currently making an app that will have multiple timers, which are basically all the same.

I want to create a custom class that uses all of the code for the timers as well as the layout/animations, so I can have 5 identical timers that operate independently of each other.

I created the layout using IB (xcode 4.2) and all the code for the timers is currently just in the viewcontroller class.

I am having difficulty wrapping my brain around how to encapsulate everything into a custom class and then add it to the viewcontroller, any help would be much appreciated.

Sect the group in the files and groups organizer in your project where you want your new view class to live (inside classes somewhere).

Pull down the Xcode file menu, and select new. Select new file. From there, select iOS, and "Cocoa touch". From the choices selected, select "Objective C class". Click next. In the following screen, you will see a popup "Subclass of". Choose UIView, and name your class. e.g. "MyViewClass". Press enter again.

Xcode will create MyViewClass.m and MyViewClass.h, with a few standard methods like initWithFrame.

Now, add the ivars, properties and methods you need to implement your class.

Once you have your class defined, #import it's header into any view controller where you plan to use it.

Finally, in interface builder, create an object of type UIView. Then select that view object, go into the "identity inspector", and change the object's class from UIView to your custom class (MyViewClass, in our example.)

Now, when you create your view controller, and it loads its nib file, it will create an instance of your custom object and put it in your view controller.

jemicha · February 2012

Duncan C;408700 said:

Now, add the ivars, properties and methods you need to implement your class.

Thanks for your help once again Duncan.

How can I ensure that all the buttons will remain wired up correctly and that the layout will remain when I instantiate more of these?

(I did all the wiring up of the buttons and in storyboard in the ViewController)

Essentially, how can I use the view that I created as the new class?

jemicha · February 2012

It looks like I might have to create all of the layout and actions programmatically, is that a correct assumption?

Or, is there a way to utilize the layout and actions already set up in storyboard?

Duncan C · February 2012

jemicha;408704 said:
Thanks for your help once again Duncan.

How can I ensure that all the buttons will remain wired up correctly and that the layout will remain when I instantiate more of these?

(I did all the wiring up of the buttons and in storyboard in the ViewController)

Essentially, how can I use the view that I created as the new class?

See my instructions. You create the view objects in IB/Storyboard using their parent class (if you're creating a custom subclass of UIButton, create it in IB as a button). Then you select the "identity inspector" and change the object's type to your custom subclass.

Since the object inherits from it's parent class, you can do the same wiring that you can with the non-custom version of that class.

Duncan C · February 2012

jemicha;408716 said:
It looks like I might have to create all of the layout and actions programmatically, is that a correct assumption?

Or, is there a way to utilize the layout and actions already set up in storyboard?

Sure. Just make your custom object a subclass of whatever type it needs to be. If you're creating a custom subclass of UIButton, make sure it's declared as such. Then go in with Storyboard once you've defined your custom type and change the type to your new custom type (as described in my previous posts)

jemicha · February 2012

I got it all working, thanks so much for your help. I ended creating a new .xib file with the custom view class as its file's owner, along with your ideas on how to create the custom classes.

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How to create a reusable custom view class?

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