UITableViewCell subclass

Question

I have this code segment:

if (cell == nil)
{
    CGRect cellFrame = CGRectMake(0,0,300,250);
    cell = [[UITableViewCell alloc] initWithFrame:cellFrame
            reuseIdentifier:CellTableIndetifier];

    CGRect nameLabelRect = CGRectMake(0, 5, 70, 20);
    UILabel* nameLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:nameLabelRect];
    nameLabel.textAlignment = NSTextAlignmentCenter;
    nameLabel.text = @"Name";
    nameLabel.font = [UIFont boldSystemFontOfSize:12];
    [cell.contentView addSubview: nameLabel];

    CGRect colorLabelRect = CGRectMake(0, 25, 70, 20);
    UILabel* colorLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:colorLabelRect];
    colorLabel.textAlignment = NSTextAlignmentCenter;
    colorLabel.text = @"Color";
    colorLabel.font = [UIFont boldSystemFontOfSize:12];
    [cell.contentView addSubview: colorLabel];

    CGRect priceLabelRect = CGRectMake(0, 45, 70, 20);
    UILabel *priceLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:priceLabelRect];
    priceLabel.text = @"Price";
    priceLabel.textAlignment = NSTextAlignmentCenter;
    colorLabel.font = [UIFont boldSystemFontOfSize:12];
    [cell.contentView addSubview:priceLabel];

    CGRect nameValueRect = CGRectMake(80, 5, 200, 20);
    UILabel* nameValue = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame: nameValueRect];
    nameValue.tag = kNameValueTag;
    [cell.contentView addSubview:nameValue];

    CGRect colorValueRect = CGRectMake(80, 25, 200, 20);
    UILabel* colorValue = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:colorValueRect];
    colorValue.tag = kColorValueTag;
    [cell.contentView addSubview:colorValue];

    CGRect priceValueRect = CGRectMake(80, 45, 200, 20);
    UILabel *priceValue = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:priceValueRect];
    priceValue.tag = kPriceValueTag;
    [cell.contentView addSubview:priceValue];
}

and I would like to make that make that into a subclass, so I don't have to write all those lines, I just say cell = CustomCell and it does everything in the subclass.

It's not obvious to me how subclassing would help; you still need to position the cell and assign tags, which are unique for each cell... — trojanfoe, Jun 21 '13 at 12:16
I kinda don't know to to create a subclass. I'm a little new to Xcode so I don't fully understand the syntax. — Lord Zsolt, Jun 21 '13 at 12:16
You mean you are new to Objective-C; Xcode is an IDE and doesn't have a "syntax". You should remove Xcode from the title of this question. (H2CO3 will be here any minute, so be quick)... — trojanfoe, Jun 21 '13 at 12:17
@trojanfoe: I don't understand your first comment. All the label positions (relative to the cell) and tags are identical for each cell, so it can be done in the subclass `initWithStyle:reuseIdentifier:` method. - Perhaps I am overlooking something. — Martin R, Jun 21 '13 at 12:23
@MartinR The rects used to position the labels all look different to me, but I see how this could all be put into the cell init method now. — trojanfoe, Jun 21 '13 at 12:25
@trojanfoe: One cell has 5 labels (with different positions of course). But that are the same positions for each cell created, so the entire code for creating a single cell can be put in the subclass initXXX method. — Martin R, Jun 21 '13 at 12:28

score 10 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 21 '13 at 12:23

Here is the basic code for a subclass of UITableCellView :

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>

@interface CustomCell : UITableViewCell
{
}
@end


-----------------------------------------------------------


#import "CustomCell.h"

@implementation CustomCell


- (id)initWithStyle:(UITableViewCellStyle)style reuseIdentifier:(NSString *)reuseIdentifier
{
    self = [super initWithStyle:style reuseIdentifier:reuseIdentifier];
    if (self) {
        // Initialization code
    }
    return self;
}

-(void)layoutSubviews{
    [super layoutSubviews];
}

/*
- (void)setSelected:(BOOL)selected animated:(BOOL)animated
{
    [super setSelected:selected animated:animated];

    // Configure the view for the selected state
}*/

@end

It is auto-generated if you create a new file of type Objective-C Class and specify UITableViewCell in filed subclass of

Khanh Nguyen · Answer 2 · 2015-06-18T03:46:53.800

Following is what I usually do. If you use the cell only in 1 view controller, you can just put it in the same file as the view controller.

@interface MyCell : UITableViewCell

@property (strong, nonatomic) UILabel* nameValue;
@property (strong, nonatomic) UILabel* colorValue;
@property (strong, nonatomic) UILabel* priceValue;

@end

@implementation MyCell

-(id)init {
    self = [super initWithStyle:whatever_style];

    // Create & position UI elements
    UILabel* nameLabel = [[UILabel alloc] init];
    nameLabel.frame = .... // frame, font, etc
    [self.contentView addSubview:nameLabel]

    self.nameValue = [[UILabel alloc] init];
    self.nameValue = .... // frame, font, etc
    [self.contentView addSubview:self.nameValue];

    // Do the same thing for color, price

    return self;
}

@end

By exposing nameValue, colorValue, priceValue, I allow them to be changed from outside (ie the UITableViewController). I didn't expose other labels because they are static. Unless you need special positioning, you don't have to override layoutSubviews. autoresizingMask is sufficient in most cases.

Why don't using self.contentView instead of self to add subviews? — Michael, Jun 18 '15 at 00:22

Edelweiss · Answer 3 · 2013-06-21T12:39:00.173

There is two way I use to solve this.

The "quick and dirty" is to design a UITableViewCell into your UITableView with the stuff you need (UILabel, UIImageView,...) and set a unique tag for each element, then when you dequeue a UITableViewCell you can reuse the elements in like this :

UILabel *nameLabel = (UILabel*)[cell viewWithTag:NAME_LABEL_TAG];

if(!nameLabel) {

    // If the label does not exist, create it
    CGRect nameLabelRect = CGRectMake(0, 5, 70, 20);
    nameLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:nameLabelRect];
    nameLabel.textAlignment = NSTextAlignmentCenter;
    nameLabel.text = @"Name";
    nameLabel.font = [UIFont boldSystemFontOfSize:12];
    [cell.contentView addSubview: nameLabel];
}

Or the (imo) best way is to create a custom UITableViewCell and subclass UItableviewCell, you have a good tutorial there : Custom UITableViewCell

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 21 '13 at 12:26

I guess your are putting this stuff in your cellForRowAtIndexPath: delegate method and I can see why your strive to remove it from this place.

Create a new Objective-C class via New->File and put the subview related calls you posted in the layoutSubviews: method. In cellForRowAtIndexPath: in your table view delegate now use this class instead of the generic UITableViewCell. Don't forget to import your newly created file.

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 26 '14 at 09:47

#import "CellVideo.h"

@implementation CellVideo

-(id)initWithStyle:(UITableViewCellStyle)style reuseIdentifier:(NSString *)reuseIdentifier
{
    self = [super initWithStyle:style reuseIdentifier:reuseIdentifier];

    return self;
}
-(id)initWithCoder:(NSCoder *)aDecoder
{
    NSLog(@"initWithCoder");
    self = [super initWithCoder: aDecoder];
    if (self)
    {
        // Initialization code


        MPMoviePlayerController *moviePlayer = [[MPMoviePlayerController alloc] init];
        [moviePlayer.view setFrame:CGRectMake(10, 75, 300, 260)];
        [moviePlayer.view setBackgroundColor:[UIColor blackColor]];
        [moviePlayer.view setTag:333];
        [moviePlayer setControlStyle:MPMovieControlStyleNone];
         moviePlayer.scalingMode = MPMovieScalingModeFill;
        _movie=moviePlayer;

        UIImageView *imagrViewThumb=[[UIImageView alloc]initWithFrame:CGRectMake(10, 75, 300, 260)];
        [imagrViewThumb setBackgroundColor:[UIColor redColor]];
        [imagrViewThumb setTag:333];

        [self.contentView insertSubview:imagrViewThumb atIndex:0];
    }
    return self;
}
-(void)setSelected:(BOOL)selected animated:(BOOL)animated
{
    [super setSelected:selected animated:animated];
    // Configure the view for the selected state
}


///use it in this way
 CellIdentifier=@"cellvideo";
UITableViewCell *cell=nil;
//  CellVideo *cellVideo=nil;

cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:CellIdentifier];
if (cell == nil)
{
    cell = [[UITableViewCell alloc] initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleDefault reuseIdentifier:CellIdentifier];
}

UITableViewCell subclass

5 Answers5

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