How to get NSTableView to use a custom cell view mixed with preset cell views?

Question

I have a NSTableView configured in Interface Builder which uses several default cell views. However the first column's cell view needs to be created from a custom class. How do I implement NSTableViewDataSource method tableView.viewForTableColumn() so that it creates the default cell views for the remaining columns?

Here's my method so far:

func tableView(tableView:NSTableView, viewForTableColumn tableColumn:NSTableColumn?, row:Int) -> NSView?
{
    /* Create custom cell view for first column. */
    if (tableColumn?.identifier == "nameColumn")
    {
        let view = tableView.makeViewWithIdentifier("nameCellView", owner: nil) as! NameTableCellView;
        return view;
    }

    /* Return default cell views (defined in IB) for the rest. */
    return tableView.viewAtColumn(??, row: row, makeIfNecessary: true); // How to get column index??
}

How do I get the right column index for tableView.viewAtColumn()? tableView.columnForView() or tableView.columnWithIdentifier() are obviously not any option in this case.

Paul Patterson · Accepted Answer · 2015-06-15T17:53:45.690

0

I'd try just giving the default cell your own identifier in Interface Builder...

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...then just use that in conjunction with makeViewWithIdentifier::

func tableView(tableView: NSTableView,
    viewForTableColumn
    tableColumn: NSTableColumn?, row: Int) -> NSView? {

        var viewIdentifier = "StandardTableCellView"

        if let column = tableColumn {

            switch column.identifier {

            case "nameColumn":
                viewIdentifier = "nameCellView"

            default: break

            }
        }

        return tableView.makeViewWithIdentifier(viewIdentifier, owner: self) as? NSView
}

edited Jun 15 '15 at 17:53

answered Jun 15 '15 at 09:49

Paul Patterson

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Yes I guess there is no other way. Fastest would be to give columns and cells each their same ID, e.g. 0, 1, 2, 3... etc. and then create cells with the column identifier specified. – BadmintonCat Jun 15 '15 at 09:59

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 02 '16 at 20:31

I came across a good solution to the problem: You could make the table column identifiers to be the same of the corresponding view cells identifiers. After that, you could use in your delegate:

- (NSView *)tableView:(NSTableView *)tableView
   viewForTableColumn:(NSTableColumn *)tableColumn
                  row:(NSInteger)row {

    NSTableCellView *cell = [tableView makeViewWithIdentifier:[tableColumn identifier] owner:NULL];


    return cell;
}

From this starting point, you can easily take action for a specific column identifier and make another cellview instead according to your logic.

How to get NSTableView to use a custom cell view mixed with preset cell views?

2 Answers2