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I have an app where I need to have two tableviews swapped in and out by once view controller. I currently have it set so the viewcontroller is the delegate and datasource to both, so I use if / else statements in the delegate / datasource methods to determine which tableview to perform the action on like below:

- (NSInteger) tableView:(UITableView *)tableView numberOfRowsInSection:(NSInteger)section 
{
    if (tableView == [self selectAnAlbumTableView])
    {
        return [[self albums] count];
    }
    else
    {
        return ceil([[self album] numberOfAssets] / 4.0);
    }

}

However, I saw this in another thread: "One method which I have often used is to actually have the delegates and data source for the two UITableViews be different objects. This way, your view controller doesn't have to switch back and forth, and your code is overall cleaner and simpler." My question is, how would you go about implementing something like this, ie separate objects for the delegate / datasource, and is it better than what I'm currently doing?

Ser Pounce
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2 Answers2

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See at most elementary level: I would recommend you not to play with two table view controllers .Just use a navigatorcontroller and push a view based on your requirement. Its much easier to call you different view controller classes than play with two table views in same controller.

Smart
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  • In this situation I need both tableviews to be under the same navigation header, and I'd like for the tableviews to animate when they are swapped in and out. This is the only way this can be accomplished. – Ser Pounce Oct 09 '11 at 06:36
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It depends. Both has its own advantages and disadvantages. I believe both of your tableview are in a viewcontroller. If both delegate and data source are in different class (Mostly inherited from NSObject)then, in delegate method like tablewviewDidSelectRowAtIndexPath you wont be able to push a view controller or access /set label of viewcontroller directly. You have to use your own delegate method from data/delegate source of tableView back to viewcontroller.

sach
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  • he could also put the view controller as the delegate but have a data source as a different class (NSObject). That way he doesn't have the problem of not being able to push view controllers, right? – raixer Oct 09 '11 at 05:48
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    @raixer In most cases delegate and data source should co-exists in same class. In delegate method say in didselectrowatIndexPath we may check which item has been selected. We can't just go by index count etc – sach Oct 09 '11 at 05:53
  • So would you guys say this is the best way possible for me to accomplish this (the current way I'm doing it?). What is the pattern for doing something like this, though I know it's rare so it might not be one. Do you see any problems with how I'm doing it or is it a better method. – Ser Pounce Oct 09 '11 at 06:38