No Setter method for assignment to property - cocoa application - objective-c

I'm fairly new to objective-c and have just encountered an error i've not seen before.
I'm trying to set a Text Field cell as 'selectable', but i get the error "No Setter method 'setIsSelectable' for assignment to property."
Here are the .h and .m files.
Thanks.
DataPanel.h
#import <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
#interface DataPanel : NSPanel
#property (weak) IBOutlet NSTextFieldCell *textField;
#end
DataPanel.m
#import "DataPanel.h"
#implementation DataPanel
#synthesize textField = _textField;
- (void) awakeFromNib{
_textField.stringValue = #"1.1 Performance standards The overall objective of the performance standards in Section 1.1 is to provide acoustic conditions in schools that (a) facilitate clear communication of speech between teacher and student, and between students, and (b) do not interfere with study activities.";
_textField.isSelectable = YES;
}
#end

In Objective-C, BOOL properties which start with 'is' are usually the getter of the property only, and not the property itself.
Its a convention.
Just for general knowledge, you can do so yourself by declaring properties in the following manner:
#property (nonatomic, getter=isAvaiable) BOOL available;
So trying to set the above, while using isAvailable will not work, since it is the getter method, and you can't set a getter.
As for your question,
Try changing your code from _textField.isSelectable = YES; to either of the below, and it should work.
_textField.selectable = YES;
[_textField setSelectable:YES];
Good luck mate.

Related

In Objective-C, how to make #property's accessible to other classes?

The original question remains below this update:
So further research indicates that my
"...missing setter or instance variable"
log messages are due to an unhinged .xib.
I originally thought that might be the case which is why I went through the process of re-connecting the outlets and properties in the graphic interface builder, but that seems to have been insufficient to repair the connections.
I restored the outlets as properties rather than iVars and reconnected again, still to no avail. So I'm in the process of remaking the .xib's from scratch. Stay tuned for the results.
Original question follows:
Having declared and synthesized properties in parent and sheet classes, and attempted therein to access the properties by their respective class.property names, Xcode rejects the code.
I posted a similar question recently and deleted it after being told there was not enough info to make a response, so I include here below a mini-app which shows how the relevant setup was in the real app of over 2000 lines of Objective-C, which built and ran properly before I attempted to add the Parent / Sheet properties feature.
I've indicated the compiler error messages with a prefix of ////. When I comment out the erroneous lines, the app with its .xib's builds and runs, dysfunctionally of course.
ParentClass.h
// ParentClass stuff belongs in the original main window controller
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#import <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
#interface ParentClass : NSObject
{
IBOutlet NSTextField * messageTextField;
IBOutlet NSButton * proceedButton;
}
#property (assign) IBOutlet NSWindow * window;
#property (strong) NSMutableString * parentPropInfo;
- (IBAction) awakeFromNib;
- (IBAction) doCreate:(id)sender;
#end
ParentClass.m
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#import <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
#import "ParentDelegate.h"
#import "ParentClass.h"
#import "SheetClass.h"
#implementation ParentClass
ParentDelegate * MyDelegate; // only confirms termination requests
NSWindowController * SheetController;
#synthesize parentPropInfo;
- (IBAction)awakeFromNib {
MyDelegate = [NSApplication sharedApplication].delegate;
MyDelegate.ParentController = self; // BTW, this property assignment works!
SheetController = [[SheetClass alloc] initWithWindowNibName: #"SheetClass"];
messageTextField.stringValue = #"Click Proceed button";
}
- (IBAction)doProceed*emphasized text*:(id)sender {
parentPropInfo = #"Hello!".mutableCopy; // to be read by the sheet
[NSApp runModalForWindow:SheetController.window];
// Sheet is active now until it issues stopModal, then:
messageTextField.stringValue = SheetController.sheetPropInfo; // set by the sheet
////above gets ERROR "Property sheetPropInfo not found on object of type 'NSWindowController *'"
messageTextField.stringValue = SheetController.window.sheetPropInfo;
////above gets ERROR "Property sheetPropInfo not found on object of type 'NSWindow *'"
[NSApp endSheet: SheetController.window];
[SheetController.window orderOut:self];
}
#end
SheetClass.h
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#import <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
#import "ParentClass.h"
#interface SheetClass : NSWindowController
{
IBOutlet NSTextField * propTextField;
IBOutlet NSButton * cancelButton;
}
#property (assign) IBOutlet NSWindow * window;
#property NSMutableString * sheetPropInfo;
- (IBAction)awakeFromNib;
- (IBAction)doCancel:(id)sender;
#end
SheetClass.m
#import "SheetClass.h"
#import "ParentClass.h"
#implementation SheetClass
#synthesize sheetPropInfo;
- (IBAction)awakeFromNib {
propTextField.stringValue = self.window.sheetParent.parentPropInfo; // set by the parent
////above gets ERROR "Property parentPropInfo not found on object of type 'NSWindow *'"
sheetPropInfo = #"Goodbye!".mutableCopy; // to be read by the parent
}
- (IBAction)doCancel:(id)sender {
[NSApp stopModal];
}
#end
I can find nothing in Apple documentation or extensive (three weeks now!) online search to offer any insight as to my abysmal ignorance. I apologize for the overwhelming batch of code needed to illustrate my problem! Where shall I obtain the information I need?
The error messages are perfectly clear. Just read them and think about them. Let's just take the first one. You are saying:
messageTextField.stringValue = SheetController.sheetPropInfo;
...and getting this response from the compiler:
// Property sheetPropInfo not found on object of type 'NSWindowController *'
Well, think about the expression SheetController.sheetPropInfo and why the compiler cannot make sense of it. You have declared SheetController as follows:
NSWindowController * SheetController;
So that is all the compiler knows: SheetController is an NSWindowController. Well, sure enough, just as the compiler says, sheetPropInfo is not a property of NSWindowController. It is a property of SheetClass (which is not the same as NSWindowController; it is a subclass of NSWindowController).
If you know that SheetController is in fact a SheetClass instance, you need to tell the compiler that fact. You must either declare SheetController as a SheetClass or cast it down from an NSWindowController to a SheetClass.

Does "#synthesize" every "#property" necessary?

I'm following one of the iOS tutorials from Ray Wenderlich (Scarybugs part 1). But I notice for each property in the model, he always "#synthesize" it in the implementation.
Here is the example of the models:
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#interface RWTScaryBugData : NSObject
#property (strong) NSString *title;
#property (assign) float rating;
- (id)initWithTitle:(NSString*)title rating:(float)rating;
#end
--
#import "RWTScaryBugData.h"
#implementation RWTScaryBugData
#synthesize title = _title;
#synthesize rating = _rating;
- (id)initWithTitle:(NSString*)title rating:(float)rating {
if ((self = [super init])) {
self.title = title;
self.rating = rating;
}
return self;
}
#end
--
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#class RWTScaryBugData;
#interface RWTScaryBugDoc : NSObject
#property (strong) RWTScaryBugData *data;
#property (strong) UIImage *thumbImage;
#property (strong) UIImage *fullImage;
- (id)initWithTitle:(NSString*)title rating:(float)rating thumbImage:(UIImage *)thumbImage fullImage:(UIImage *)fullImage;
#end
--
#import "RWTScaryBugDoc.h"
#import "RWTScaryBugData.h"
#implementation RWTScaryBugDoc
#synthesize data = _data;
#synthesize thumbImage = _thumbImage;
#synthesize fullImage = _fullImage;
- (id)initWithTitle:(NSString*)title rating:(float)rating thumbImage:(UIImage *)thumbImage fullImage:(UIImage *)fullImage {
if ((self = [super init])) {
self.data = [[RWTScaryBugData alloc] initWithTitle:title rating:rating];
self.thumbImage = thumbImage;
self.fullImage = fullImage;
}
return self;
}
#end
I know "#synthesize" is basically to allocate an instance variable for a property, but it has been taken care of by default for every "#property" in ".h file" (although not visible).
My questions is: is it necessary to "#synthesize" every "#property" we have in our public API? (I tried deleting all the "#synthesize" in the implementation, and it still worked)
#synthesize is no longer needed. The compiler will synthesize the getter and setter as required with an instance variable named as _<propertyName> automatically. It creates the instance variable but more importantly it creates the getter and setter methods (for readwrite properties).
If you've manually provided the getter/setter for a property, then an instance variable won't be automatically synthesized, and you'll need to add the #synthesize statement. From the docs:
Note: The compiler will automatically synthesize an instance variable in all situations where it’s also synthesizing at least one accessor method. If you implement both a getter and a setter for a readwrite property, or a getter for a readonly property, the compiler will assume that you are taking control over the property implementation and won’t synthesize an instance variable automatically.
If you still need an instance variable, you’ll need to request that one be synthesized:
#synthesize property = _property;
As noted in the Objective-C Feature Availability Index, automatic synthesis of property instance variables was introduced with Xcode 4.4 (LLVM Compiler 4.0) and requires the modern runtime (all code on iOS, 64-bit code on OS X).
So, the tutorial is a bit dated, that's all.
hope this will help little more.
#property(nonatomic) NSString *name;
the #property is an Objective-C directive which declares the property
-> The "`nonatomic`" in the parenthesis specifies that the property is non-atomic in nature.
-> and then we define the type and name of our property.
-> prototyping of getter and setter method
now go to .m file
previously we have synthesis this property by using #synthesis , now it also NOT required , it automatically done by IDE.
-> this #synthesis now generate the getter and setter(if not readonly) methods.
and Then why we even write #synthesis in our code if it always done by IDE .
one of the basic use is :-
what our IDE do internally
#synthesis name=_name;
we use _name to access particular property but now you want synthesis by some other way like
firstname you can do it like
#synthesis name= firstname
or just by name
#synthesis name=name
So from it you can access this property as you want.

How do I know if not declaring #synthesize will result in "use of undeclared identifier"?

In one of the assignments, I had to override the superclass's getter method for the game logic (so the method will get the subclass of the game logic instead of the original one).
CardGameViewController.h:
#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
#import "Deck.h"
#import "CardGame.h"
#interface CardGameViewController : UIViewController
#property (nonatomic) NSUInteger startingCardCount; // abstract
#property (strong, nonatomic) CardGame *game;
- (Deck *)createDeck; // abstract
- (void)updateCell:(UICollectionViewCell *)cell usingCard:(Card *)Card; // abstract
#end
CardGameViewController.m:
#import "CardGameViewController.h"
...
// no #synthesize here, but works fine.
- (CardGame *)game
{
if (!_game) _game = [[CardGame alloc] initWithCardCount:self.startingCardCount
usingDeck:[self createDeck]];
return _game;
}
...
#end
SetCardGameViewController.m:
...
#interface TSSetCardGameViewController()
#property (strong, nonatomic) CardGame *game;
#end
#implementation TSSetCardGameViewController
#synthesize game = _game; // Compiler *will* complain if this line is commented out.
- (CardGame *)game
{
if (!_game) _game = [[SetCardGame alloc] initWithCardCount:self.startingCardCount
usingDeck:[self createDeck]];
return _game;
}
...
#end
Then I got "Use of undeclared identifier" for "_game". so I declared
#property (strong, nonatomic) CardGame *game;
But I got the same error, so I used "self.game" instead, which caused a bad access exception.
I couldn't find anything on Google, so I tinkered around until I found that this solves the problem:
#synthesize game = _game;
Now, my question is why. My understanding is the new version of Xcode does the synthesizing for me, unless I override both its getter and setter. I did override the getter, but not the setter, so Xcode technically should have included it automatically. The proof is that Xcode did not complain until I subclassed CardGameViewController and specifically overrode the getter method. (FYI neither CardGameViewController nor its subclass had a setter method for *game)
So I'm a little confused. Please help!
The problem here is that you have two versions of _game. Since the introduction of the new ABI (64-bit Mac and all iOS), each subclass can create its own ivars without tromping all over its superclass's ivars (even if they're named the same). And ivars created by #synthesize are private. Now hold that thought and let's see what's happening:
In your superclass, you declare a property that has a getter and setter (though you almost certainly don't mean to have a setter…) You override the getter. The compiler says "but you still want me to create a setter for you, so I'll create an ivar to match it."
In your subclass, you declare no new properties. You may think you do, but it's just the same property that comes from the superclass; it's not a new property. There's already a getter and setter in the superclass, so there's no need for the compiler to create an ivar.
You then reference an ivar that does not exist in your subclass. It only exists as a private ivar in the superclass. The compiler can't see that (and wouldn't let you access it even if it could).
The typical solution to this problem is, rather than overriding -game, just provide a class method called +gameClass and have it return the correct class to instantiate. (See +layerClass in UIView for an example of this pattern.)

Modern Objective-C and #synthesize

I'm trying convert my code to Modern Objective-C style. How i read here http://www.techotopia.com/index.php/The_Basics_of_Modern_Objective-C": "In the case of Modern Objective-C, however, the synthesis takes place by default, making the use of #synthesize declarations unnecessary. When using default property synthesize, instance variable properties are accessible from within code using the property name prefixed with an underscore."
However, I have:
Relationship.h
#interface Relationship : NSObject <NSCoding>
//...
#property(nonatomic, weak) Person* first;
//...
#end`
OtherRelationship.h
#import "Relationship.h"
#interface OtherRelationship : Relationship
#end
OtherRelationship.m
#import "OtherRelationship.h"
#implementation OtherRelationship
#synthesize first = _first;
- (void)foo
{
NSLog(#"%#", _first);
}
and it's working. But when i delete
#synthesize first = _first;
i get "Use of undeclared identifier '_first'" error. Does inheritanced variables doesn't work with autosynthesize or should i looking for problem elsewhere?
The backing ivar in the superclass is #private to the subclass. That is, the subclass may call self.first, but not _first. If you want to #synthesize again, use a different name because you can't refer to _first. For example, replace with #synthesize first = _ffirst; or just drop the #synthesize.

accessing superview properties

I've searched for the answer to this question, and the answers I'm finding don't work.
I have a view that is a subclass of UIView to which I've added a property. I would like to access this property from the subviews created by this view. Is that possible?
I've tried referring to self.superview.propertyname but I get an error that propertyname is not found on object of type UIView. Well, right. I realize that since it's a subclass of UIView, it's a UIView, but how can I get it to know about the extra property I added?
You have a number of options, two of them are:
1. Casting:
#implementation SubviewView
- (void)blah
{
((CustomView *)self.superview).property = ...`
}
#end
2. Delegates:
#protocol SubviewViewDelegate
- (void)customView:(SubView *)sv modified:(...)value;
#end
#class SubView
#property (nonatomic, weak) id <CustomViewDelegate> delegate;
#end
#implementation SubviewView
- (void)blah
{
[self.delegate subView modified:...];
}
#end
#implementation CustomView
- (void)subView:(SubView *)sv modified:(...)value
{
self.property = value;
}
#end
Although the second option is more code, I think it is often better suited. Using delegates reduces coupling and works nicely with the Law of Demeter. For more info see this documentation.