Below is my typical WindowController module for presenting a modal dialog (could be settings, asking username/password, etc) loaded from a XIB. It seems a bit too complex for something like this. Any ideas how this can be done better/with less code?
Never mind that it's asking for a password, it could be anything. What frustrates me most is that I repeat the same pattern in each and every of my XIB-based modal window modules. Which of course means I could define a custom window controller class, but before doing that I need to make sure this is really the best way of doing things.
#import "MyPasswordWindowController.h"
static MyPasswordWindowController* windowController;
#interface MyPasswordWindowController ()
#property (weak) IBOutlet NSSecureTextField *passwordField;
#end
#implementation MyPasswordWindowController
{
NSInteger _dialogCode;
}
- (id)init
{
return [super initWithWindowNibName:#"MyPassword"];
}
- (void)awakeFromNib
{
[super awakeFromNib];
[self.window center];
}
- (void)windowWillClose:(NSNotification*)notification
{
[NSApp stopModalWithCode:_dialogCode];
_dialogCode = 0;
}
- (IBAction)okButtonAction:(NSButton *)sender
{
_dialogCode = 1;
[self.window close];
}
- (IBAction)cancelButtonAction:(NSButton *)sender
{
[self.window close];
}
+ (NSString*)run
{
if (!windowController)
windowController = [MyPasswordWindowController new];
[windowController loadWindow];
windowController.passwordField.stringValue = #"";
if ([NSApp runModalForWindow:windowController.window])
return windowController.passwordField.stringValue;
return nil;
}
The application calls [MyPasswordWindowController run], so from the point of view of the user of this module it looks simple, but not so much when you look inside.
Set tags on your buttons to distinguish them. Have them both target the same action method:
- (IBAction) buttonAction:(NSButton*)sender
{
[NSApp stopModalWithCode:[sender tag]];
[self.window close];
}
Get rid of your _dialogCode instance variable and -windowWillClose: method.
-[NSApplication runModalForWindow:] will already center the window, so you can get rid of your -awakeFromNib method.
Get rid of the invocation of -[NSWindowController loadWindow]. That's an override point. You're not supposed to call it. The documentation is clear on that point. It will be called automatically when you request the window controller's -window.
Get rid of the static instance of MyPasswordWindowController. Just allocate a new one each time. There's no point in keeping the old one around and it can be troublesome to reuse windows.
Related
I have an application in which a window should be opened and closed when a checkbox is clicked on or off in a separate window. I can open it, but can't close it. I define a NSWindow in the windowControllerObject and try to close the NSWindow. The relevant code is:
buttonController.h
#interface buttonController : NSWindowController
{
NSButton *showAnswerBox;
infoWindowController *answerWindowController;
}
- (IBAction)showAnswer:(id)sender;
#end
buttonController.m
- (IBAction) showAnswer:(id) sender
{
if ([sender state] == NSOnState) {
if (!answerWindowController) {
answerWindowController = [[infoWindowController alloc] init];
}
[answerWindowController showWindow:self];
}
else {
[answerWindowController hideWindow];
}
}
infoWindowController.h:
#interface infoWindowController : NSWindowController {
IBOutlet NSWindow * infoWindow;
}
- (id) init;
- (NSWindow *) window;
- (void) hideWindow;
- (void) tsSetTitle: (NSString *) displayName;
#end
And in infoWindowController.m:
- (NSWindow *) window
{
return infoWindow;
}
- (void) hideWindow
{
[[self window] close];
}
The window opens, but it won't close. I've tried several variations, including orderOut on the infoWindowController. I'm sure I'm missing something dumb- what is it?
In IB, the only way I can even get the windows to open is if 'Open at launch' checked- shouldn't I be able to open them programmatically without that?
NSWindowController already defines a window property. You have effectively overridden the getter of that property by implementing your own -window method. The setter, though, is still the inherited version.
So, assuming you have connected the window outlet of the controller to the window in the NIB, the inherited setter is being called. That allows the inherited implementation of -showWindow: to work to show the window. But your -window method will return nil because the inherited setter does not set your infoWindow instance variable.
Get rid of your separate infoWindow property and getter. Just use the inherited window property and its accessors.
If you use NSWindowController it's better to use it's close method:
- (void) hideWindow
{
[self close];
}
or just:
[answerWindowController close];
But your code is also valid, just make sure that your [answerWindowController window] is not nil. If you load your window from xib you should initialize your window controller with the name of this xib: answerWindowController = [[AnswerWindowControllerClass alloc] initWithWindowNibName:#"YOUR WINDOW XIB NAME"];.
Also check that "Visible at launch" is unchecked for your window (it seems that it doesn't).
I created a new blank standard application using Xcode template. Removed the window in MainMenu.xib and I created a new customized NSWindowController subclass with a xib.
They were named "WYSunFlowerWindowController.h" and "WYSunFlowerWindowController.m".
And I append then init function like below:
- (id)init
{
NSLog(#"init()");
return [super initWithWindowNibName:#"WYSunFlowerWindowController" owner:self];
}
And my WYAppDelegate.m file is like below:
static WYSunFlowerMainWindowController* windowController = nil;
- (void)applicationDidFinishLaunching:(NSNotification *)aNotification
{
// Insert code here to initialize your application
if (windowController == nil) {
windowController = [[WYSunFlowerMainWindowController alloc] init];
}
[[windowController window] makeKeyAndOrderFront:windowController];
}
And I have the problem, that the window can't show it self after I launch the app. Anyone can tell me why? Is anything wrong with my code?
I am a newbie in Objective-C and cocoa. So I think I maybe make a silly mistake that I can't figure it out by myself.
UPDATE:
Here is my project source. Pleas have a look and help me to figure out what is my mistake。
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3193707/SunFlower.zip
In your init method, I think you have to set self to the super init first before you return self.
-(id)init
{
NSLog (#"init()");
self = [super initWithWindowNibName:#"WYSunFlowerWindowController" owners:self];
return self;
}
Edit:
Try replace makeKeyAndOrderFront: with [windowController showWindow:self]
Then if that still doesn't work, check your window controller xib, make sure the file owner is set to WYSunFlowerWindowController and that the IBOutlet Window (declared in NSWindowController) is connected to the window.
Edit 2:
Commenting out your #property and #synthesize window in your controller was the trick. Don't redeclare get and setters that were already predefined in a superclass.
I am learning how to create osx applications with Cocoa/Objective-C. I am writing a simple app which will link together two different tutorials I have been going through. On start up a choice window loads with 2 buttons, one button loads one window and the other loads the other window. When either button is clicked the choice window closes.
The choice window controller object was added to the MainMenu.xib file so it is created at launch. The window is then opened using the awakeFromNib message.
I want the result of one button to open up the 'track controller' tutorial application from the ADC website. The action looks like this:
- (IBAction)trackButton:(id)sender {
TMTrackController *trackController = [[TMTrackController alloc] init];
[self.window close];
}
I added an init method to the TMTrackController class which looks like this:
- (id) init {
if (self = [super init]) {
[self showWindow];
TMTrack *myTrack = [[TMTrack alloc] init];
myTrack.volume = 50;
self.track = myTrack;
[self updateUserInterface];
return self;
}
else {
return nil;
}
}
- (void) showWindow {
if(!self.window) {
[NSBundle loadNibNamed:#"trackWindow" owner:self];
}
[self.window makeKeyAndOrderFront:self];
}
I am not sure this is the best way to be doing this as I know that the choiceController class will be released when it is closed thus getting rid of the TMTrackController class too. However even when I untick the 'release when closed' box of the ChoiceWindow.xib it breaks too.
What is the correct way to do this?
With xib s in the same project use:
#interface
#property (strong) NSWindowController *test;
#implementation
#synthesize test;
test = [[NSWindowController alloc] initWithWindowNibName:#"XIB NAME HERE"];
[test showWindow:self];
[home close];
It is not completely the same but this is my solution for such problems: Stackoverflow
Just ignore my statement in this answer regarding showing the window as a modal window. Everything else is still valid. This way you could have your personal window controller and it controls everything there is within the xib. This is a huge advantage for maintaining the project afterwards (and you keep to the application logic).
I am not sure I am doing things the right way, or if I have it all hacked up.
I have a really simple test application (not document-based) I created for learning how to work with application-modal dialogs in Cocoa applications.
With the application project "TestModalDialog", I have a simple MainMenu.xib with the default view and a button, "Show Dialog", I added. I created a second XIB called TheDialog.xib that has "Cancel" and "OK" buttons. That xib has as its owner a class derived from NSWindowController called "TheDialogController"; the window outlet and delegate are connected to the controller.
Selection of "Show Dialog" on the main view will launch the dialog. Selection of "Cancel" or "OK" will dismiss the dialog. Here is the pretty simple code:
// TestModalDialogAppDelegate.h
// TestModalDialog
#import <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
#class TheDialogController;
#interface TestModalDialogAppDelegate : NSObject <NSApplicationDelegate>
{
NSWindow *window;
TheDialogController* theDialogController;
}
#property (assign) IBOutlet NSWindow *window;
- (IBAction)showDialog:(id)sender;
#end
// TestModalDialogAppDelegate.m
// TestModalDialog
#import "TestModalDialogAppDelegate.h"
#import "TheDialogController.h"
#implementation TestModalDialogAppDelegate
#synthesize window;
- (void)applicationDidFinishLaunching:(NSNotification *)aNotification
{
theDialogController= [[TheDialogController alloc] init];
}
- (void)dealloc
{
if(nil != theDialogController)
[theDialogController release];
[super dealloc];
}
- (IBAction)showDialog:(id)sender
{
if(nil == theDialogController)
{
NSAlert* alert= [NSAlert alertWithMessageText:#"Dialog Error" defaultButton:nil alternateButton:nil otherButton:nil informativeTextWithFormat:#"The dialog controller was not allocated."];
[alert runModal];
return;
}
NSInteger result= [NSApp runModalForWindow:[theDialogController window]];
// Do something with result....
}
#end
// TheDialogController.h
// TestModalDialog
#import <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
#interface TheDialogController : NSWindowController
{
// BOOL userClickedCloseOrOk; // Removed based on answer.
// Should declare a common define - just being lazy.
NSInteger userClickedOk; // Added based on answer.
UInt16 timesShown;
}
- (IBAction)showWindow:(id)sender;
- (IBAction)closeDialog:(id)sender;
- (IBAction)okDialog:(id)sender;
//- (BOOL)windowShouldClose:(id)sender; // Removed based on answer.
- (void)windowWillClose:(NSNotification*)notification; // Added based on answer.
- (void)windowDidBecomeKey:(NSNotification*)notification; // To set title when modal.
#end
// TheDialogController.m
// TestModalDialog
#import "TheDialogController.h"
#implementation TheDialogController
- (id)init
{
self = [super initWithWindowNibName:#"TheDialog"];
userClickedOk= 0; // Added based on answer.
// userClickedCloseOrOk= FALSE; // Removed based on answer.
return self;
}
-(void)dealloc
{
// Do member cleanup if needed.
[super dealloc];
}
- (void)windowDidLoad
{
[super windowDidLoad];
// Initialize as needed....
[[self window] center]; // Center the window.
}
// Does not show with runModalForWindow.
- (IBAction)showWindow:(id)sender
{
// Just playing with the window title....
++timesShown;
NSString* newTitle= [NSString stringWithFormat:#"Shown %d Times", timesShown];
[[self window] setTitle:newTitle];
return [super showWindow:sender];
}
// This method no longer used for this solution based on the answer.
//- (BOOL)windowShouldClose:(id)sender
//{
// if(!userClickedCloseOrOk) // The user did not click one of our buttons.
// [NSApp abortModal];
// else
// userClickedCloseOrOk= FALSE; // Clear for next time.
//
// return TRUE;
//}
// Added based on answer.
- (void)windowWillClose:(NSNotification*)notification
{
[NSApp stopModalWithCode:userClickedOk];
userClickedOk= 0; // Reset for next time.
}
// Note - the title will update every time the window becomes key. To do the
// update only once per modal session, a flag can be added. There might be a better
// notification to catch.
- (void)windowDidBecomeKey:(NSNotification*)notification
{
++timesShown;
NSString* newTitle= [NSString stringWithFormat:#"Shown %d Times", timesShown];
[[self window] setTitle:newTitle];
}
- (IBAction)closeDialog:(id)sender
{
//userClickedCloseOrOk= TRUE; // Removed based on answer.
//[NSApp abortModal]; // Removed based on answer.
//[[self window] performClose:self]; // Removed based on answer.
[[self window] close]; // Know we want to close - based on answer.
}
- (IBAction)okDialog:(id)sender
{
userClickedOk= 1; // Added based on answer.
//userClickedCloseOrOk= TRUE; // Removed based on answer.
//[NSApp stopModal]; // Removed based on answer.
//[[self window] performClose:self]; // Removed based on answer.
[[self window] close]; // Know we want to close - based on answer.
}
#end
I had trouble with the modality - before I put in userClickedCloseOrOk and tests, if the user hit the close button (upper-left red dot), the dialog would close but the modal session was still running.
I realize I could just leave the close-button off the dialog to start with, but with it there, is what I have demonstrated a good way to catch that scenario, or is there a better way? Or, am I doing something wrong to start with, which creates that problem for me?
Any advice would be appreciated.
NOTE - Code from the original example commented out and replaced with code based on the answer. Also added a new notification handler.
In the okDialog: and closeDialog: methods call close instead of performClose: to avoid the window calling the windowShouldClose: delegate method. That way you don't need userClickedCloseOrOk.
Also I think you want to be calling stopModalWithCode: instead of stopModal since in the app delegate you seem to be interested in the result. And you can call stopModal or stopModalWithCode: instead of abortModal because you are always in the runloop when you call it (abort is for when you are outside of the modal runloop, like in another thread or timer's runloop).
In windowShouldClose: you are doing an action (abortModal) when you should only be answering the question "should this window close". The windowWillClose: delegate method is where you should do actions if you need to.
Sheets are useful when there is one window and it tells the user they can't do anything with it until they complete whatever is in the sheet. Application-modal windows are useful when you have multiple windows that the user can't interact with until they complete whatever is in the modal window or where there is an error that involves the whole application but is not tied to the content of one window. In their HIG Apple suggests avoiding the use of Application-modal windows whenever possible.
I have actually just been struggling with the same problem and found this link :
Stopping modal when window is closed (Cocoa)
I am making a new window open and would like to implement the method makeKeyAndOrderFront: for the window, i was wondering what code i would need to enter to do this.
Here is some of the code I've already got to open the window:
File 1 (The First Controller)
#import "PreferenceController.h"
#implementation PreferenceController
- (id)init
{
if (![super initWithWindowNibName:#"Preferences"])
return nil;
return self;
}
- (void)windowDidLoad
{
NSLog(#"Nib file is loaded");
}
File 2 (The Action Opening The Window)
#import "Prefernces_Delegate.h"
#import "PreferenceController.h"
#implementation Prefernces_Delegate
- (IBAction)showPreferencePanel:(id)sender
{
// Is preferenceController nil?
if (!preferenceController) {
preferenceController = [[PreferenceController alloc] init];
}
NSLog(#"showing %#", preferenceController);
[preferenceController showWindow:self];
}
The reason I am trying to do this is it has been suggested by a friend to solve a window opening problem.
You don't want to implement -makeKeyAndOrderFront:, you want to call it on your window in order to bring it to front and make it the key window. What does your showWindow: method do?
Somewhere after [preferenceController showWindow:self];:
[self.window makeKeyAndOrderFront:self];
or did you mean add a method to the controller?
// you should use a different method name, cause it's not the
// controller that is made key and ordered front.
- (void)makeKeyAndOrderFront:(id)IBAction {
[self.window makeKeyAndOrderFront:self];
}
Message makeKeyAndOrderFront is sent only after initiating the main event loop [NSApp run]. You may try to send the message from the main view by implementing the method viewWillDraw:
- (void)viewWillDraw
{
[window makeKeyAndOrderFront: nil];
}