I'm using XCode 4, and note that when setting up a new Cocoa Application project, you get an AppDelegate.m and .h file, as well as a .nib (.xib). Using alt-command-return, you get the 3-column editor layout, from which you can control-drag from controls to the AppDelegate.h file to create Outlets or Actions.
My question is, is it recommended to utilise these AppDelegate files to manage your interface controls ie. updating labels, acting on button presses etc. OR is it better to create an AppController class, add an object to the .xib and subclass it to AppController, modifying AppController to mange the controls? If this is the case, what are appropriate uses of AppDelegate?
I would like to say, it is just a matter of development style. What I do is use another class and change the AppDelegate to that class/view and use. Also I do not draw outlets and button on the default window. I make a view and add those as subviews to the mainWindow.
Related
I was an iOS programmer and recently switched over to making Cocoa apps for Mac. When creating a project in Xcode, it seems there are two options:
(1) Using the MainMenu.xib default, insert buttons and link to AppDelegate. I have tried creating an NSView class and linking to that with no success.
(2) Creating an NSViewController class and linking the view from MainMenu.xib and any buttons to that.
Which of these methods is better when creating larger applications, with multiple views and windows?
Edit: What would be the best way to start out if not connecting anything to AppDelegate? Create an NSWindowController class with an xib and connect its view to a NSViewController class?
I guess overall I am confused as to which class I start with and what elements (window, views, buttons) to connect to what class file.
You can create a window object in your MainMenu xib and create a reference to it in your AppDelegate class. You will be able access items in it. But this is good only for a little learning.
You should start with an NSWindowController. For a first try, don't make any view controllers yet. Use the xib file and build your first window in the subclass of NSWindowController.
In AppDelegate, create an instance of the new class and open it.
Once you have mastered that, you can define view controllers for parts (or all) of you window's view.
If you need sample code, let me know, but it's a good exercise to work it out.
I just started working on an OSX application, first time in objective-c. I need to make a window that will display all the network interfaces available on the computer.
So far
I have an AppDelegate that pretty much does nothing
I have set the Main nib file base name to my main window, which is a xib, header and implementation file
I made my xib window inherit from my class and added the outlets I needed using right-click drag (worked well, I assumed I was correct until then)
The issue
I can't seem either override or bind the load event of the window, where I want to load the text in my label.
I've seen some people use a NSWindowController, but I don't think I need this.
My question
Is it required to have a NSWindowController PLUS a NSWindow class? I feel there are too many files for a single window. I have the xib and two .h/.m files... If it's not required, how can I get notified when the window loads?
The question wether you need NSWindowController(s) or not depends on the complexity of your application.
If your app is only a small utility using a single window, you might get away with setting up your UI in MainMenu.xib and connect it to some IBOutlets in your AppDelegate.
But the above approach gets messy soon when your app becomes more complex. To tame that complexity, you can create dedicated NSWindowController classes (e.g. one per window). Those window controllers could manage a hierarchy of child NSViewControllers to further split up your complexity.
If it's not required, how can I get notified when the window loads?
The default Xcode template should have created an AppDelegate.m file. You can add code to initialize your UI in
- (void)applicationDidFinishLaunching:(NSNotification *)aNotification
At this point the window has been fully loaded and
#property (weak) IBOutlet NSWindow *window;
should point to your window instance.
I'm trying to extend the NameAndPassword code sample so that the secure text fields run authentication action on return key press (currently the authentication only works if the button is pressed through the buttonPressed action).
I tried various options - creating a xib file along with ViewController to replace the existing nib file, but in such case I can't create a connection between the xib custom view and the IBOutlet that was connected to the view in the nib file before I removed it.
I also tried connecting the existing secure password field from the nib file to an App Delegate I created myself, but it doesn't want to work either - I control-drag the textfield to the appdelegate.h interface section but no lines show up.
I know this sample is very outdated now - my question is, how can I create custom actions on these views or how to recreate this project on a fresh surface?
IIRC you can't connect target-action on custom views. It only works with Apple-provided views and subclasses thereof (so if your view was a subclass of NSControl, it would work). However, you can always call setTarget: and setAction on your view in the awakeFromNib (or equivalent) method of whatever object owns the NIB.
If your class is already a subclass of another Apple-class that supports target/action, there is probably a syntax error somewhere in your code, or an #if/#ifdef or the like that makes the Interface Builder part of Xcode unable to correctly parse your class. In that case it often leaves it out, and you get none of its IBOutlets listed.
I am playing around with the default XCode template for a cocoa application. By default it has a MainMenu.xib with a window and a menu -- awesome.
I intend to build up my views/subviews in code, so I then create a RootView : NSView and a RootViewController : NSViewController, and bind them up in IB so that my base view in that window is my RootView, controlled by my RootViewController.
Enter my question -- How do I do the same to have a RootWindowController bound to the NSWindow? I had assumed File Owner was the trick, but it's set to NSApplication, which I think is correct. The main goal of NSWindowController in my case is to manage the toolbar based on NSNotifications fired from other services -- is this even the correct design here? I don't think I can do this from my RootViewController since I don't have a window reference, but is that where I should do it instead?
Many times, the application delegate is used as the main/central controller for a non-document-based application. This is a good place. This can be an NSWindowController instance if you like. You can just do away with the existing window in your nib.
Helpful information from the NSWindowController API reference:
You should create a subclass of NSWindowController when you want to augment the default behavior, such as to give the window a custom title or to perform some setup tasks before the window is loaded. In your class’s initialization method, be sure to invoke on super either one of the initWithWindowNibName:... initializers or the initWithWindow: initializer. Which one depends on whether the window object originates in a nib file or is programmatically created.
But if it were me, I wouldn't bother going the NSWindowController route; I'd just add this logic to my app controller (and set it as the app delegate) since this is app-level stuff. No need to add a layer of complexity unless you've got a LOT of main-UI-updating complexity you want to compartmentalize.
I am pretty new to xcode and for the life of me I cannot figure this one out. I am adding a view controller to a storyboard and I am trying to add a picker to that controller, I have the code in a header and main file I created but how do I link those files to the viewcontroller in my storyboard?
Here is how:
Create a custom UIViewController subclass for your code, eg MyViewController.h and MyViewController.m
in the storyboard drag out a ViewController
(i think you have done both of these steps)
in the Identity Inspector (panel 3 of left-hand side Utilities panels), under 'Custom Class' you should see your class in the scrolling list. Select it.
Then you will want to make links between your picker in the storyboard and your code....