UITableViewCell configuration - objective-c

Question

I have a UITableView in my app, which stores a list of URLs. Above table there are UITextField and UIButton.
When user types some URL on textField and then presses the button I add those URL like the top element in the tableView.
Next, when user selects any of URLs, I want to create a button within selected UITableViewCell to let user to follow that URL (actually, it's not important). Here's didSelectRowAtIndexPath method definition:
- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didSelectRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
UITableViewCell *cell = [self.recentUrlsTableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:indexPath];
UIButton *button = [UIButton new];
button.frame = CGRectMake(cell.frame.size.width - 34, cell.frame.origin.y + 10, 24, 24);
button.backgroundColor = [UIColor lightGrayColor];
[button setTitle:#">" forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[cell.contentView addSubview:button];
[button release];
}
But I want those button to disappear when I deselect cell. So, I tried this thing (I kow it looks stupid, but unfortunately I didn't know better way to find my button in there):
- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didDeselectRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
UITableViewCell *cell = [self.recentUrlsTableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:indexPath];
for (UIView *subview in cell.subviews)
{
if ([subview isKindOfClass:[UIButton class]])
if ([[(UIButton*)subview titleLabel].text isEqualToString:#">"])
{
[subview removeFromSuperview];
[subview release];
}
}
}
But this stuff seemed to work incorrectly - instead of releasing and disappearing at all, button started to in another rows - even those, which were empty.
After that I tried to do same actions for every row in - (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath method. But it also didn't help.
I guess, that there are some trivial issue, but I can't find it. So, I will highly appreciate any of your help!

Answer 1

When you scroll up/down the table cells get reused and cell (with button) can be populated with completely diffetent contents (i.e. is used for different indexpath). That's why you're experiencing this.
So there is always only one button (or none) on your table.
You'd be best off if you create (reatin & keep reference of it) one button from outside the table. Your didDeselectRowAtIndexPath would then look like:
- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didSelectRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
UITableViewCell *cell = [self.recentUrlsTableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:indexPath];
//you have outside reference for this button
[button removeFromSuperView];
button.frame = CGRectMake(cell.frame.size.width - 34, cell.frame.origin.y + 10, 24, 24);
[cell.contentView addSubview:button];
}
If this doesn't work you should use combination of reloadData and cellForIndexPath. Like so:
- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didSelectRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
[self.recentUrlsTableView reloadData];
}
- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
//create your cell as usually
if ([cell isSelected]) { //i'm not sure if this is the right way to detect selected cell
[button removeFromSuperView];
button.frame = CGRectMake(cell.frame.size.width - 34, cell.frame.origin.y + 10, 24, 24);
[cell.contentView addSubview:button];
}
}