Question

I am building an iOS app using Rubymotion. To be able to reuse code I have created a file called elements.rb (a module) where I got many functions which renders different stuff. All works perfectly fine.

This is one of the functions:

def create_nav_button (hash = {})

    # Set the default values

    defaultFont = UIFont.fontWithName('Avenir-Medium', size:13)
    buttonNormal = UIImage.imageNamed('navbar/button.png')
    buttonSelected = UIImage.imageNamed('navbar/button_selected.png')

    # Create the button

    button = UIBarButtonItem.alloc.init
    button.title = hash[:title]
    button.action = hash[:action] || 'open'
    button.target = self
    button.setBackgroundImage(buttonNormal, forState:UIControlStateNormal, barMetrics:UIBarMetricsDefault)
    button.setBackgroundImage(buttonSelected, forState:UIControlStateHighlighted, barMetrics:UIBarMetricsDefault)
    button.setTitleTextAttributes({UITextAttributeFont => defaultFont}, forState:UIControlStateNormal)

    # Add button to navbar

    if (hash[:position] == 'right')

      self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = button

    else

      self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = button

    end

  end

This is how I call it in the controller file:

create_nav_button (:title => 'Info', :action => 'project_details', :position => 'right')

Is this a good way of reusing elements? How can I change the title of the button dynamically?

Thankful for all input!

Answer 1

That works. You’ll want to return the button at the end of your method:

def create_nav_button(hash={})
  # lots of stuff
  button
end

Then call it like this:

@right_button = create_nav_button (:title => 'Info', :action => 'project_details', :position => 'right')

I don’t know of an easy way you can change the title. You could always remove the button and re-add it with a new title.