Question

I am just starting in my iOS development using xCode 4.2 and discovered storyboards. They seem great for rapid prototyping.

What I’m wondering is how can I create my own custom control that I can use in multiple views.

For example, let’s say I want a custom title bar that is common on every view. I think I should be able to define that control with it’s own controller and instantiate that from multiple views. I just don’t know how and the tutorials and questions I’ve read so far don’t address this.

Any tips?

Answer 1

I’ve found one way to do this is to do the following steps:

1. Create a new xib file and set the Simulated Metrics to “Freeform” to allow resizing. (MyControl.xib)
2. Populate the control with the Objects I want in the control.
3. Create a UIViewController for the view. (MyViewController.h & MyViewController.m)
4. Set the File's Owner of the MyControl.xib to the Custom Class MyViewController
5. In the xib that I want to include the control, I put a UIScrollView where I want the control (a regular View will work too). (Parent.xib)
6. Create an IBOutlet for the UISCrollView that I will put the control into in the ParentController.
7. Create an instance of MyViewController in the ParentController.
8. In the ParentController, add the view of the MyViewController as a subview of the UIScrollView.

In code, this means

@implementation ParentController
    @synthesize myScrollView;
    MyViewController* myController;

    - (id)initWithNibName:(NSString *)nibNameOrNil bundle:(NSBundle *)nibBundleOrNil
    {

        self = [super init];
        if(self) 
        {
            myController = [[MyController alloc] initWithNibName:@"MyView" bundle:nil];
            [myScrollView addSubview:myController.view];
        } 
   }

This seems to work and allows me to separate the implementation of the Control and the Parent, but I can’t help but think there is a better way.