Question

I am using a Split View Controller and showing a modal window when a button is tapped in the master pane. I need to be able to dismiss the window when the user taps outside of the bounds of the window.

I am currently using presentViewController, which I have read does not allow for taps outside of the window.

I think I need to present a view controller myself and setup a gesture recognizer to handle the closing from there… the trouble is, I don’t know where/how to present the view controller or where to attach the gesture recognizer to in an SVC.

I setup my view controller like this:

SearchViewController *searchViewController = [[SearchViewController alloc] initWithStyle:UITableViewStylePlain];

UINavigationController *navController = [[UINavigationController alloc] initWithRootViewController:searchViewController];

[navController setNavigationBarHidden:NO]; 

From there I don’t know how to make the view controller appear without using presentViewController. I have tried the following (each separately):

[[self navigationController] addChildViewController:navController];

[self.view.window.rootViewController addChildViewController:navController];

[self.presentingViewController addChildViewController:navController];

[self.presentingViewController.presentingViewController addChildViewController:navController];

How do I present my navcontroller, and which view would I add a gesture recognizer to?

Answer 1

A UIPopoverViewController will work.

Alternatively, you can add a child view controller to your RootViewController. . (Check out UIViewController containment for lifecycle handling).

Basically just this in your root view controller:

- (void) presentSemiModalViewController 
{
   //Tint-out the background or blur it with some effect        

    _semiModalViewController = viewController;
    //Choose the frame you'd like to use here, and an animation you'd like to use to present it
    [self.view addSubView:_semiModalViewController.view];
    [_semiModelViewController willMoveToParentViewController self];


}

If the RootViewController is not yours (eg a UINavigationController) you can use a category, but to retain the _semiModalViewController you’ll need to use an associative reference (ie add a “property” to the category to store the modal VC while its in use). For info on that see here: Associative References Info

PS: You might want to choose a better name my “semi-modal”, but you get the idea 😉