Question

I have taken this code from

Changing the background color of a UIAlertView?

UIAlertView *theAlert = [[[UIAlertView alloc] initWithTitle:@"Atention"
   message: @"YOUR MESSAGE HERE", nil)
   delegate:nil cancelButtonTitle:@"OK" otherButtonTitles:nil] autorelease];

   [theAlert show];

   UILabel *theTitle = [theAlert valueForKey:@"_titleLabel"];
   [theTitle setTextColor:[UIColor redColor]];

   UILabel *theBody = [theAlert valueForKey:@"_bodyTextLabel"];
   [theBody setTextColor:[UIColor blueColor]];

   UIImage *theImage = [UIImage imageNamed:@"Background.png"];    
   theImage = [theImage stretchableImageWithLeftCapWidth:16 topCapHeight:16];
   CGSize theSize = [theAlert frame].size;

   UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(theSize);    
   [theImage drawInRect:CGRectMake(0, 0, theSize.width, theSize.height)];    
   theImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();    
   UIGraphicsEndImageContext();

   [[theAlert layer] setContents:[theImage CGImage]];

orginally posted by oxigen.

I am not very sure should I use this code in my app. Will apple have any issues regarding this hack (will they reject the app?)

Answer 1

The underscores as prefixes of the properties you’re accessing (_titleLabel, _bodyTextLabel) clearly indicate that these are private properties and should not be tinkered with. Apple has recently started scanning all submitted binaries for access to private methods and properties, and those values by themselves within your application should be enough to get you rejected. It is never a good idea to use private APIs, rejections or no, because they are typically private for a reason and may break your application with future OS updates.

Additionally, you are violating the iPhone Human Interface Guidelines by changing the alert color:

You can specify the text, the number
of buttons, and the button contents in
an alert, but you can’t customize the
background appearance of the alert
itself.

Again, from the iPhone Human Interface Guidelines:

Because users are accustomed to the
appearance and behavior of these
views, it’s important to use them
consistently and correctly in your
application.