Question

I´m completely new to core data programming. i just try to find out where the best place for implementing the core data code would be. i´ve done the apple tutorial Locations and it worked well. now i try to transfer that to my current project what is a bit more complex.

the Locations tutorial shows one RootViewController including a programmatically generated tableView. my project is based on a tabView template. it owns a MainWindow.xib including the TabBarController including three ViewController (MapView, ListView, SettingsView) where each view has it´s own navigationController and xib-file.

The first stumbling block was changing the code that it will run with a xib for the tableView instead of creating it programmatically. I´ve managed that but there is still one error. I can´t connect the managedObjectContext from the appDelegate to the listViewController. I´ve tried the examples and suggestions for that issue from this forum here. but it still doesn´t work.

after looking at the CoreDataBooks sample project i´ve seen that the core data code was implemented in the RootViewController as well. Seems that it would be the wrong way to implement it in the ListViewController. But i don´t have a RootViewController in my project. In the AppDelegate i directly pass the tabBarController as the rootViewController. therefore i don´t know how to reach the listViewController to set the context like it was done in the Locations sample.

As the MapView is the first view i can´t set the context in the appDelegate. And after struggling a long time with the managedObjectContext i wonder if it would be better to invent a RootViewController to be able to place additional code there. the model should be accessible by all three views and it seems that the RootViewController is the right place.

But how do i combine that with a tabBarController which includes three more viewControllers based on xib-files? Could somebody recommend me examples or tutrials including core data based on a tab bar app?

Answer 1

ok, now i have the correct solution. it took a while to understand but now it works with dependency injection from application delegate into the view controllers (listViewController).

my problem was that i didn´t know how to reference my view controllers as they are nested into dedicated navControllers and one tabBarController.

after reading a lot of postings here i understood i have to declare my view controllers in the appDelegate.h and synthesize them in appDelegate.m and after that connect them to the appropirate item in IB. that was done fast & easy after understanding 🙂

there is no rootViewController needed.

MyAppDelegate.h:

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
#import "ListViewController.h"

@interface MyAppDelegate : NSObject <UIApplicationDelegate, UITabBarControllerDelegate> {

    UIWindow *window;
    UITabBarController *tabBarController;
    IBOutlet ListViewController *listViewController;
}

@property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UIWindow *window;
@property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UITabBarController *tabBarController;
@property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet ListViewController *listViewController;

@property (nonatomic, retain, readonly) NSManagedObjectContext *managedObjectContext;
@property (nonatomic, retain, readonly) NSManagedObjectModel *managedObjectModel;
@property (nonatomic, retain, readonly) NSPersistentStoreCoordinator *persistentStoreCoordinator;

- (void)saveContext;
- (NSURL *)applicationDocumentsDirectory;

@end

MyAppDelegate.m:

#import "MyAppDelegate.h"
#import "ListViewController.h"

@implementation MyAppDelegate

@synthesize window=_window;

@synthesize tabBarController=_tabBarController;

@synthesize managedObjectContext=__managedObjectContext;

@synthesize managedObjectModel=__managedObjectModel;

@synthesize persistentStoreCoordinator=__persistentStoreCoordinator;

@synthesize listViewController;

- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions
{

    NSManagedObjectContext *context = [self managedObjectContext];

    if (!context) {
        // Handle the error.
    }
    // Pass the managed object context to the view controller.
    listViewController.managedObjectContext = context;

    // Override point for customization after application launch.
    // Add the tab bar controller's current view as a subview of the window
    self.window.rootViewController = self.tabBarController;

    [self.window makeKeyAndVisible];
    [[UIApplication sharedApplication] setStatusBarStyle:UIStatusBarStyleBlackOpaque animated:NO];  
    return YES;
}

...

ListViewController.h

#import <CoreLocation/CoreLocation.h>


@interface ListViewController : UITableViewController <CLLocationManagerDelegate> {

    UINavigationController *navController;
    NSManagedObjectContext *managedObjectContext;
}

@property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UINavigationController *navController;
@property (nonatomic, retain) NSManagedObjectContext *managedObjectContext;

-(NSManagedObjectContext *)managedObjectContext;

@end

ListViewController.m

#import "MyAppDelegate.h"
#import "ListViewController.h"


@implementation ListViewController

@synthesize navController;
@synthesize managedObjectContext;

- (void)viewDidLoad {

    [super viewDidLoad];

    NSLog(@"managedObjectContext: %@",[self managedObjectContext]);

    NSError *error = nil;
    if (![managedObjectContext save:&error]) {
        NSLog(@"error: %@",[self managedObjectContext]);
        return;
    }

...