Normally to use UITableView, the number of sections and rows per section are known. But what if they aren’t? I want to implement a lazy search, so that I actually search for the next match when new data needs to be displayed. Something on the lines of: db.prepareSearch(query) and then call something like db.nextSearchResult() when it is time to display a new cell. The search result determines if a new section is required or not (search results are inherently sorted).
Not sure why it wasn’t done this way to begin with, so that it asks for a section until no more are available or needed, and for cells in the section until no more are available or needed, instead of having to specify the totals, which implies having to finish the whole search before starting to display the first few results.
To get the number of sections and rows, it’s easy — ask your data source. If your data source has no way of telling you this, make a way.
For instance, if you have to query a table and ask how many rows there are for your sections, do that. Then, for each section, ask how many rows there are which match that section.
What it also sounds like is you want to paginate your data. Meaning when you get to a certain point, have a “load more data” cell or some-such. This is fine too, just add a sentinel node to your data source, and whenever that particular item comes up, display your alternate cell while you load your data, then remove it after your next data is fetched. I do this in a few of my apps.