Trying to load a nib programatically receiving myriad errors that weren't encountered in Xcode 6

Question

I've pulled up an old project trying to reuse some functionality. I've created a nib with a UIView subclass. In the original, working version I didn't need to set File's owner in IB. However, I'm receiving errors alluding that I now need to do so (Xcode 7): loaded the "TipView" nib but the view outlet was not set.

So I proceeded to hook the File's owner up to the view controller that is responsible for setting up the view. Here's the relevant code from the View Controller:

class TipViewController: UIViewController {

  private let kTipViewHeight: CGFloat = 400
  private let kTipViewWidth: CGFloat = 300

  override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()

    if let tipView = createTipView() {
        let center = CGPoint(x: CGRectGetWidth(view.bounds)/2, y: CGRectGetHeight(view.bounds)/2)
        tipView.center = center
        view.addSubview(tipView)
    }
  }

  func createTipView() -> UIView? {
    if let view = UINib(nibName: "TipView", bundle: nil).instantiateWithOwner(nil, options: nil).first as? TipView {
        view.frame = CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: kTipViewWidth, height: kTipViewHeight)
        return view
    }
    return nil
  }

}

extension UIViewController {
  func presentTips(tips: [Tip], animated: Bool, completion: (() -> Void)?) {
    let controller = TipViewController()
    controller.modalTransitionStyle = .CrossDissolve
    presentViewController(controller, animated: animated, completion: completion)
  }
}

I tried setting instantiateWithOwner to: .instantiateWithOwner(self, options: nil).first (changed nil to self) also to no avail.

This is the relevant presenting view controller code:

override func viewDidAppear(animated: Bool) {
    super.viewDidAppear(animated)
    presentTips([], animated: true, completion: nil)
}

The UIView subclass doesn't do anything out of the ordinary, so I haven't bothered to include its code.

When I make the changes requested - add TipViewController as the nib's File owner and hook up its view outlet to the nib view - I get a range of error messages depending on which configurations I take ranging from:

this class is not key value coding-compliant for the key view. Can't add self as subview

Not sure why I was able to use a nib without a file's owner in Xcode 6, but am not able to do so as of Xcode 7 - haven't found any material or release notes related to the change, so I'm a little stumped for now.

Any help is very much appreciated.

Answer 1

So I proceeded to hook the File's owner up to the view controller that is responsible for setting up the view

No, you were right the first time. Your problem is that there was a bug having to do with nib names in iOS 8, it was fixed in iOS 9, and you got caught in the net because the bug, ironically, protected you from stumbling across this issue previously.

Do this:

• Leave the File's Owner configured as an NSObject.

• Do not hook up any outlets from the File's Owner to the view in the nib; if there is such an outlet, delete it.

• Load the nib with a nil owner, just as you are doing.

• (Ready for this? This is the key:) Rename the nib. Don't call it TipView.xib. That name was what caused the whole issue you've been trying to work around. Call it, let's say, TipViewNib.xib. Revise your code accordingly, i.e. load the nib with nibName: "TipViewNib".

• Clear all caches including the simulator version (as I explain here: How to Empty Caches and Clean All Targets Xcode 4) to get rid of the bad nib (the one with the name TipView.xib).

Your problems will then evaporate like morning mist.