Code Challenge - Styling Navigation Bar (Message App)

No where in this thread does it make clear exactly how you are supposed to use setBarTintColor:

#import "AppDelegate.h"

@implementation AppDelegate

- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions {
    // Customize the nav bar
    UIImage *backgroundImage = [UIImage imageNamed:@"navBarBackground"];
    [[UINavigationBar appearance] setBarTintColor:[UIColor redColor]];
    return YES;
}

@end

...hopefully this helps. And here's the link to the challenge: http://teamtreehouse.com/library/styling-the-navigation-bar

Oh, and in this thread: https://teamtreehouse.com/forum/implementing-designs-for-iphone-styling-the-navigation-bar

Ben says: ..In the Challenge I wanted to use setBarTintColor (which is what it's checking for), but I should have made that clear..

It still was not clear to me since the Challenge still does even mention 'setBarTintColor'

"Challenge Task 1 of 3

Using the UINavigationBar's appearance proxy, set the background color of the navigation bars to [UIColor redColor]."

I didn't know to use setBarTintColor until I read through these forum threads..

............................

For the other parts of the challenge I found these threads helpful:

https://teamtreehouse.com/forum/styling-the-navigation-bar-code-challenge-2-of-3

https://teamtreehouse.com/forum/another-tricky-onechanging-button-color-in-navigation-bar-2

Drat!

I was going add anything further to this posting, but I continuing on to the next challenge...

This stupid 'setBarTintColor' thing comes up again in the 2nd part of the subsequent challenge: http://teamtreehouse.com/library/styling-the-tab-bar

Challenge Task 2 of 2

In the video we changed the color of the tab bar using a background image in interface builder. But we can also change it in code using the same 'setBarTintColor' method we are using for the navigation bar. Pass that message to the UITabBar appearance proxy and set the color to [UIColor blackColor].

Well, kudos to Ben for at least mentioned 'setBarTintColor' in the challenge question, so you may be tempted to recycle the same line of code and just change the color.

Wrong!

Yes, it's just annoyingly enough different that you need to take note:

#import "AppDelegate.h"

@implementation AppDelegate

- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions {
    // Customize the nav bar
    UIImage *backgroundImage = [UIImage imageNamed:@"navBarBackground"];
    [[UINavigationBar appearance] setBarTintColor:[UIColor redColor]];
    [[UINavigationBar appearance] setBackgroundImage:backgroundImage forBarMetrics:UIBarMetricsDefault];
    [[UINavigationBar appearance] setTintColor:[UIColor whiteColor]];

    // Customize the tab bar
    NSDictionary *titleTextAttributes = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:[UIColor whiteColor], UITextAttributeTextColor, nil];
    [[UITabBarItem appearance] setTitleTextAttributes:titleTextAttributes forState:UIControlStateNormal];
    [[UITabBar appearance] setBarTintColor:[UIColor blackColor]];
    return YES;
}

@end

Did you notice it's '[[UITabBar appearance] ', not ' [[UITabBarItem appearance]'

for the last line containing '[UIColor blackColor]'?

Instead of setting background color, you do setTintColor when using UIAppearance proxy.

Ah okay I'll try that next. Out of curiosity, whats the difference? As setBackgroundColor actually worked..!

EDIT: setTintColor doesn't work; "Bummer! Make sure you are calling the correct method!"

FYI Just figured it out, its looking for setBarTintColor not setBackgroundColor or setTintColor.

I can see how this is confusing--I'll fix it. The Code Challenge is looking for a solid background color, hence the requirement of setBarTintColor. The error about setBackgroundColor is because of how the code challenge engine is looking for setTintColor, but I can remedy that as well!