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iOS

Posted by Christopher Frank
Christopher Frank
1,948 Points

Extra Credit - Add UITabBarController programatically

I'm working on the extra credit for the Build a Self-Destructing app where we are trying to create a UITabBarController programatically. I've done some quick searching around on the internet and haven't been able to come up with a solution, so I'm hoping someone can help me here. Here's my code below:

import "ViewController.h"

@interface ViewController ()

@end

@implementation ViewController

  • (void)viewDidLoad { [super viewDidLoad]; UITabBarController *barController = [[UITabBarController alloc] init];

    UIViewController *controllerOne = [[UIViewController alloc]init]; UIViewController *controllerTwo = [[UIViewController alloc]init]; UIViewController *controllerThree = [[UIViewController alloc]init]; UIViewController *controllerFour = [[UIViewController alloc]init]; UIViewController *controllerFive = [[UIViewController alloc]init];

    NSArray *tabs = [NSArray arrayWithObjects:controllerOne,controllerTwo,controllerThree,controllerFour,controllerFive, nil]; barController.viewControllers = tabs;

Jef DeWitt
Jef DeWitt
26,460 Points

I've been working on this problem for the last couple of days with no luck. I searched through dozens of SO posts and found nothing that really helps. Everything I've found so far has directed me to declaring a new root view controller in the app delegate implementation file but all the examples I've seen make use of storyboards.

This is my code below, taken from the 'viewDidLoad' method' of my UIViewController implementation file - it's very similar to yours:

UIViewController *fvc = [[UIViewController alloc] initWithNibName:@"1" bundle:nil];
UIViewController *svc = [[UIViewController alloc] initWithNibName:@"2" bundle:nil];
UIViewController *tvc = [[UIViewController alloc] initWithNibName:@"3" bundle:nil];
UIViewController *fvc2 = [[UIViewController alloc] initWithNibName:@"4" bundle:nil];
UIViewController *fvc3 = [[UIViewController alloc] initWithNibName:@"5" bundle:nil];

UITabBarController *myTabBar = [[UITabBarController alloc] init];

myTabBar.viewControllers = [NSArray arrayWithObjects:fvc, svc, tvc, fvc2, fvc3, nil];

The unfortunate news is that I found this same issue addressed in the Treehouse forums from a year ago with no answers. I hope our teacher, Ben Jakuben, might read this and be able to provide some insight.

1 Answer

M T
M T
11,934 Points
M T
M T
11,934 Points

I'm not certain, but perhaps you need to set your tabs after they are initialized.

- (void)viewDidLoad
{
    [super viewDidLoad];
    UITabBarItem *happyTab = [[UITabBarItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"My Cool Tab" image:(UIImage *) tag:1;
    [self setTabBarItem:happyTab];
}

Where (UIImage *) is an image you have available. Instead of using a tag you could use setSelectedImage if you prefer. Start typing init(WithTitle) and see what autocompletes to your liking.