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iOS Enhance a Weather App with Table Views Introduction to Table Views Interacting With a Data Model

Raj Ku
PLUS
Raj Ku
Courses Plus Student 2,561 Points
Posted by Raj Ku
Raj Ku
Courses Plus Student 2,561 Points

Lets assume the tableView has more than 1 section

Lets assume the tableView has 3 sections, and we want the items of the array to be distributed on these sections.

The first section will have the first 3 items of the array, the second will have 2 items, and the third will have the remaining items. What methods should we implement in this case?

I'd appreciate if I could find a solution for this answer because i've been struggling a lot and couldn't figure out how.

2 Answers

Rasmus Rønholt
Rasmus Rønholt
Courses Plus Student 17,358 Points

Hi Raj

It really does depend on where you get your data from - or rather in which form ... how the sections are defined. But the following is an example of where the data is an array of arrays - one for each section.

var objects:[[AnyObject]] = []

override func numberOfSectionsInTableView(tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
    return objects.count
}

override func tableView(tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
    return objects[section].count
}

override func tableView(tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAtIndexPath indexPath: NSIndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
    let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier("Cell", forIndexPath: indexPath)
    let data = objects[indexPath.section][indexPath.row] 
    // do stuff with cell based on data
    return cell
}
Rasmus Rønholt
PLUS
Rasmus Rønholt
Courses Plus Student 17,358 Points
Rasmus Rønholt
Rasmus Rønholt
Courses Plus Student 17,358 Points

Now if the scenario is exactly like you describe; all items in same array, first section 3 items, then 2 and then the rest:

var objects:[AnyObject] = []

override func numberOfSectionsInTableView(tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
    return 3
}

override func tableView(tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
    switch section {
        case 0: return 3
        case 1: return 2
        case 2: return objects.count - 5
        default: return 0
    }
}

override func tableView(tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAtIndexPath indexPath: NSIndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
    let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier(“Cell”, forIndexPath: indexPath)
    var row = indexPath.row
    switch indexPath.section {
        case 1: row += 3
        case 2: row += 2
        default:()
    }
    let data = objects[row]
    // do stuff with cell based on data
    return cell
}

You could implement a struct or something to dynamically calculate rows in sections - but this will work.

Rasmus Rønholt
Rasmus Rønholt
Courses Plus Student 17,358 Points

Btw there should be checks to see if there are enough items to fill all sections... you could do

override func numberOfSectionsInTableView(tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
    switch objects.count {
        case 0...3: return 1
        case 4...5: return 2
        default: return objects.count
    }
}

and similar for the other functions. But then you would have to consider whether or not to display headers for empty sections etc etc.

Anyways let me know if you run in to specific problems. Best of luck :)