Nib++ (or how to use the good bits of Storyboards)

Update 14th November 2014: I don’t recommend using the technique in this post. It’s based on a Luddite mindset and is a vain attempt at countering the inevitable evolution of UIKit.

Storyboards, introduced in iOS 5, have been a controversial addition to UIKit. I’m not a fan. However, there are some tasks which cannot be performed easily using plain nib files but can be performed with a storyboard:

• configure UINavigationItem, UIBarButtonItem and UITabBarItems
• create prototype cells
• create UITableViewController with static cells
• add child view controllers

Good news! It’s possible to get these benefits without having to use storyboards. How? Err, by using storyboards. In a nut shell the technique works by:

• Creating one storyboard per view controller
• Implementing initWithNibName:bundle: so that it returns an instance of the view controller loaded from the storyboard.

Creating the view controllers storyboard

1. Create a new storyboard file and give it the same name as the view controller, e.g. EMKAmazingViewController.storyboard.
2. The new storyboard will be empty. Drag a “View Controller” from the Object Library on to the canvas. (If your view controller is sub class of UITableViewController or UICollectionViewController then drag the appropriate object instead).
3. First select the view controller by clicking on the yellow icon beneath the view, and then select the Identity Inspector. Change the Class from UIViewController to the view controller sub class.
4. Finally select the Attributes Inspector and ensure that “Is Initial View Controller” is selected.

Step one is done! You’re now ready to configure the view controller:

• Configure UINavigationItem, UIBarButtonItem and UITabBarItems by dragging them on to the view. You’ll need to set the Top Bar and Bottom Bar appropriately to see this items. (Top Bar and Bottom Bar are set in the Attributes Inspector).
• Create prototype cells by dragging them into the table view/collection view and setting their class and reuse identifier.
• Create UITableViewController with static cells by using a UITableViewController subclass.
• Add child view controllers by using a Container View. Be sure to set the class of the child controller and to remove its view. Unfortunately it’s not possible to create an IBOutlet on the view controller to connect to the child view controllers. The best alternative is to create an IBOutlet for the container view and to poke around self.childViewControllers in viewDidLoad.

Implementing initWithNibName:bundle:

- (id)initWithNibName:(NSString *)nibNameOrNil bundle:(NSBundle *)nibBundleOrNil  
{  
    UIStoryboard *storyboard = [UIStoryboard storyboardWithName:NSStringFromClass([self class]) bundle:nibBundleOrNil];  
    return [storyboard instantiateInitialViewController];  
}  

Note that we’re not returning self. This is perfectly acceptable. In fact, the reason why alloc & init are always performed together is so that instance can return an object other than self.

That’s it!