UITableView sections are not ordered as expected

Question

I am using a tableView with customised section titles. The core data objects are shown on a precise section depending on the value from a transient attribute called sectionIdentifier. Everything is working as expected, but the order of the sections is not responding as I expected. This should be the sections order:

1. OVERDUE, sectionIdentifier = 0
2. TODAY, sectionIdentifier = 1
3. TOMORROW, sectionIdentifier = 2
4. UPCOMING, sectionIdentifier = 3
5. SOMEDAY, sectionIdentifier = 4

At this app state, the section order is as shown in the image below:

Any help is welcome to explain this behaviour and to find the way to obtain the desired section order. Here is my code to help you find the issue.

#import "ToDoItemsTableViewController.h"
#import "AppDelegate.h"
#import "AddToDoItemViewController.h"
#import "ToDoSubItemsTableViewController.h"

@interface ToDoItemsTableViewController ()<UIAlertViewDelegate>

@property (nonatomic, strong)NSManagedObjectContext *managedObjectContext;
@property (nonatomic, strong)NSFetchedResultsController *fetchedResultsController;

@end

@implementation ToDoItemsTableViewController
@synthesize searchResults;

- (id)initWithStyle:(UITableViewStyle)style
{
    self = [super initWithStyle:style];
    if (self) {
        // Custom initialization
    }
    return self;
}
-(NSManagedObjectContext *)managedObjectContext{
    return [(AppDelegate*)[[UIApplication sharedApplication]delegate]managedObjectContext];
}
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
    [super viewDidLoad];


    //navigation bar background image
    [self.navigationController.navigationBar

     setBackgroundImage:[UIImage imageNamed:@"navBar.png"]

     forBarMetrics:UIBarMetricsDefault];

    NSDictionary *textAttributes = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:
                                    [UIColor whiteColor],NSForegroundColorAttributeName,
                                    [UIColor whiteColor],NSBackgroundColorAttributeName,nil];
    self.navigationController.navigationBar.titleTextAttributes = textAttributes;
    self.tableView.backgroundColor = [UIColor colorWithPatternImage:[UIImage imageNamed:@"navBar"]];


    NSError *error = nil;
    if (![[self fetchedResultsController]performFetch:&error]){
        NSLog(@"Error %@",error);
        abort();
    }
    self.searchResults = [NSMutableArray arrayWithCapacity:[[self.fetchedResultsController fetchedObjects] count]];
    [self.tableView reloadData];
}
-(void) viewWillAppear:(BOOL)animated{
    [self.tableView reloadData];
}
- (void)viewDidUnload
{
    self.searchResults = nil;
}
- (void)didReceiveMemoryWarning
{
    [super didReceiveMemoryWarning];
    // Dispose of any resources that can be recreated.
}

-(void) prepareForSegue:(UIStoryboardSegue *)segue sender:(id)sender{

    if ([[segue identifier]isEqualToString:@"addToDoItem"]){
        UINavigationController *navigationController = segue.destinationViewController;

        AddToDoItemViewController *addToDoItemViewController = (AddToDoItemViewController*)navigationController.topViewController;
        ToDoItem *addToDoItem = [NSEntityDescription insertNewObjectForEntityForName:@"ToDoItem" inManagedObjectContext:self.managedObjectContext];
        addToDoItem.todoDueDate = [NSDate date];
        addToDoItemViewController.addToDoItem = addToDoItem;
    }
    if ([[segue identifier] isEqualToString:@"toToDoSubItems"]){

        ToDoSubItemsTableViewController *todoSubItemsTableViewController = [segue destinationViewController];
        NSIndexPath *indexPath = [self.tableView indexPathForSelectedRow];
        ToDoItem *selectedToDoItem = (ToDoItem*)[self.fetchedResultsController objectAtIndexPath:indexPath];
        todoSubItemsTableViewController.selectedToDoItem = selectedToDoItem;



    }




}



#pragma mark - Table view data source

- (NSInteger)numberOfSectionsInTableView:(UITableView *)tableView
{
    if (tableView == self.searchDisplayController.searchResultsTableView)
    {
        return 1;
    }
    else
    {
        return [[self.fetchedResultsController sections]count];
    }
}

- (NSInteger)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView numberOfRowsInSection:(NSInteger)section
{
    if (tableView == self.searchDisplayController.searchResultsTableView)
    {
        return [self.searchResults count];
    }
    else {
    id<NSFetchedResultsSectionInfo> sectionInfo = [[self.fetchedResultsController sections]objectAtIndex:section];
    return [sectionInfo numberOfObjects];

    }
}
- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    static NSString *CellIdentifier = @"Cell";
   UITableViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:CellIdentifier];

    // Configure the cell...

    ToDoItem *toDoItem = nil;



    if (tableView == self.searchDisplayController.searchResultsTableView)
    {
        if (cell==nil) {
            cell = [[UITableViewCell alloc]initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleSubtitle reuseIdentifier:CellIdentifier];
            cell.accessoryType=UITableViewCellAccessoryDisclosureIndicator;

        }
        NSLog(@"Configuring cell to show search results");
        toDoItem = [self.searchResults objectAtIndex:indexPath.row];
        cell.textLabel.text = toDoItem.todoName;



        NSDate *fechaToDO = toDoItem.todoDueDate;

        NSDateFormatter *dateFormatter = [[NSDateFormatter alloc]init];
        [dateFormatter setDateFormat:@"EEEE, dd MMMM YYYY"];
        NSString *fechaToDo = [dateFormatter stringFromDate:fechaToDO];



        cell.detailTextLabel.text = fechaToDo;

    }
    else
    {


    ToDoItem *todoItem = [self.fetchedResultsController objectAtIndexPath:indexPath];
    cell.textLabel.text = todoItem.todoName;



    NSDate *fechaToDO = todoItem.todoDueDate;

    NSDateFormatter *dateFormatter = [[NSDateFormatter alloc]init];
    [dateFormatter setDateFormat:@"EEEE, dd MMMM YYYY"];
    NSString *fechaToDo = [dateFormatter stringFromDate:fechaToDO];



    cell.detailTextLabel.text = fechaToDo;
    }
    return cell;
}

- (UIView *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView viewForHeaderInSection:(NSInteger)section
{
    static NSString *header = @"customHeader";

    UITableViewHeaderFooterView *vHeader;

    vHeader = [tableView dequeueReusableHeaderFooterViewWithIdentifier:header];

    if (!vHeader) {
        vHeader = [[UITableViewHeaderFooterView alloc] initWithReuseIdentifier:header];
        vHeader.textLabel.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor];
        vHeader.textLabel.textColor = [UIColor whiteColor];

        vHeader.contentView.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor];
    }

    if (section == 0) {
        vHeader.textLabel.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor];
        vHeader.textLabel.textColor = [UIColor whiteColor];


        vHeader.contentView.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor];
    }

    else if (section == 1) {
        vHeader.textLabel.backgroundColor = [UIColor orangeColor];
        vHeader.textLabel.textColor = [UIColor blueColor];

        vHeader.contentView.backgroundColor = [UIColor orangeColor];
    }
    else if (section == 2) {
        vHeader.textLabel.backgroundColor = [UIColor greenColor];
        vHeader.textLabel.textColor = [UIColor whiteColor];

        vHeader.contentView.backgroundColor = [UIColor greenColor];
    }
    else if (section == 3) {
        vHeader.textLabel.backgroundColor = [UIColor greenColor];
        vHeader.textLabel.textColor = [UIColor whiteColor];

        vHeader.contentView.backgroundColor = [UIColor greenColor];
    }
    else if (section == 4) {
        vHeader.textLabel.backgroundColor = [UIColor blueColor];
        vHeader.textLabel.textColor = [UIColor whiteColor];

        vHeader.contentView.backgroundColor = [UIColor blueColor];
    }


    vHeader.textLabel.text = [self tableView:tableView titleForHeaderInSection:section];

    return vHeader;
}
-(NSString*)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView titleForHeaderInSection:(NSInteger)section{

    if (tableView == self.searchDisplayController.searchResultsTableView){
        NSString *valor = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"S E A R C H   R E S U L T S (%d)",[self.searchResults count]];
        return valor;
    }
    else {


    id <NSFetchedResultsSectionInfo> theSection = [[self.fetchedResultsController sections]objectAtIndex:section];
    NSString *sectionname = [theSection name];

    if ([sectionname isEqualToString:@"0"]){

        NSString *valor = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"O V E R D U E   (%d)", [self.tableView
                                                             numberOfRowsInSection:section]];
        return valor;
    }
    else if ([sectionname isEqualToString:@"1"]){

        NSString *valor = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"T O D A Y   (%d)", [self.tableView
                                           numberOfRowsInSection:section]];
        return valor;
    }
    else if ([sectionname isEqualToString:@"2"]){

        NSString *valor = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"T O M O R R O W   (%d)", [self.tableView
                                                             numberOfRowsInSection:section]];
        return valor;
    }
    else if ([sectionname isEqualToString:@"3"]){

        NSString *valor = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"U P C O M I N G   (%d)", [self.tableView
                                                                                 numberOfRowsInSection:section]];
        return valor;
    }

    else if ([sectionname isEqualToString:@"4"]){

        NSString *valor = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"S O M E D A Y    (%d)", [self.tableView
                                                                                 numberOfRowsInSection:section]];
        return valor;
    }


    if ([[self.fetchedResultsController sections]count]>0){
        id<NSFetchedResultsSectionInfo> sectionInfo = [[self.fetchedResultsController sections]objectAtIndex:section];
        return [sectionInfo name];
    }
    else{
        return nil;
    }
    }

}


#pragma mark - Fetched Results Controller Section

-(NSFetchedResultsController*)fetchedResultsController{

    if (_fetchedResultsController != nil){
        return _fetchedResultsController;
    }
    NSFetchRequest *fetchRequest = [[NSFetchRequest alloc]init];
    NSManagedObjectContext *context = self.managedObjectContext;
    NSEntityDescription *entity = [NSEntityDescription entityForName:@"ToDoItem" inManagedObjectContext:context];
    [fetchRequest setEntity:entity];
    NSSortDescriptor *sortDescriptor = [[NSSortDescriptor alloc]initWithKey:@"todoDueDate" ascending:YES];
    NSSortDescriptor *sortDescriptor1 = [[NSSortDescriptor alloc]initWithKey:@"todoName" ascending:YES];

    NSArray *sortDescriptors = [[NSArray alloc]initWithObjects:sortDescriptor,sortDescriptor1, nil];
    fetchRequest.sortDescriptors = sortDescriptors;
    _fetchedResultsController = [[NSFetchedResultsController alloc]initWithFetchRequest:fetchRequest managedObjectContext:context sectionNameKeyPath:@"sectionIdentifier" cacheName:nil];
    _fetchedResultsController.delegate = self;
    return _fetchedResultsController;
}


#pragma mark - Fetched Results Controller Delegates

-(void)controllerWillChangeContent:(NSFetchedResultsController *)controller {
    [self.tableView beginUpdates];
}

-(void)controllerDidChangeContent:(NSFetchedResultsController *)controller {
    [self.tableView endUpdates];

}

-(void) controller:(NSFetchedResultsController *)controller didChangeObject:(id)anObject atIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath forChangeType:(NSFetchedResultsChangeType)type newIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)newIndexPath{

    UITableView *tableView = self.tableView;

    switch (type) {
        case NSFetchedResultsChangeInsert:
            [tableView insertRowsAtIndexPaths:[NSArray arrayWithObject:newIndexPath] withRowAnimation:UITableViewRowAnimationFade];
            break;
        case NSFetchedResultsChangeDelete:
            [tableView deleteRowsAtIndexPaths:[NSArray arrayWithObject:indexPath] withRowAnimation:UITableViewRowAnimationFade];
            break;
        case NSFetchedResultsChangeUpdate:{

            ToDoItem *changeToDoItem = [self.fetchedResultsController objectAtIndexPath:indexPath];
            UITableViewCell *cell = [tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:indexPath];
            cell.textLabel.text = changeToDoItem.todoName;
            NSDate *fechaToDO = changeToDoItem.todoDueDate;

            NSDateFormatter *dateFormatter = [[NSDateFormatter alloc]init];
            [dateFormatter setDateFormat:@"EEEE, dd MMMM YYYY"];
            NSString *fechaToDo = [dateFormatter stringFromDate:fechaToDO];
            cell.detailTextLabel.text = fechaToDo;
        }
            break;
        case NSFetchedResultsChangeMove:
            [tableView deleteRowsAtIndexPaths:[NSArray arrayWithObject:indexPath] withRowAnimation:UITableViewRowAnimationFade];
            [tableView insertRowsAtIndexPaths:[NSArray arrayWithObject:newIndexPath] withRowAnimation:UITableViewRowAnimationFade];
            break;
    }


}

-(void)controller:(NSFetchedResultsController *)controller didChangeSection:(id<NSFetchedResultsSectionInfo>)sectionInfo atIndex:(NSUInteger)sectionIndex forChangeType:(NSFetchedResultsChangeType)type{

    switch (type) {
        case NSFetchedResultsChangeInsert:
            [self.tableView insertSections:[NSIndexSet indexSetWithIndex:sectionIndex] withRowAnimation:UITableViewRowAnimationFade];
            break;
        case NSFetchedResultsChangeDelete:
            [self.tableView deleteSections:[NSIndexSet indexSetWithIndex:sectionIndex] withRowAnimation:UITableViewRowAnimationFade];
            break;
    }

}






// Override to support conditional editing of the table view.
- (BOOL)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView canEditRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    // Return NO if you do not want the specified item to be editable.
    return NO;
}



// Override to support editing the table view.







/*
// Override to support rearranging the table view.
- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView moveRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)fromIndexPath toIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)toIndexPath
{
}
*/

/*
// Override to support conditional rearranging of the table view.
- (BOOL)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView canMoveRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    // Return NO if you do not want the item to be re-orderable.
    return YES;
}
*/

/*
#pragma mark - Navigation

// In a story board-based application, you will often want to do a little preparation before navigation
- (void)prepareForSegue:(UIStoryboardSegue *)segue sender:(id)sender
{
    // Get the new view controller using [segue destinationViewController].
    // Pass the selected object to the new view controller.
}

 */
#pragma mark -
#pragma mark Content Filtering

-(void)filterContentForSearchText:(NSString*)searchText scope:(NSString*)scope {
    self.searchResults = [[self.fetchedResultsController fetchedObjects] filteredArrayUsingPredicate:[NSPredicate predicateWithBlock:^BOOL(id evaluatedObject, NSDictionary *bindings) {
        ToDoItem * item = evaluatedObject;
        NSString* name = item.todoName;

        //searchText having length < 3 should not be considered
        if (!!searchText && [searchText length] < 3) {
            return YES;
        }

        if ([scope isEqualToString:@"All"] || [name isEqualToString:scope])  {
            return ([name rangeOfString:searchText].location != NSNotFound);
        }
        return NO; //if nothing matches
    }]];
}
#pragma mark -
#pragma mark UISearchDisplayController Delegate Methods

- (BOOL)searchDisplayController:(UISearchDisplayController *)controller shouldReloadTableForSearchString:(NSString *)searchString
{
    [self filterContentForSearchText:searchString scope:@"All"];
    return YES;
}

- (BOOL)searchDisplayController:(UISearchDisplayController *)controller shouldReloadTableForSearchScope:(NSInteger)searchOption
{
    [self filterContentForSearchText:[self.searchDisplayController.searchBar text] scope:@"All"];
    return YES;
}

- (IBAction)quickAddAction:(UIButton *)sender {


    UIAlertView * alert =[[UIAlertView alloc ] initWithTitle:@"Add Task" message:@"Enter the task name" delegate:self cancelButtonTitle:@"Cancel" otherButtonTitles: nil];
    alert.alertViewStyle = UIAlertViewStylePlainTextInput;
    [alert addButtonWithTitle:@"Add"];
    [alert show];
}
- (void)alertView:(UIAlertView *)alertView didDismissWithButtonIndex:(NSInteger)buttonIndex
{
    if (buttonIndex == 1)
    {
        UITextField *todoText = [alertView textFieldAtIndex:0];
        NSLog(@"username: %@", todoText.text);

        ToDoItem *addToDoItem = [NSEntityDescription insertNewObjectForEntityForName:@"ToDoItem" inManagedObjectContext:self.managedObjectContext];
        addToDoItem.todoDueDate = [NSDate date];
        NSString *todoConvertido = todoText.text;
        addToDoItem.todoName = todoConvertido;
        [self.tableView reloadData];

    }
}
@end

Answer 1

you sort only based on due Date and name so the category with the oldest entry comes first.

the entries would have to be sorted based on your sectionIdentifier first

NSSortDescriptor *sortDescriptor0 = [[NSSortDescriptor alloc]initWithKey:@"sectionIdentifier" ascending:YES];
NSSortDescriptor *sortDescriptor1 = [[NSSortDescriptor alloc]initWithKey:@"todoDueDate" ascending:YES];
NSSortDescriptor *sortDescriptor2 = [[NSSortDescriptor alloc]initWithKey:@"todoName" ascending:YES];