How to populate UITableView with the responce of JSON from a different ViewController?

Question

I googled and searched in stackoverflow.com but couldn't get rid of this situation, how can i populate TableView with the responce of a GET. I send the GET and parse the response in a method in DetailViewController (my main controller) and want to initialize the TableViewCell with a part of the response, and details of that cell with another part.. I created messageTableView and messageDetailViewController.. I can share code too if the question is not clear enough. Thanks

EDIT I know this isn't desired but I shared all codes since i can't tie the variables between viewControllers, i can navigate amongst the views but i can't share variables between one another..

Here is my DetailViewController's interface file(in my app, it is main View Controller)

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>

@interface BNT_1DetailViewController : UIViewController <UISplitViewControllerDelegate>
{
    NSMutableArray *buttons;
    NSString *userName, *password, *serverIP;
    NSDictionary *mess;
    IBOutlet UITextField *userNameF;
    IBOutlet UITextField *passwordF;
    IBOutlet UITextField *serverF;
    NSURL *url;
    NSMutableArray *mesag;
    IBOutlet UIButton *acceptButton;
    NSMutableArray *mesID; //saving meesage ID s to NSMutableArray
    NSMutableArray *content; 

}
@property(retain,nonatomic)NSMutableArray *mesID,*content;
@property(assign,nonatomic)NSMutableArray *mesag ;
@property(retain, nonatomic)NSDictionary *mess;
//@property (retain,nonatomic)  NSMutableArray *buttons;
@property (retain, nonatomic) UITextField *userNameF;
@property (retain, nonatomic) UITextField *passwordF;
@property (retain, nonatomic) UITextField *serverF;
@property (retain, nonatomic) UIButton *acceptButton;
@property (retain, nonatomic) NSString *userName, *password, *serverIP;
@property (strong, nonatomic) id detailItem;
@property(retain,nonatomic)NSURL *url;
@property (strong, nonatomic) IBOutlet UILabel *detailDescriptionLabel;

-(IBAction)acceptAct:(id)sender;
-(IBAction)readMessages:(id)sender;
-(IBAction)secondAct:(id)sender;
@end

And Here is its implementation file:

#import "BNT_1DetailViewController.h"
#import "mainMenu.h"
#import "messages.h"
@interface BNT_1DetailViewController ()
@property (strong, nonatomic) UIPopoverController *masterPopoverController;
- (void)configureView;
@end

@implementation BNT_1DetailViewController
@synthesize content,mesID,url;
@synthesize mesag,mess;
@synthesize userNameF, passwordF, serverF, acceptButton;
@synthesize userName, password, serverIP;
@synthesize detailItem = _detailItem;
@synthesize detailDescriptionLabel = _detailDescriptionLabel;
@synthesize masterPopoverController = _masterPopoverController;

-(IBAction)readMessages:(id)sender{

    messages *message=[[messages alloc]initWithNibName:@"messages" bundle:nil];
    /*
     message.mesid=mesID;
     message.contents=content;
     */
    [self.navigationController pushViewController:message animated:TRUE];




}
-(IBAction)acceptAct:(id)sender{


    userName=[[NSString alloc] initWithString:userNameF.text ];
    [userNameF setText:userName];
    NSUserDefaults *userNameDef= [NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults];
    [userNameDef setObject:userName forKey:@"userNameKey"];
    password =[[NSString alloc] initWithString:passwordF.text];
    [passwordF setText:password];
    NSUserDefaults *passDef=[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults];
    [passDef setObject:password forKey:@"passwordKey"];
    serverIP=[[NSString alloc] initWithString: serverF.text];
    [serverF setText:serverIP];
    NSUserDefaults *serverDef=[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults];
    [serverDef setObject:serverIP forKey:@"serverIPKey"];
    [userNameDef synchronize];
    [serverDef synchronize];
    [passDef synchronize];


    UIAlertView *message = [[UIAlertView alloc] initWithTitle:@"BNTPRO "
                                                      message:@"Your User Informations are going to be sent to server. Do you accept?"
                                                     delegate:self
                                            cancelButtonTitle:@"OK"
                                            otherButtonTitles:@"Cancel",  nil];
    [message show];

}
- (void)alertView:(UIAlertView *)alertView clickedButtonAtIndex:(NSInteger)buttonIndex
{
    NSString *title = [alertView buttonTitleAtIndex:buttonIndex];

    if([title isEqualToString:@"OK"])
    {
        if([userNameF.text isEqualToString:@""]|| [passwordF.text isEqualToString:@""] || [serverF.text length]<6) 
        {
            UIAlertView *message1 = [[UIAlertView alloc] initWithTitle:@"BNTPRO "
                                                               message:@"Your User Informations are not defined properly!"
                                                              delegate:nil
                                                     cancelButtonTitle:@"OK"
                                                     otherButtonTitles:  nil];

            [message1 show];
            [userNameF  resignFirstResponder];
            [passwordF resignFirstResponder];
            return;
        }
        mainMenu *ma=[[mainMenu alloc]initWithNibName:@"mainMenu" bundle:nil];
        NSString *str1=[@"?username=" stringByAppendingString:userNameF.text];
        NSString *str2=[@"&password=" stringByAppendingString:passwordF.text];
        NSString *str3=[str1 stringByAppendingString:str2];
        NSString *str4 =[@"http://" stringByAppendingString:serverF.text];


       url=[NSURL URLWithString:[str4 stringByAppendingString:[@"/ipad/login.php" stringByAppendingString:str3]]];
        //get the url to jsondata
        NSData *jSonData=[NSData dataWithContentsOfURL:url];

        if (jSonData!=nil) {
            NSError *error=nil;
            id result=[NSJSONSerialization JSONObjectWithData:jSonData options:
                       NSJSONReadingMutableContainers error:&error];
            NSLog(@"%@",result);       

            if (error==nil) {
            mess=[result objectForKey:@"message"];
                NSDictionary *messContent=[mess valueForKeyPath:@"message"];
                NSDictionary *messID=[mess valueForKeyPath:@"ID"];
                NSString*key1=[ result objectForKey:@"key" ];                
                NSString *s1=[@"http://" stringByAppendingString:serverF.text];
                NSString *s2=[s1 stringByAppendingString:@"/ipad/button.php"];
                NSURL *url2=[NSURL URLWithString:[s2 stringByAppendingString:[@"?key=" stringByAppendingString:key1]]];

                NSData *data2=[NSData dataWithContentsOfURL:url2];
                id result2=[NSJSONSerialization JSONObjectWithData:data2 options:NSJSONReadingMutableContainers error:nil];

                mesID = [NSMutableArray array];//saving meesage ID s to NSMutableArray
                content = [NSMutableArray array];    
                for ( mesag in mess) {

                    //i want to populate TableViewCells with the messID and the details of each cell(push in new view controller) will contain 'content' above

                  /*
                     [mesID addObject:[mesag objectForKey:@"ID"]];
                     [content addObject:[mesag objectForKey:@"message"]];    
                     */    
                    [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] setObject:messID forKey:@"message"];
                    [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] setObject:messContent forKey:@"messContent"];

                    // NSLog(@"%@", [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] dictionaryRepresentation]);
                    //   NSLog(@"The Message with ID %@ is: %@\n",messID,messContent);

                }

                NSLog(@"MessID: %@",mesID);
                NSLog(@"Context: %@",content);


                buttons = [NSMutableArray array];
                CGFloat yPosition = 60.0f;
                CGFloat xPosition = 40.0f;

                const CGFloat buttonHeight = 75.0f;
                const CGFloat buttonMargin = 50.0f;
                UIButton *bt=[UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeRoundedRect];

                [bt setTitle:@"Messages" forState:UIControlStateNormal];
                [bt addTarget:self action:@selector(readMessages:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
                bt.titleLabel.font=[UIFont systemFontOfSize:25];
                bt.frame=CGRectMake(300.0f, 700.0f,180.0f , 70.0f);
                [ma.view addSubview:bt];

                for(NSDictionary* buttonData in result2) { 
                    UIButton *button = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeRoundedRect];
                    NSString* buttonTitle = [buttonData objectForKey:@"name"];
                    NSString* buttonID=[buttonData objectForKey:@"ID"];
                    [button setTitle:buttonTitle forState:UIControlStateNormal];
                    [button setTag:[buttonID intValue]];
                    button.titleLabel.font=[UIFont systemFontOfSize:28];
                    button.frame = CGRectMake(xPosition, yPosition, 210.0f, buttonHeight);
                    [button addTarget:self action:@selector(secondAct:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
                    [ma.view addSubview:button];
                    //   [v.buttons addObject:button];

                    xPosition = 260.0f;
                    yPosition+= buttonHeight + buttonMargin;

                }


            [self.navigationController pushViewController:ma animated:TRUE];


}
        }} }


-(IBAction)secondAct:(id)sender{

    NSLog(@"ABC: %d",[sender tag]);

}

- (void)dealloc
{
    [_detailItem release];
    [_detailDescriptionLabel release];
    [_masterPopoverController release];
    [super dealloc];
}

#pragma mark - Managing the detail item

- (void)setDetailItem:(id)newDetailItem
{
    if (_detailItem != newDetailItem) {
        [_detailItem release]; 
        _detailItem = [newDetailItem retain]; 

        // Update the view.
        [self configureView];
    }

    if (self.masterPopoverController != nil) {
        [self.masterPopoverController dismissPopoverAnimated:YES];
    }        
}

- (void)configureView
{
    // Update the user interface for the detail item.

    if (self.detailItem) {
        self.detailDescriptionLabel.text = [self.detailItem description];
    }
}

- (void)didReceiveMemoryWarning
{
    [super didReceiveMemoryWarning];
    // Release any cached data, images, etc that aren't in use.
}

#pragma mark - View lifecycle

- (void)viewDidLoad
{
    [super viewDidLoad];
    [passwordF setSecureTextEntry:YES];
    userNameF.font=[UIFont systemFontOfSize:24];

    userNameF.frame = CGRectMake(320.0f,60.0f,360.0f,50.0f);
    passwordF.frame = CGRectMake(320.0f,145.0f,360.0f,50.0f);
    serverF.frame= CGRectMake(320.0f,235.0f,360.0f,50.0f);
    userNameF.font=[UIFont boldSystemFontOfSize:24];
    [userNameF becomeFirstResponder];
    serverF.font=[UIFont boldSystemFontOfSize:24];
    passwordF.font=[UIFont systemFontOfSize:24];


    acceptButton.titleLabel.font=[UIFont boldSystemFontOfSize:26];
    // Do any additional setup after loading the view, typically from a nib.
    [self configureView];
}

- (void)viewDidUnload
{
    [super viewDidUnload];
    // Release any retained subviews of the main view.
    // e.g. self.myOutlet = nil;
}

- (void)viewWillAppear:(BOOL)animated
{
    [super viewWillAppear:animated];
}

- (void)viewDidAppear:(BOOL)animated
{
    [super viewDidAppear:animated];
}

- (void)viewWillDisappear:(BOOL)animated
{
    [super viewWillDisappear:animated];
}

- (void)viewDidDisappear:(BOOL)animated
{
    [super viewDidDisappear:animated];
}

- (BOOL)shouldAutorotateToInterfaceOrientation:(UIInterfaceOrientation)interfaceOrientation
{
    // Return YES for supported orientations
    return YES;
}

- (id)initWithNibName:(NSString *)nibNameOrNil bundle:(NSBundle *)nibBundleOrNil
{
    self = [super initWithNibName:nibNameOrNil bundle:nibBundleOrNil];
    if (self) {
        self.title = NSLocalizedString(@"Detail", @"Detail");
    }
    return self;
}

#pragma mark - Split view

- (void)splitViewController:(UISplitViewController *)splitController willHideViewController:(UIViewController *)viewController withBarButtonItem:(UIBarButtonItem *)barButtonItem forPopoverController:(UIPopoverController *)popoverController
{
    barButtonItem.title = NSLocalizedString(@"Master", @"Master");
    [self.navigationItem setLeftBarButtonItem:barButtonItem animated:YES];
    self.masterPopoverController = popoverController;
}

- (void)splitViewController:(UISplitViewController *)splitController willShowViewController:(UIViewController *)viewController invalidatingBarButtonItem:(UIBarButtonItem *)barButtonItem
{
    // Called when the view is shown again in the split view, invalidating the button and popover controller.
    [self.navigationItem setLeftBarButtonItem:nil animated:YES];
    self.masterPopoverController = nil;
}

@end

i want to populate TableViewCells with the messID and the details of each cell(push in new view controller) will contain 'content' above

This one is my TableViewController file called messages: (.h file)

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>

@interface messages : UITableViewController{

    NSMutableArray *mesid,*contents; 

}

@property(retain,nonatomic)NSMutableArray *mesid,*contents;


@end

and .m file:

#import "messages.h"
#import "messageDetail.h"
@implementation messages
@synthesize mesid;
- (id)initWithStyle:(UITableViewStyle)style
{
    self = [super initWithStyle:style];
    if (self) {
        // Custom initialization
    }
    return self;
}

- (void)didReceiveMemoryWarning
{
    // Releases the view if it doesn't have a superview.
    [super didReceiveMemoryWarning];

    // Release any cached data, images, etc that aren't in use.
}

#pragma mark - View lifecycle

- (void)viewDidLoad
{
    [super viewDidLoad];

    // Uncomment the following line to preserve selection between presentations.
     self.clearsSelectionOnViewWillAppear = NO;

    // Uncomment the following line to display an Edit button in the navigation bar for this view controller.
     self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = self.editButtonItem;
}

- (void)viewDidUnload
{
    [super viewDidUnload];
    // Release any retained subviews of the main view.
    // e.g. self.myOutlet = nil;
}

- (void)viewWillAppear:(BOOL)animated
{
    }

- (void)viewDidAppear:(BOOL)animated
{
    [super viewDidAppear:animated];
}

- (void)viewWillDisappear:(BOOL)animated
{
    [super viewWillDisappear:animated];
}

- (void)viewDidDisappear:(BOOL)animated
{
    [super viewDidDisappear:animated];
}

- (BOOL)shouldAutorotateToInterfaceOrientation:(UIInterfaceOrientation)interfaceOrientation
{
    // Return YES for supported orientations
    return YES;
}

#pragma mark - Table view data source

- (NSInteger)numberOfSectionsInTableView:(UITableView *)tableView
{
#warning Potentially incomplete method implementation.
    // Return the number of sections.
    return 1;
}

- (NSInteger)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView numberOfRowsInSection:(NSInteger)section
{
#warning Incomplete method implementation.
    // Return the number of rows in the section.

   return [mesid count];
}

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

    UITableViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:CellIdentifier];
    if (cell == nil) {
        cell = [[[UITableViewCell alloc] initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleDefault reuseIdentifier:CellIdentifier] autorelease];
    }
    cell.textLabel.text=[mesid objectAtIndex:indexPath.row];
    [tableView reloadData]; 
    // Configure the cell...

    return cell;
}


// 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 YES;
}



// Override to support editing the table view.
- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView commitEditingStyle:(UITableViewCellEditingStyle)editingStyle forRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    if (editingStyle == UITableViewCellEditingStyleDelete) {
        // Delete the row from the data source
        [tableView deleteRowsAtIndexPaths:[NSArray arrayWithObject:indexPath] withRowAnimation:UITableViewRowAnimationFade];
    }   
    else if (editingStyle == UITableViewCellEditingStyleInsert) {
        // Create a new instance of the appropriate class, insert it into the array, and add a new row to 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 - Table view delegate

- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didSelectRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    // Navigation logic may go here. Create and push another view controller.

     messageDetail *detailViewController = [[messageDetail alloc] initWithNibName:@"messageDetail" bundle:nil];
     // ...
     // Pass the selected object to the new view controller.
     [self.navigationController pushViewController:detailViewController animated:YES];
     detailViewController.title=@"Message Detail";
     [detailViewController release];

}

@end

My last controller is messageDetails. Its interface file is:

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>

@interface messageDetail : UIViewController

@end

And last one, messageDetail's implementation file:

#import "messageDetail.h"

@implementation messageDetail

- (id)initWithNibName:(NSString *)nibNameOrNil bundle:(NSBundle *)nibBundleOrNil
{
    self = [super initWithNibName:nibNameOrNil bundle:nibBundleOrNil];
    if (self) {
        // Custom initialization
    }
    return self;
}

- (void)didReceiveMemoryWarning
{
    // Releases the view if it doesn't have a superview.
    [super didReceiveMemoryWarning];

    // Release any cached data, images, etc that aren't in use.
}

#pragma mark - View lifecycle

- (void)viewDidLoad
{
    [super viewDidLoad];
    // Do any additional setup after loading the view from its nib.
}

- (void)viewDidUnload
{
    [super viewDidUnload];
    // Release any retained subviews of the main view.
    // e.g. self.myOutlet = nil;
}

- (BOOL)shouldAutorotateToInterfaceOrientation:(UIInterfaceOrientation)interfaceOrientation
{
    // Return YES for supported orientations
    return YES;
}

@end

Answer 1

You have several issues I found just by taking a quick look: 1. You have an instance of UITableViewController. The proper initialization for a UITableViewController is initWithStyle: Use that instead. Otherwise you need to do some extra work, and it's really not needed. 2. You are checking the strings from the buttons in your UIAlertView instance. My recommandation is not to do that. Strings are somehow volatile. Multi language can be inserted as a feature and you can have issues after that. Check the index instead. It's a simple int, not headaches alert ! 3. You have setted your NSMutableArray as a property in your messages class. Why don't you populate it. That's why the information isn't appearing in your table: because you are not providing it to the specific class. From the controller you are initializing the controller (class that contains the table view), provide its content from the original controller.

Advices: 4. For standardization, name your classes with capital letters and your variables with small ones. Constants should begin with "k" letter.