Where is the right place to configure SKScene content in SpriteKit?

Question

Is it ok to configure (position sprites, add visible nodes etc) an SKScene's content in init method?

Where is the right place for such things: init? didMoveToView? something else?

Motorcar

Errr, yes. Do it wherever it works without issues. But what are you really getting at? Your question is rather unspecific. – Structuralism

@LearnCocos2D, all I want to know, is there any right method to use for scene initialization/configuration. Thats all :) – Motorcar

Init is for initializing, except where you can't. ;) For example self.view is nil on init so any setup code that needs the view has to be run in didMoveToView – Structuralism

@LearnCocos2D, so, if I don't use any UIKit views I can freely configure my SKScene in init method? But, if I want, for instance, to add UIButton the best place for that is didMoveToView method. Am I right? If yes - please, post your comments as an answer and I'll accept it. – Motorcar

Answer 1

didMoveToView: is called every time the scene is presented by an SKView. Pros of positioning and adding sprites in didMoveToView: You can initialise many views without them grabbing a lot of memory. Cons: If you remove a view and then add it again didMoveToView: is called again. This means that you need to be sure to reset your scene in the beginning of didMoveToView: (only if you intend to remove and add again).

init is called when you initialise the SKScene. Pros of using init for positioning and adding sprites: It is only called once, and everything will be ready once you present it on the scene. If you need to preload scenes for quick switching this might be handy. Cons: Each scene will take up the memory it needs to perform all the adding of sprites when init'ed and not when its shown.

Personally, I prefer to do everything in the init method.

Durwood