Swift custom UITableViewCell label is always nil

Question

I've been stuck with this problem for days, so I'd be really happy if someone could help. I'm trying to create a dynamic UITableView, for which I created a custom UITableView subclass and I've created a custom UITableViewCell subclass as well, because I need several UILabels and a UIButton in each cell. The cell is created, but the problem is that the value of the labels is always nil, hence the cell isn't displayed properly. This is, how the storyboard looks like, and this is what I see while running the program.

Here's my UITableViewCell subclass:

import UIKit

class QuestionTableViewCell: UITableViewCell {

    @IBOutlet var student: UILabel!
    @IBOutlet var labDesk: UILabel!
    @IBOutlet var topic: UILabel!
    @IBOutlet var answers: UILabel!

}

and my UITableView subclass:

import UIKit

class QuestionViewController: UITableViewController, UITableViewDelegate, UITableViewDataSource {

    @IBOutlet var table: UITableView!
     struct Question {
        var student: String
        var labDesk: String
        var topic: String
        var answered: String
    }

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        table.estimatedRowHeight = 50
        table.dataSource = self
        table.delegate = self
        self.table.registerClass(QuestionTableViewCell.self, forCellReuseIdentifier: "cell")
    }

    override func didReceiveMemoryWarning() {
        super.didReceiveMemoryWarning()
    }

    override func numberOfSectionsInTableView(tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
        return 1
    }

    override func tableView(tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
        return 1
    }

    override func tableView(tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAtIndexPath indexPath: NSIndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
        let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier("cell") as QuestionTableViewCell
        cell.student.text = "random string"
        cell.labDesk?.text = "25/A"
        cell.topic?.text = "string"
        cell.answers?.text = "3"
        return cell
    }
}

Transfix

try dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier("cell", forIndexPath: indexPath) and make sure your cell id matches, and if the cell is not optional, you shouldn't have to use cell.labDesk?.text, just cell.labDesk.text – Accouchement

I already tried that and it gives my this exception: 2015-03-13 15:31:09.626 LABhelper[40046:5574601] *** Assertion failure in -[UITableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:forIndexPath:], /SourceCache/UIKit_Sim/UIKit-3318.16.14/UITableView.m:6116 This is how my function looks like after what you suggested if I got it right: var cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier("cell", forIndexPath: indexPath) as QuestionTableViewCell I didn't make them optional, but somehow they became optionals, so without the ? the build fails. – Transfix

Answer 1

Try removing self.table.registerClass(QuestionTableViewCell.self, forCellReuseIdentifier: "cell")

Enlargement

Its working fine. But why we are removing this line bcz its registering the customcell rite? – Chemotherapy

@Chemotherapy because the class is already present in the interface builder. – Boxfish

I removed this line and mine worked. Kind of confusing why I didn't need it, my guess is setting the custom class in the Interface builder does the same function as registering the custom cell class? – Keystone

This is correct and helped me find the solution to my issue at the following URL... my nib/custom cell was being registered incorrectly gist.github.com/gonzalezreal/92507b53d2b1e267d49a – Doolittle

Wow, super helpful! This was also my issue. In my case it worked fine until I would scroll my CollectionView, a simple list of labels. As soon as I scrolled a new row into view it crashed with a nil value. Thank you! – Innervate

Answer 2

If you're using a cell with a nib then make sure that you are registering the cell with the table view using registerNib:forCellReuseIdentifier:. If the cell just has a class then use registerClass:forCellReuseIdentifier:.

Homogeneity

If you are using a nib, the exact syntax that you will need is: tableView.registerNib(UINib(nibName: "YOURNIBNAME", bundle: nil), forCellReuseIdentifier: "YOURREUSEID") – Jena

Answer 3

First, you don't have to register the class if it exists in Interface Builder.

Second, you should dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:forIndexPath instead of dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier.

Third, UITableViewController already has a property called tableView so there is no need to make an IBOutlet to table as UITableViewController already handles this. It also conforms to the UITableViewDataSource and UITableViewDataSource so these are extraneous.

Fourth, don't set the properties for table set them for tableView.

Fifth, cell.labDesk.text = "" is sufficient, no need to make it optional.

If all your IBOutlets are hooked up, Cell Identifiers correctly set, and these revisions are made, it will work.

class QuestionTableViewCell: UITableViewCell {

    @IBOutlet var student: UILabel!
    @IBOutlet var labDesk: UILabel!
    @IBOutlet var topic: UILabel!
    @IBOutlet var answers: UILabel!

}


class QuestionViewController: UITableViewController {

    struct Question {
        var student: String
        var labDesk: String
        var topic: String
        var answered: String
    }

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        tableView.estimatedRowHeight = 50
        tableView.dataSource = self
        tableView.delegate = self
    }

    override func didReceiveMemoryWarning() {
        super.didReceiveMemoryWarning()
    }

    override func numberOfSectionsInTableView(tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
        return 1
    }

    override func tableView(tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
        return 1
    }

    override func tableView(tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAtIndexPath indexPath: NSIndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
        let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier("Cell") as QuestionTableViewCell
        cell.student.text = "random string"
        cell.labDesk.text = "25/A"
        cell.topic.text = "string"
        cell.answers.text = "3"
        return cell
    }
}

Accouchement

What I already told you happens, if it isn't optional, it doesn't run. cell.student.text = "random string" fatal error: unexpectedly found nil while unwrapping an Optional value – Transfix

Does it not compile or does it crash as soon as it opens? – Accouchement

It crashes as soon as I reach the UITableView – Transfix

Because this code works, so it could be your IBOutlets not properly connected – Accouchement

ah, you're using a view controller with a table view inside of it, note this is not a UITableViewController – Accouchement

The fix: Delete your view controller, replace it with a UITableViewController in interface builder, set its class to be QuestionViewController, reimplement the cell and reconnect the outlets and you should be good – Accouchement

It is a UITableViewController, I already deleted it and readded and then changed it's class to QuestionViewController – Transfix

Answer 4

The most important part is to register the xib containing the custom cell with the table view. Therefore add the following code in viewDidLoad() method.

let nib = UINib.init(nibName: "MyCustomCell", bundle: nil)    
self.tblUsers.register(nib, forCellReuseIdentifier: "MyCustomCell")

Eiffel

Answer 5

I might be late here, but I just solved a similar problem.

Make sure you've set the Identifier in InterfaceBuilder on your UITableViewCell.

Nyctalopia

Answer 6

For those who are still trying to figure this out after trying all those possible solutions:

Disconnect/Reconnect the IBOutlets in your Storyboards should do the trick!

Delfeena

Answer 7

Don't forget to add:

tableView?.register(UINib(nibName: "xyz",
                           bundle: nil),
                    forCellReuseIdentifier: "abc")

Masonite

Answer 8

If you are using a table cell with Xib. you need to register your cell with ..

register(_:forCellReuseIdentifier:)

Clubman

Answer 9

If you haven't added constraints for the label then they will not be created though the custom cell is created. Make sure you added some constraints.

Bandylegged

Welcome @Bandylegged on StackOverflow, It would really help others if you can attached some code snippet. For more detail on how to write good answer please visit stackoverflow.com/help/how-to-answer – Roast

Answer 10

Make sure that the selected cell is in the right "module" and if necessary, inherit:

If not, your IBOutlets will be nil.

Weapon

Answer 11

Issue I was facing: TableViewCell has been created and all the IBOutlets are nil. So I can't set any values such as text or color etc. Below code worked for me.

Xcode version: 13.3

Step 1: Remove datasource and delegate reference form storyboard.

Step 2: In viewDidLoad add,

tableView.delegate = self
tableView.dataSource = self

Step 3: In tableview UITableViewDataSource cellForRowAt function, add your cell the given way.

let cell = tableView.dequeueCell(ofType: YourCellName.self)
cell.yourCellFunction()
return cell

Note 1: dequeueCell(ofType...) is calling the below function internally. you don't need to use it directly.

func dequeueCell<T: UITableViewCell>(ofType type: T.Type) -> T  {
}

Important: You don't need to provide any "Resporation ID" or "Reuse Identifier" for cell. It works with your cell name.

Shala