Chapter 9 -- Application Preferences

FrankNatoli · July 10th, 2011, 01:11 PM

Does anyone have any experience with attempting to implement the Chapter 9 "try it out" with Xcode 4? Create settings bundle, start app, no application settings visible. Go to next section, tweak Root.plist as per the text, no application settings visible. Downloaded Chapter 9 from Wrox of course works just fine, but that is inhaled from Xcode 3.

hangzhouharry · July 11th, 2011, 12:16 AM

I have Xcode 4 and all the current versions of everything. I was planning to do this soon and when i saw your question i started to worry. I had downloaded the sdk 4.3 version of the sample code earlier.

I followed the instructions and it worked as indicated.

thepianoguy · July 11th, 2011, 08:13 AM

There should be no issues with adding a settings bundle to an app in Xcode 4.

1. Create the project
2. Add file - Select iOS>Resource>Settings Bundle from the template. Name the file, typically "Settings" and Save.
3. Run the program, click the Settings app and the default settings are there. That is it.

All the stuff about icons is irrelevant, the default blank white one is used if no icon has been provided.

The author's handling of the synchronization of the local and the NSUserDefaults synchronization is weak, since it is hard coded (should parse the Settings.bundle>Root.plist to acquire the keys and default settings, then synchronize) but works for the example.
In an earlier book with the same project, the author's handling of the "loadSettings" method was not correct, but it appears from the downloaded code, that this issue has been addressed. (I don't have the book)

If your problem persists, send the non-working project to
[email protected]

I will try to figure out where things went wrong.

Bob

stevect · July 12th, 2011, 01:29 PM

I tried the code too, but failed towork even though I typed exactly same as
the book instructed. I just wondering where the loadSetting function call occur,
can anyone help me on this? Also after enter something in the edit box, the the virtual keyboad doesn;t disappear even though enter return.

Thanks

thepianoguy · July 12th, 2011, 01:58 PM

I assume you have set up the interface. The -loadSettings method is called when you click the loadSettings button in the interface.

Is the keyboard not disappearing in the application or in the Settings application?

If in the application itself, do the following.
In the .xib file make the File's Owner the delegate of the UITextFields. In the ApplicationSettingsViewController.h add the UITextFieldDelegate protocol

Code:

@interface ApplicationSettingsViewController : UIViewController <UIPickerViewDelegate, UIPickerViewDataSource, UITextFieldDelegate>

and in the ApplicationSettingsViewController.m add the following lines

Code:

-(BOOL)textFieldShouldReturn:(UITextField *)textField
{
    [textField resignFirstResponder];
    return YES;
}

Bob

stevect · July 12th, 2011, 02:38 PM

Thanks lot. Even I copied your code into it, still doesn;t work. Not sure why.

thepianoguy · July 12th, 2011, 02:44 PM

If you can't resolve your problem I can take a look at it if you send it to

[email protected]

I am heading out and will be unable to look at it until later tonight, but should be able to resolve any issues.

Bob