awakeFromNib method called multiple times

Question

In my NSPersistenDocument based project i have a structure like this

myDocument (NSPersistentDocument) -> myDocument.xib (windows xib)
                                           |
                                           |-> view (the self.view) --> ... "other view"
                                           |
                                           |-> some NSArrayController 
                                           |
                                           |-> myResourceViewController --> myResourceViewController.xib
                                                                                          |
                                                                                          |-> view (the self.view)
                                                                                          |
                                                                                          |-> myTreeController (a NSTreeController subclass)

basically, myResourceViewController is an instance of a viewController who manage resourceView and manage their data.

in awakeFromNib method of myDocument i have the following code

- (void)windowControllerDidLoadNib:(NSWindowController *)aController
{
    ...
    [leftBar addSubview:resourceViewController.view]; //i add resourceViewController's view 
    resourceViewController.view.frame = leftBar.bounds;
    ...
}

in myResourceViewController awakeFromNib methods i have:

-(void)awakeFromNib;
{
    NSLog(@"%@", [self description]);

    [removeButton bind:@"enabled" toObject:resourceTreeController withKeyPath:@"selection" options:[NSDictionary dictionaryWithObject:NSIsNotNilTransformerName forKey:NSValueTransformerNameBindingOption]];

    NSArray *draggedTypes = [NSArray arrayWithObjects:ResourceURIPasteBoardType, nil];
    [resourceOutlineView registerForDraggedTypes:draggedTypes];
}

the NSLog say that awakeFromNib, of the same instance of myResourceViewController, is called 4 time, i don't understand why. My only ResourceViewController is created in myDocument xib. I don't use NSNib loading methods everywhere.

Answer 1

The root cause is described in the NSTableView header file of the method makeViewWithIdentifier: " .... Note that 'owner' will get an 'awakeFromNib:' call each time the object is instantiated."

My solution is simple but I expect not suitable for all: Just define e.g. the tabelView as owner:

- (NSView *)tableView:(NSTableView *)tableView viewForTableColumn:(NSTableColumn *)tableColumn row:(NSInteger)row
{
    NSTableCellView *view = [tableView makeViewWithIdentifier:kTextViewIdentifier owner:tableView];

    return view;
}

Answer 2

I found the solution. awakeFromNib is called every time a NSTableCellView is created by NSOutlineView.