Bar Button Item in only one of the tab bar controller navigation bar

Question

I have a tab bar controller with 4 views controller, and have this tab bar controller in a navigation controller.

I want to display a UIBarButtonItem for just one specific view controller of the tab bar controller.

I tried to use the following

if (tabBarController.selectedViewController == customTourViewController)
    {
        [tabBarController.navigationItem setRightBarButtonItem:done];
    }

But the button doesn't show up.

If I put every view controller in a navigation controller, then the button shows up for only that view, but I end up having 2 navigation bars.

Is there any way I can implement the first solution? Thanks.

Answer 1

In my individual view controllers for the individual tabs, I have the following in the one that needs the button:

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

    UIBarButtonItem *rightButton = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Done"
                                                                    style:UIBarButtonSystemItemDone target:nil action:nil];
    self.tabBarController.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = rightButton;
}

And in the view controllers that don't need the button, I have:

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

    self.tabBarController.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = nil;
}

So, if it's not working for you, I'm not sure if it's your reference to tabBarController without the self designation (if I omit the self I get a compiler error). And where is this code because if it's in your tabBarController subclass, then you want self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem, right? Do you have your own ivar defined for that variable name? Or are you sure that done is defined properly (i.e. not nil)? Or are you sure this code is being called at all (perhaps set a breakpoint or insert a NSLog and make sure this code is being reached)?

Answer 2

Alternatively you can implement viewWillDisappear in the same view where you need the button.

-(void)viewWillDisappear:(BOOL)animated
{
    [super viewWillDisappear:animated];        
    self.tabBarController.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = nil;
}