Rotate using a transform, then change frame origin, and view expands?

Question

This is quite the iPhone quandry. I am working on a library, but have narrowed down my problem to very simple code. What this code does is create a 50x50 view, applies a rotation transform of a few degrees, then shifts the frame down a few times. The result is the 50x50 view is now much larger looking.

Here's the code:

// a simple 50x50 view
UIView *redThing = [[UIView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(50, 50, 50, 50)];
redThing.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor];

[self.view addSubview:redThing];

// rotate a small amount (as long as it's not 90 or 180, etc.)
redThing.transform = CGAffineTransformRotate(redThing.transform, 0.1234);

// move the view down 2 pixels
CGRect newFrame = CGRectMake(redThing.frame.origin.x, redThing.frame.origin.y + 2, redThing.frame.size.width, redThing.frame.size.height);
redThing.frame = newFrame;

// move the view down another 2 pixels
newFrame = CGRectMake(redThing.frame.origin.x, redThing.frame.origin.y + 2, redThing.frame.size.width, redThing.frame.size.height);
redThing.frame = newFrame;

// move the view down another 2 pixels
newFrame = CGRectMake(redThing.frame.origin.x, redThing.frame.origin.y + 2, redThing.frame.size.width, redThing.frame.size.height);
redThing.frame = newFrame;

// move the view down another 2 pixels
newFrame = CGRectMake(redThing.frame.origin.x, redThing.frame.origin.y + 2, redThing.frame.size.width, redThing.frame.size.height);
redThing.frame = newFrame;

So, what the heck is going on? Now, if I move the view by applying a translation transform, it works just fine. But that's not what I want to do and this should work anyway.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

From the UIView documentation:

If the transform property is also set, use the bounds and center properties instead; otherwise, animating changes to the frame property does not correctly reflect the actual location of the view.

Warning: If the transform property is not the identity transform, the value of this property is undefined and therefore should be ignored.

In other words, I would be wary of the frame property when a transform is set.