Set background color of UITableViewCell

Question

I have looked around to find a solution for setting the background color of the accessoryView to the same background color as the cell´s contentView.

    cell.contentView.backgroundColor = [UIColor colorWithRed:178/255.f green:14/255.f blue:12/255.f alpha:0.05];
    cell.accessoryView.backgroundColor =[UIColor colorWithRed:178/255.f green:14/255.f blue:12/255.f alpha:0.05];

There is a solution that works but only let me use one color for all cells.

cell.contentView.superView.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor];

Is the only solution to not use the accessoryView and use an image instead?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I struggled with this one for a little while too and resorted to creating a custom image with the accessory. But I just found this solution that works well and doesn't require a custom image. The trick is to change the cell's backgroundView color not the backgroundColor.

UIView *myView = [[UIView alloc] init];
if (indexPath.row % 2) {
    myView.backgroundColor = [UIColor whiteColor];
} else {
    myView.backgroundColor = [UIColor blackColor];
}
cell.backgroundView = myView;

No need to change the accessoryView or contentView background colors. They'll follow automatically.

---

Note for 2014. Very typically you wold use -(void)setSelected:(BOOL)selected animated:(BOOL)animated

So, you'd have a custom cell class, and you'd set the colours for the normal/selected like this...

HappyCell.h
@interface HappyCell : UITableViewCell
@property (strong, nonatomic) IBOutlet UILabel *mainLabel;
etc...
@end

HappyCell.m
@implementation HappyCell

-(id)initWithStyle:(UITableViewCellStyle)style
      reuseIdentifier:(NSString *)reuseIdentifier
    {
    self = [super initWithStyle:style reuseIdentifier:reuseIdentifier];
    if (self)
        {
        }
    return self;
    }

-(void)awakeFromNib
    {
    }

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

    if(selected)
        {
        self.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor];
        .. other setup for selected cell
        }
    else
        {
        self.backgroundColor = [UIColor yellowColor];
        .. other setup for normal unselected cell
        }
    }

@end

// to help beginners.......
// in your table view class, you'd be doing this...

-(NSInteger)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView
      numberOfRowsInSection:(NSInteger)section
    {
    return yourDataArray.count;
    }

-(UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tv
      cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
    {
    NSInteger thisRow = indexPath.row;
    ContentsCell *cell = [tv
      dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:@"cellName"
      forIndexPath:indexPath]; 
    // "cellName" must be typed in on the cell, the storyboard
    // it's the "identifier", NOT NOT NOT the restorationID

    [cell setupForNumber: thisRow];
    cell.mainLabel.text = yourDataArray[ thisRow ][@"whatever"];
    cell.otherLabel.text = yourDataArray[ thisRow ][@"whatever"];

    return cell;
    }

hope it helps someone.