UITableView titleForHeaderInSection is not being called

Question

I add a tableview to a view controller then try to change its section header titles in IOS 6.0.

I will be changing header strings every-time a specific function is called so I dont want to deal with (UIView *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView viewForHeaderInSection:(NSInteger)section

I tried to use (NSString *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView titleForHeaderInSection:(NSInteger)section but when I put a breakpoint I see that its not being called.

in.h file I add UITableViewDelegate,UITableViewDataSource

in.m

-(void)viewDidAppear:(BOOL)animated
{
   //tableview init
    self.meetingList=[[UITableView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(10, self.ckCal.frame.origin.y + self.ckCal.bounds.size.height+20, 384, 450) style:UITableViewStylePlain];
    [self.meetingList setSeparatorStyle:UITableViewCellSeparatorStyleNone];
    self.meetingList.delegate=self;

    //populate mutablearray for tableview here
    [self eventsInThisMonth:[NSDate date]];

    [self.view addSubview:self.meetingList];
}
-(void)eventsInThisMonth:(NSDate *)date
{

    NSDateFormatter *dateFormatter = [[NSDateFormatter alloc] init];
    [dateFormatter  setDateFormat:@"MMMM , yyyy"];
    //self.firstSectionHeader=nil;
    self.firstSectionHeader= [NSString stringWithFormat:@"Events in %@", [dateFormatter stringFromDate:date]];
    NSLog(@" self.firstSectionHeader %@ ",self.firstSectionHeader);

}
#pragma Tableview
- (NSInteger)numberOfSectionsInTableView:(UITableView *)tableView
{
    return [self.eventHeaders count] + 1;

}

- (CGFloat)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView heightForHeaderInSection:(NSInteger)section
{
    return 35;
}
//set header section labels
- (UIView *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView viewForHeaderInSection:(NSInteger)section {

    UIView *headerView = [[UIView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, tableView.bounds.size.width, 35)] ;
    [headerView setBackgroundColor:[UIColor colorWithRed:106/256.0 green:106/256.0 blue:106/256.0 alpha:1.0]];
    UILabel *subjectLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(92, 10, tableView.bounds.size.width, 20)];
    subjectLabel.textColor = [UIColor whiteColor];
    subjectLabel.font = [UIFont fontWithName:@"Gill Sans" size:20];
    subjectLabel.backgroundColor = [UIColor clearColor];
    subjectLabel.text=self.firstSectionHeader;
    NSLog(@"subjectLabel.text %@",subjectLabel.text);

    if (section==0) {

        //[headerView addSubview:subjectLabel];
        return headerView;
    }
    else
        return nil;


}

- (NSString *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView titleForHeaderInSection:(NSInteger)section
{
    if (section==0) {
         NSLog(@"self.firstSectionHeader in titleForHeaderInSection %@",self.firstSectionHeader);
        return self.firstSectionHeader;
    }
    else
        return nil;
}

What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

I think that's probably because you are only supposed to use one of the two: viewForHeaderInSection or titleForHeaderInSection.

Answer 2

You are missing self.meetingList.datasource = self;

Remember that your viewController has to implemente the UITableViewDelegate and the UITableViewDataSource.

YourClass : UITableView <UITableViewDelegate, UITableViewDataSource>

Answer 3

Re: What am I doing wrong.

I am not certain if you are setting datasource and delegate on your view controller in Interface Builder or not. But I believe there is a logic error that impacts the expected outcome.

titleForHeaderInSection: Asks the data source for the title of the header of the specified section of the table view.

meanwhile

tableView:viewForHeaderInSection: Asks the delegate for a view object to display in the header of the specified section of the table view.

The latter method is overriding behavior defined for the titleForHeaderInSection. Think of it this way; you have one header space that can hold a title OR a custom view that you create to replace the default (title). You are telling the compiler to use a custom view by implementing the second method. To fix this comment out or remove the tableView:viewForHeaderInSection: method or change your logic so that you update the title in your custom view that you pass into the method. At that point titleForHeaderInSection should be hit correctly.

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