xcode/storyboard: can't drag bar button to toolbar at top

Question

I have a view controller that is the detail view of a table. When you click on the row of the table it takes you to the detail view. The detail view is embedded in a navigation controller such that there is a button at the upper left of the navigation bar that sends you back to the table. So far so good.

I now want to add an edit button to the right side of the navigation bar so that you can edit the detail view. My plan is this will add another view controller modally that lets you edit the details of the item. Standard stuff.

However, when I try to drag a bar button item from the list of objects to the navigation bar, it won't take. Instead, when I let go off the mouse button, it leaves the bar button on the tab bar controller at the bottom. (My navigation scheme includes different tabs and for each tab a table, detail view etc.)

Anyone run across this before and can suggest what I'm doing wrong or some sort of workaround to add the bar button item to the right side of the navigation screen. Do I have to add it in code?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Answer 1

I have got the same problem using Xcode6 and I noticed that UINavigationItem is added automatically for the first ViewController that you embed into NavigationController but for the subsequent ViewControllers, you will have to add it manually as follows:

1. In the Object library, find Navigation Item then drag it to your 2nd ViewController in the storyboard.
2. In the Object library, find Bar Button Item then drag it the navigation item that you have created in the previous step.

Now you will have your Bar Buttons stuck to the top of your scene.

Update The solution still works with XCode 7 but I wanted to add more descriptive photo. Just in case anyone is not really familiar with standard or technical names mentioned above. Notice the red arrows in the right, they refer to step 1, step 2 mentioned above. Also note the hierarchy of views on the left red rectangle.

Answer 2

Nasty trick:

1. Change your segue to push.
2. Set the content you need
3. Set back to show

Then the content will be editable and you have a non deprecated style for segue.