Can't setup bindings in Swift Storyboard? - macos

Question

I've got some code that runs a fairly complex algorithm. I want to put together a fairly simple UI that will allow me to monitor the values of the various variables in the algorithm in some graphical ways -- think of it like a dashboard of sorts.
So, for simplicity's sake, let's say I have an algorithm like what follows. It searches a vector of values for the two values that most closely sum to a target value:
import Foundation
class algorithm {
var numbers = [Double]()
let numberOfRandoms = 1000
dynamic var a: String
dynamic var b: String
init () {
// Load initial vector with some random numbers between 0 and 1
for _ in 1...numberOfRandoms {
numbers.append(Double(arc4random()) / Double(UINT32_MAX))
}
a = " "
b = " "
}
func findTheTwoNumbersThatAddUpTheClosestToTarget(target: Double) {
//Initializing this to a very large value
var currentBestSum = 1000.0
//Begin brute force search for the optimal solution
for i in 0...numbers.count-2 {
for j in i+1...numbers.count-1 {
//Check to see if the current candidate exceeds the best solution
if abs(numbers[i] + numbers[j] - target) < currentBestSum {
//If it does, store the new champion
a = String(i)
b = String(j)
//And reset the current top score to match
currentBestSum = abs(numbers[i] + numbers[j]-target)
}
}
}
}
}
Now, this is just a simple (and silly) example, but it suits these purposes. I basically want to create a simple UI that displays the important values in the process as it runs (dynamically).
In this example, let's say that I just want to display two labels that contain the index values of the two leaders as the algorithm executes.
I created the labels in the storyboard.
Then, I created IBOutlets in the ViewController (Actually, storyboards did it for me when I Ctrl-dragged):
class ViewController: NSViewController {
#IBOutlet weak var a: NSTextField!
#IBOutlet weak var b: NSTextField!
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
// Do any additional setup after loading the view.
}
override var representedObject: AnyObject? {
didSet {
// Update the view, if already loaded.
}
}
}
Then, I ctrl-dragged the labels to the a and b in the algorithm class to create the bindings.
Finally, I create an class variable in the view controller and instantiate it in the viewDidLoad method. This doesn't seem like the right thing to do -- maybe it is. Seems like you would want to keep separate your interface and data...
The labels do, in fact, show up -- but they never show any values of a and b. They just show the default text.
Not sure what I'm doing wrong.
Help!?
P.S., in response to Anthony Kong, I do recognize that I could manually synchronize all the view elements in the code, but I thought the whole point of using bindings was to avoid having to do this manual synchronization. I just can't figure out how to set it up.

Answer 1

Without commenting on your specific code I think I have experienced (and solved) the problem you describe. I was able to write an app that had two targets, one NIB-based and one Storyboard-based. As much as I was able I duplicated the code in each and shared the common data instance that I was trying to display in a TableView. The NIB-based app worked using the stock Cocoa Bindings that I set in IB. But the Storyboard-based app did not, the array controller did not see the data.
My solution was simply to add the binding for contentArray programmatically in viewDidLoad. The one line that fixed it for me is:
ac.bind("contentArray", toObject: cd, withKeyPath: "people", options: nil)
ac is the IBOutlet for the ArrayController in the Storyboard. cd is the class instance that contains the people array.
This is using XCode 6.2 (6C107a) which is Beta 3 I think.
This was the only binding that I had to set myself, the TableView to ArrayController (arrangedObjects) and TableViewCell to TableView (objectValue) didn't need any tweaking.

Answer 2

There are several problems with your code
1) In your code,
func applicationDidFinishLaunching(aNotification: NSNotification?) {
// Insert code here to initialize your application
var test = algorithm()
test.findTheTwoNumbersThatAddUpTheClosestToTarget(0.5)
}
The variable test goes out of scope when the function exits. Based on the wording of your question, you are expecting it to be a long running process. So this will not do what you want.
You should
a) Add test as class variable to the ViewController class
b) instantiate the variable in viewDidLoad method.
2) In your algorithm it does not actually provide any feedback to the labels. Maybe you think because the class has the ivar a and b so they are hooked to the IBOutlet by the same names. But of course it is not the case. And you do not need the keyword dynamic too.
What you should do is:
a) provide a method in the View Controller class to update the labels. It will serve as a callback function to be used by algorithm class to feedback the calculation result.
It may look like this:
func update_value_callback(vala: String, valb: String) {
a.text = vala; // updating the label here
b.text = valb;
}
b) make the algorithm class calls the callback function e.g.
func findTheTwoNumbersThatAddUpTheClosestToTarget(target: Double, viewController: ViewController) {
// do your stuff
...
// execute the callback
viewController.update_value_callback(a, b)
}