Swift. Proper initialization of UITableViewCell hierarchy

Question

[UITableViewCell] <- [genericCell] <- [Cell1], [Cell2], [Cell3]

Hello. Please imagine hierarchy above. In my code I don\'t have objects exactly of type gener

Answer 1

This is how I would lay down the hierarchy mentioned by you:

Step 1 : Make Generic Cell class

class GenericCell : UITableViewCell {
    override init(style: UITableViewCellStyle, reuseIdentifier: String?) {
        super.init(style: style, reuseIdentifier: reuseIdentifier)
        print("Generic Cell Initialization Done")
    }

    required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
        super.init(coder: aDecoder)
    }
}

Step 2 : Make Specific Cell 1 class:

class MyCell1 : GenericCell {
    override init(style: UITableViewCellStyle, reuseIdentifier: String?) {
        super.init(style: style, reuseIdentifier: reuseIdentifier)
        print("MyCell1 Initialization Done")
    }

    required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
        super.init(coder: aDecoder)
    }
}

Step 3 : Make Specific Cell 2 class:

class MyCell2 : GenericCell {
    override init(style: UITableViewCellStyle, reuseIdentifier: String?) {
        super.init(style: style, reuseIdentifier: reuseIdentifier)
        print("MyCell2 Initialization Done")
    }

    required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
        super.init(coder: aDecoder)
    }
}

Step 4 : Make Specific Cell 3 class:

class MyCell3 : GenericCell {
    override init(style: UITableViewCellStyle, reuseIdentifier: String?) {
        super.init(style: style, reuseIdentifier: reuseIdentifier)
        print("MyCell3 Initialization Done")
    }

    required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
        super.init(coder: aDecoder)
    }
}

Step 5 : Finally use the cells like this:

let cell1 = MyCell1.init(style: UITableViewCellStyle.Default, reuseIdentifier: "cell1")
let cell2 = MyCell2.init(style: UITableViewCellStyle.Default, reuseIdentifier: "cell2")
let cell3 = MyCell3.init(style: UITableViewCellStyle.Default, reuseIdentifier: "cell3")

PS: This would guarantee setting the properties in generic cell as well in specific cells.

EDIT: This is how you would use cells in cellForRowAtIndexPath:

override func tableView(tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAtIndexPath indexPath: NSIndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
    if indexPath.section == 0 {
        let cell1 = tableView.dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier("cell1", forIndexPath: indexPath) as MyCell1

        if cell1 == nil {
            cell1 = MyCell1.init(style: UITableViewCellStyle.Default, reuseIdentifier: "cell1")
        }

        // Do your cell property setting

        return cell1
    } else if indexPath.section == 1 {
        let cell2 = tableView.dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier("cell2", forIndexPath: indexPath) as MyCell2

        if cell2 == nil {
            cell2 = MyCell2.init(style: UITableViewCellStyle.Default, reuseIdentifier: "cell2")
        }

        // Do your cell property setting

        return cell2
    } else {
        let cell3 = tableView.dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier("cell3", forIndexPath: indexPath) as MyCell3

        if cell3 == nil {
            cell3 = MyCell3.init(style: UITableViewCellStyle.Default, reuseIdentifier: "cell3")
        }

        // Do your cell property setting

        return cell3
    }
}