Delegate events for NSTextField in NSOutlineView?

Question

I have impeccable functionality based on viewing NSOutlineView with the appropriate source data source in my project. Now I want to allow the user to modify certain entries. So I made NSTextField in IB editable. For the NSOutlineView cell NSOutlineView you can use the outlineView:setObjectValue:forTableColumn:byItem: delegate outlineView:setObjectValue:forTableColumn:byItem: however it is not available for the NSOutlineView based on the view as specified in the header file for the NSOutlineViewData protocol:

/ * View Based OutlineView: This method is not applicable. * /

(void) outlineView: (NSOutlineView *) outlineView setObjectValue: (id) object forTableColumn: (NSTableColumn *) tableColumn byItem: (id) item;

So, I was looking for another delegate method and found outlineView:shouldEditTableColumn:item: However, this delegate method does not start. Perhaps because I am not editing the cell.

So my question is: is there any other way to notice when a line has changed than to have a delegate for each NSTextField ?

Answer 1

Well, it looks like Apple wants us to use delegate methods for each NSTextField , as stated here :

This method is intended for use with table views in cells; it should not be used with view-based views. Instead, a goal / action is used for each element in the view cell.

So there is currently no other way to do this.

Answer 2

You are correct that your text field should be editable in Interface Builder.

Then so that your controller matches NSTextFieldDelegate. Then set the delegate for the text field to outlineView: viewForTableColumn: item :, like so:

 tableCellView.textField.delegate = self 

Here's a simplified example where you have implemented a method to return a table cell view for an item for your plan.

 -(NSView *)outlineView:(NSOutlineView *)outlineView viewForTableColumn:(NSTableColumn *)tableColumn item:(id)item { NSTableCellView *tableCellView = [outlineView makeViewWithIdentifier:@"myTableCellView" owner:self]; MyItem *myItem = (MyItem *)item; // MyItem is just a pretend custom model object tableCellView.delegate = self; tableCellView.textField.stringValue = [myItem title]; tableCellView.textField.delegate = self; return result; } 

Then the controller should receive a controlTextDidEndEditing notification:

 - (void)controlTextDidEndEditing:(NSNotification *)obj { NSTextField *textField = [obj object]; NSString *newTitle = [textField stringValue]; NSUInteger row = [self.sidebarOutlineView rowForView:textField]; MyItem *myItem = [self.sidebarOutlineView itemAtRow:row]; myItem.name = newTitle; }