In UISplitViewController, can I use same viewController as a primary and compact column?

Question

Created Mar ’23

Replies 2

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Participants 2

I am trying to utilize UISplitViewController to develop my app for iPad users.

Since my app has a UITabBarController as its root view controller, I want to set this root view controller as a primary view controller in new UISplitViewController hierarchy, and its detail view controller to the secondary column.

Also, when the app's width size class is compact (iPad SplitView mode), I want it to be same as current app. So the root view controller (UITabBarController) should be on the compact column of the new UISplitViewController system like below.

class MySplitViewController: UISplitViewController {

  override init(style: UISplitViewController.Style) {
    super.init(style: style)
     
    let primaryVC = PrimaryViewController()
    let secondaryVC = SecondaryViewController()
    setViewController(primaryVC, for: .primary)
    setViewController(secondaryVC, for: .secondary)
    setViewController(primaryVC, for: .compact)
  }

}

With this code, in regular width mode, the primary and secondary column looks great as I expected. When I switch the app to the compact mode, it shows its primary view controller as I intended, too.

But, the problem is that when I return back to the full screen mode in which both the primary and secondary should be there like before I changed it to the compact mode, the primary view controller disappears visually as well as is deallocated.

Am I not allowed to use one view controller in primary and compact column at the same time?

Boost

Answer 1

Claude31 OP

Mar ’23

I read in setViewController documentation:

You can’t assign a UITabBarController to the primary or supplementary columns.

0

Answer 2

aprilc OP

Mar ’23

@Claude31 Yes, I know. Though it's discouraged, I'm trying to wrap it in a UIViewController to use as a primary column.

Other than that, can I use a view controller for both primary and compact column?

0