Can performSegueWithIdentifier be used with the AppDelegate?

Question

I am working on an app that at launch checks for valid login credentials, and if they are found and not expired the main split view controller is displayed, and if not a login screen should be displayed.

Each part is working fine separately, but I am struggling with the best way at launch time to select the proper view to display.

I have tried setting up a modal segue from the root view controller, and in my application:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions: function in the App Delegate, calling this:

// Segue to the login view controller...
if (loginNeeded) {
    [self.window.rootViewController performSegueWithIdentifier:@"LoginScreen" sender:self];
}

This logically should work, but triggering segues from within the app delegate seems to be impossible.

What is the ideal place and technique for handling this?

Why are you even going threw the delegate? Why not do it first thing on `ViewdidLoad` — Allison, May 27 '12 at 14:37

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 10:31

You could try a custom segue, as per this post hiding-a-segue-on-login-process.

Alternatively if you're desperate to have the login display before the split view controller loads try something along the following lines...

Create your login screen on the main storyboard as, say, a subclass of UIViewController. Make sure it is the initial scene (check Is Initial View Controller).

On the storyboard, create a new segue from your login class to the original SplitViewController. Give it an identifier, 'Load SplitViewController' and a segue custom class name which we'll call FullyReplaceSegue.

In your login class .m file, add code to be called once the user has logged in:

[self performSegueWithIdentifier:@"Load SplitViewController" sender:self];

Create the new segue class, based on UIStoryboardSegue and name it FullyReplaceSegue as per above.

.h file

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
@interface  : UIStoryboardSegue

@end

.m file

#import "FullyReplaceSegue.h"

@implementation FullyReplaceSegue

- (void)perform
{
    UIViewController *dest = (UIViewController *) super.destinationViewController;
    UIWindow *window = [UIApplication sharedApplication].keyWindow;
    window.rootViewController = dest;

    if ([[UIDevice currentDevice] userInterfaceIdiom] == UIUserInterfaceIdiomPad) {
        UISplitViewController *splitViewController = (UISplitViewController *)dest;  // assumes we're transitioning to a UISplitViewController!
        UINavigationController *navigationController = [splitViewController.viewControllers lastObject];
        splitViewController.delegate = (id)navigationController.topViewController;
    }
}

@end

I didn't end up trying this, but these seems like an exceedingly clever solution. — radven, Jul 17 '12 at 01:06

Scott Marchant · Answer 2 · 2015-02-06T16:51:31.267

Here's how I did it.

In didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:

//save the root view controller
[[self window] makeKeyAndVisible];
UINavigationController *navigationController = (UINavigationController*) self.window.rootViewController;
rootController = [[navigationController viewControllers] objectAtIndex:0];

Somewhere else in the app delegate:

[rootController performSegueWithIdentifier:@"fileSegueID" sender:self];

Then, in the storyboard, create a segue from the view that gets assigned as "rootController", to the desired optional view, and give that new segue the id fileSegueID. It takes some debugging to make sure the rootController variable gets assigned to the correct view.

Thanks! `[[self window] makeKeyAndVisible];` is what I was missing. — Ryan Epp, Feb 21 '16 at 18:42

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 11 '12 at 18:05

Maybe a little late, but I was looking for the same suggestions. Here's what I wound up doing.

UIStoryboard *storyboard = [UIStoryboard storyboardWithName:@"Signup" bundle:nil];
    if(isLoggedIn) {
    UINavigationController *navigationController = (UINavigationController*) self.window.rootViewController;
    IndexController *ivc = [storyboard instantiateViewControllerWithIdentifier:@"IndexController"];
    [navigationController pushViewController:ivc animated:NO];
}

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered May 10 '12 at 18:40

1

Why don't you load the screen that would be visible assuming proper and non-expired log-in credentials (by setting it as the root view controller of the window), and then in viewDidLoad of that first view controller, check if an update to the login credentials are needed. If so, segue into the login view controller.

answered May 10 '12 at 18:40

jmstone617

5,707
2
24
26

Apple requires that the Split View Controller be the root, so there really isn't a place to tap into viewDidLoad unless I subclass. There seems like there should be a simpler way. – radven May 10 '12 at 18:45
So make the split the root and check in viewDidLoad of one your view controllers. The idea is the same. – jmstone617 May 10 '12 at 19:00
I've tried that now - and segues in viewDidLoad aren't working. I've asked a different but related question with some more details here: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10541852/correctly-present-conditional-login-screen-at-app-startup-with-storyboards-and-s – radven May 10 '12 at 20:56
I am having exactly the same problem, radven - quite right. – Fattie Mar 30 '14 at 09:55
You need to perform your segue in viewDidAppear. – jmstone617 Mar 31 '14 at 13:28

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 01 '14 at 22:43

Yes, it can be used, if you get a reference to the segue's parent view controller. You can get it like this:

UINavigationController *navigationController = (UINavigationController*) self.window.rootViewController;

[[[navigationController viewControllers] objectAtIndex:0] performSegueWithIdentifier:@"LoginScreen" sender:self];

This will only work if the index in viewControllers array matches the one of your view controller and if it exists of course. In this case is the first one (in the array and storyboard).

The segue ("LoginScreen") must not be attached to an action. The way you do this is by control-dragging from the file owner icon at the bottom of the storyboard scene to the destination scene. A popup will appear that will ask for an option in “Manual Segue”; pick “Push” as the type. Tap on the little square and make sure you’re in the Attributes Inspector. Give it an identifier which you will use to refer to it in code.

Can performSegueWithIdentifier be used with the AppDelegate?

5 Answers5