When you want to use custom sheets, Apple’s Documentation suggests that you create another xib file for the sheets(Using Custom Sheets).
But in fact, you don’t have to use a separate xib.
1. Create a controller class which handles both parent window and sheet window.
SheetTestController.h
@interface SheetTestController : NSObject {
IBOutlet NSWindow *mainWindow; //paent window
IBOutlet NSWindow *sheetWindow; //sheet window
}
- (IBAction)showSheet:(id)sender; // open sheet on parent window
- (IBAction)closeSheet:(id)sender;// close sheet
@end
SheetController.m
@implementation SheetTestController
- (IBAction)showSheet:(id)sender
{
[NSApp beginSheet: sheetWindow
modalForWindow: mainWindow
modalDelegate: self
didEndSelector: @selector(didEndSheet:returnCode:contextInfo:)
contextInfo: nil];
}
- (IBAction)closeSheet:(id)sender
{
[NSApp endSheet:sheetWindow];
}
- (void)didEndSheet:(NSWindow *)sheet returnCode:(int)returnCode contextInfo:(void *)contextInfo
{
[sheet orderOut:self];
}
@end
2. Add “Show Sheet” button to parent window.
3. Add a sheet window, and put “close sheet” button on the window.
make sure that “Visible At Launch” is unchecked.
4. Add a SheetTestController object to the xib.
5. Connection settings of SheetTestController should be like this.
This is a little easier than “separate xib” way, but has disadvantages noted below.
- increses memory usage because the sheet window always takes up some memory instead of instanciated only when necessary.
- It’s difficult to use the sheet window from other xib files.
