Can't open Tab Bar Controller in IB

Question

I've only just started learning to build iPhone apps using xcode.

I'm slowly getting the basics, but I've come across a problem in Interface Builder.

When I create a new project using the Tab Bar Application template, I can't seem to do anything with the Tab Bar Controller in main.xib. When I double click the file, IB opens up fine, but there is no window to add/remove items to the view. If I drag a second Tab Bar Controller from the library, it opens up a window to edit the view, but does nothing else as it isn't connected. If I close the editor window and double click the new Tab Bar Controller icon in IB, it opens it back up but refuses to open up the original (connected) one when I double click that.

I'm more than happy to start completely from scratch with a basic Window application, but I can't find any resources to get me started with Tab Bar Controllers that don't simply use the xcode template!

I'd appreciate any help anyone can give.

Answer 1

Erm, after deleting and recreating the project a few times, opening different .xib files, clicking things, moving things, I think I have discovered that the window I couldn't open might have actually been open behind the library window and the inspector window which both always sit on top of the editing window.

I am suitably embarrassed but in my defense I'm a 20-year windows user and a 2 week mac user :)

Answer 2

You aren't crazy! I've been struggling with this problem all day. The first time it happened to me, the Tab Bar Controller window eventually opened behind the library window and I thought I had missed it that entire time. But when I had the problem later, the window was not hidden and nothing I did would bring it back. Eventually (many deleted and new projects later), I discovered that if you give the Tab Bar Controller icon a SLOW double click, that it would pop up.

Answer 3

I have the same problem. And it does NOT hide behind another window :P Slow double click doesn't seem to work either... :/

Answer 4

Okay, so here I am working on my second iPhone app, starting over with a new tab bar application, and I have the SAME EXACT PROBLEM! This is so frustrating! Last time the slow double clicked worked, but this time it didn't.

What I finally wound up doing was dragging a new Tab Bar Controller over to the main window, and configuring that (just use the same exact configurations from the Tab Bar Controller that is already there). It worked like a charm!

Answer 5

Hi! First excuse me if my english is not very good but I'm a French Iphone Developper since only 1 week. I think I found a solution, to this problem... When you double click on MainWindow.xib, Interface Builder open up and there is no window to add/delete items... Move the item "tabbarcontroller" before the item "window", then double click on "tabbarcontroller": you can see the window with the tab bar... I hope it works for you ! Bye

Answer 6

Moving the TabBarController above the Window in the MainWindow.xib solved the problem for me, as pat suggested. The weird thing is while the TabBarController window is displayed, if I move the TabBarController in the .xib back below the Window item, the TabBarController window disappears.

Answer 7

Moving it worked for me too. How weird is that?