CCLabelAtlas setString doesn't update label

Question

Hello! I have a CCLabelAtlas that I have on a layer to display the current score within my game...the problem that I am having with it is that it does not update when I use [scoreLabel setString:]. Here's how I have it laid out:

In the header:

@interface GameScene : CCLayer {
...

CCLabelAtlas* scoreLabel;
}

And in the init:

scoreLabel = [[CCLabelAtlas alloc] initWithString:@"0" charMapFile:@"scoreCharMap.png" itemWidth:6 itemHeight:8 startCharMap:'.'];
[scoreLabel setPosition:ccp(105, 414)];
[self addChild:scoreLabel z: 6];

scoreCharMap.png is a custom map that includes ./0123456789 of my desired font. When the score is changed, I attempt to do this to get the label to update with the current score:

NSString* str = [[NSString alloc] initWithFormat:@"%d", [[GameRunner sharedInstance] currentScore]];
[scoreLabel setString: str];
[str release];
[scoreLabel draw];

Problem is that it doesn't ever update - it just sits there and displays 0. I know for a fact due to breakpoints and debugging that setString is being called, and that the string that it should be displaying is correct - but it just doesn't update. Hard-coding the value and saying [scoreLabel setString:@"1234"] does nothing, either. What am I doing wrong here? I am using Cocos2d 0.99 - thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Maybe this is something wrong with the font you are using? Try using one of the font maps that came with Cocos2D and see if it works for you.

Answer 2

The method -[CCLabelAtlas setString:] does a few things.

Can you verify that following goes right: (place a breakpoint and step through the function)

• resizeCapacity doesn't fail to resize
• updateAtlasvalues retreives a UTF8 character array pointer. Inspect that to see if that's the correct string, and while you're there, inspect n in the same method, which should be your string length

See code for setString below:

- (void) setString:(NSString*) newString {
    if( newString.length > textureAtlas_.totalQuads )
        [textureAtlas_ resizeCapacity: newString.length];

    [string_ release];
    string_ = [newString retain];
    [self updateAtlasValues];

    CGSize s;
    s.width = [string_ length] * itemWidth;
    s.height = itemHeight;
    [self setContentSize:s];
}

Let me know what the results are, if you still need any help.