Autorotation only working in simulator not on device (IOS 7.1)

Question

I've tried various approaches posted on here to setup correctly AutoRotation in IOS7 using storyboards. What I have "should" work as it works perfectly well in the simulator but when I load the code onto a device (iPad or iPhone) it doesn't rotate.

[UPDATE: Code now DOES rotate on iPad but not Mini or iPhone???]

In the simulator (and IPAD):

• Navigate to controller: Loads the correct orientation
• Rotate the Controller: Only allows specified orientations

On the IPHONE/IPAD Mini:

• Navigate to Controller: Does NOT change orientation
• Rotate the Controller: Only allows specified orientations

I have NO idea what the difference is. If anybody has any suggestions it would be SUPER helpful because its kind of driving me crazy here.

The approach I followed is detailed below:

I followed the approach that was mentioned somewhere and I created a subclass of UINavigationController called RotationControlledViewController (code is below).

Then I made LandscapeViewController and PortraitViewController which subclass UIViewController . The View Controllers i want to be locked to a specific orientation inherit from these classes instead of UIViewController

(and yes - i did make sure my rotation lock was disabled on the device)

RotationViewController

//
//  RotationControlledViewController.m
//  ASGAARD
//
//  Created by Jeff Stein on 2/16/14.
//  Copyright (c) 2014 Jeff Stein. All rights reserved.
//

#import "RotationControlledViewController.h"

@interface RotationControlledViewController ()

@end

@implementation RotationControlledViewController

- (id)initWithNibName:(NSString *)nibNameOrNil bundle:(NSBundle *)nibBundleOrNil
{
    self = [super initWithNibName:nibNameOrNil bundle:nibBundleOrNil];
    if (self) {
        // Custom initialization
    }
    return self;
}

- (void)viewDidLoad
{
    [super viewDidLoad];
    // Do any additional setup after loading the view.
}

- (void)didReceiveMemoryWarning
{
    [super didReceiveMemoryWarning];
    // Dispose of any resources that can be recreated.
}

-(BOOL)shouldAutorotate
{
    BOOL ret =  [[self.viewControllers lastObject] shouldAutorotate];
//    NSLog(@"--Auto Roatate Reported %d", ret);
    return ret;
}


-(NSUInteger)supportedInterfaceOrientations
{
    NSUInteger ret = [[self.viewControllers lastObject] supportedInterfaceOrientations];

//    NSLog(@"--supportedInterfaceOrientations: %d", ret);


    return ret;
}

- (UIInterfaceOrientation)preferredInterfaceOrientationForPresentation
{
    UIInterfaceOrientation ret =  [[self.viewControllers lastObject] preferredInterfaceOrientationForPresentation];

//    NSLog(@"--preferredInterfaceOrientationForPresentation: %ld",ret);
    return ret;
}


@end

LandscapeViewController

//
//  LandscapeViewController.m
//  ASGAARD
//
//  Created by Jeff Stein on 2/16/14.
//  Copyright (c) 2014 Jeff Stein. All rights reserved.
//

#import "LandscapeViewController.h"
#import "objc/message.h"

@interface LandscapeViewController ()

@end

@implementation LandscapeViewController

- (id)initWithNibName:(NSString *)nibNameOrNil bundle:(NSBundle *)nibBundleOrNil
{
    self = [super initWithNibName:nibNameOrNil bundle:nibBundleOrNil];
    if (self) {
        // Custom initialization
    }
    return self;
}

- (void)viewDidLoad
{
    [super viewDidLoad];
    // Do any additional setup after loading the view.

    [[UIApplication sharedApplication] setStatusBarOrientation:UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeLeft animated:YES];
    objc_msgSend([UIDevice currentDevice], @selector(setOrientation:), UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeLeft);

    NSLog(@"Issuing a rotation message (hopefully");
}

-(void)viewDidAppear:(BOOL)animated {
    objc_msgSend([UIDevice currentDevice], @selector(setOrientation:), UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeLeft);

}

- (void)didReceiveMemoryWarning
{
    [super didReceiveMemoryWarning];
    // Dispose of any resources that can be recreated.
}

-(BOOL)shouldAutorotate
{
    return YES;
}

-(NSUInteger)supportedInterfaceOrientations
{
    return UIInterfaceOrientationMaskLandscape;
}

- (UIInterfaceOrientation)preferredInterfaceOrientationForPresentation
{
    return UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeLeft;
}

@end

PortraitViewController

//
//  PortraitViewController.m
//  ASGAARD
//
//  Created by Jeff Stein on 2/16/14.
//  Copyright (c) 2014 Jeff Stein. All rights reserved.
//

#import "PortraitViewController.h"
#import "objc/message.h"

@interface PortraitViewController ()

@end

@implementation PortraitViewController

- (id)initWithNibName:(NSString *)nibNameOrNil bundle:(NSBundle *)nibBundleOrNil
{
    self = [super initWithNibName:nibNameOrNil bundle:nibBundleOrNil];
    if (self) {
        // Custom initialization
    }
    return self;
}

- (void)viewDidLoad
{
    [super viewDidLoad];
    // Do any additional setup after loading the view.

//    [[UIApplication sharedApplication] setStatusBarOrientation:UIInterfaceOrientationPortrait animated:YES];

    objc_msgSend([UIDevice currentDevice], @selector(setOrientation:), UIInterfaceOrientationPortrait);

}

- (void)viewDidAppear:(BOOL)animated {

}


- (void)didReceiveMemoryWarning
{
    [super didReceiveMemoryWarning];
    // Dispose of any resources that can be recreated.
}

-(BOOL)shouldAutorotate
{
    return YES;
}

- (NSUInteger)supportedInterfaceOrientations
{
    return UIInterfaceOrientationMaskPortrait;
}

- (UIInterfaceOrientation)preferredInterfaceOrientationForPresentation
{
    return UIInterfaceOrientationPortrait;
}



@end

UPDATE -- Additional Anomalies:

On IPAD Mini where things aren't exactly working correctly I am in landscape and navigate to a view that "should" be portrait. It launches an alert that is aligned portrait but the view itself comes up landscape. See the comparison:

I notice that the screen shots come out in portrait (as does the alert). Which implies to me the mini "thinks" its in portrait mode but somehow its not updating the view controller correctly.

The IPAD obviously looks correct.

I made a sample project on GitHUB that demonstrates the issue:

https://github.com/jlss/RotationIssues

Answer 1

The situation you seem to be running into here is related to IOS7 onwards. From what I've seen the only way to do what you seek is to actually add a second navigation controller into your stack with a modal segue. Alternatively you could try to turn off AutoLayout. Neither of these options I think are what you want to hear.