Auto layout on subview inside subview (NSView)

Question

I'm having hard time trying to properly set the auto layout for a subview inside another subview.

I'm using an example where two toolbar items show two different subviews (which works as expected), and those two share a third subview that's the one that does not fit well.

The code to add the subview is very simple:

[subView removeFromSuperview];
[itemXSubView addSubview:subView];
[self.window setContentView:itemXView];

First I remove the third and shared subview ( subView ) in case it was already added, then add it to the item[1-2]SubView and set the content of the window with the subview item[1-2]View , [1-2] depending on the toolbar button selected. Everything else is done with auto layout conditions.

The result is that the third and shared subview is always misplaced and/or cut, as in the example below. Resizing the window and changing from the first or the second view usually aggravates the issue.

Example of third subview items cut

---

Test updates

Tried to delegate the main window and override two resize functions (as per @the4kman suggestions), but they did never get called. The init is the only being called:

@interface viewController: NSView <NSWindowDelegate>
@end

@implementation viewController

-(id)init
{
   if((self=[super init])) { }
   return self;
}

- (void)resizeSubviewsWithOldSize:(NSSize)oldSize;
{
   [super resizeSubviewsWithOldSize:oldSize];
}

- (void)resizeWithOldSuperviewSize:(NSSize)oldSize;
{
   [super resizeWithOldSuperviewSize:oldSize];
}

- (void)layout
{
   [super layout];
}

Another suggestion that got called, but sadly with no actual improvement. Delegated the window to viewController and set the main view (self.view) to the nested subView. Tried also combining with [itemXSubView setNeedsLayout:true] ;:

@interface viewController: NSViewController <NSWindowDelegate>
@end


@implementation viewController

-(void)viewWillLayout
{
   [super viewDidLayout];
   [self.view setNeedsLayout:true];
}

@end

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

itemXSubView resizes its subviews but it doesn't fit them. You have to fit subView inside item1SubView before addSubview .

- (IBAction)item1Action:(id)sender {
    NSLog(@"Item 1 action triggered");

    [subView removeFromSuperview];
    subView.frame = item1SubView.bounds;
    [item1SubView addSubview:subView];
    [self.window setContentView:item1View];
}