How to mimic UIAlertView modal behavior with custom view? - ios6

Question

I have a view that pops up a UIAlertView if the name field for an item entry isn't populated when you attempt to save. I wanted to display my own custom alert view instead. I load it with a xib:
- (void)enterNameAlert {
NSArray *subviewArray = [[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"AddNameAlertView" owner:self options:nil];
enterNameAlertView = [subviewArray objectAtIndex:0];
enterNameAlertView.frame = CGRectMake(232, 417, 303, 171);
enterNameAlertView.alpha = 0.0;
[self.view addSubview:enterNameAlertView];
[self.view bringSubviewToFront:enterNameAlertView];
//fade view in
[UIView animateWithDuration:.50f delay:0.0f options:UIViewAnimationOptionCurveEaseOut animations:^(void) {
enterNameAlertView.alpha = 1.0;
} completion:NULL];
[UIView commitAnimations];
}
However, you can still click on all the other elements on the view while the alert is displayed. Ideally, I'd like to make the alertview modal. As a hack, I just set xxxx.enabled = NO to all the other elements while the alertview is up, and switch them back to xxxx.enabled = YES when you press OK on the alert.
There has to be a better way to cancel all touches to self.view but not to self.enterNameAlertView.
If I do self.view.userInteractionEnabled = NO it cancels all touches to self.view as well as self.enterNameAlertView.
Any ideas?

Answer 1

I think the solution for your problem is that you have to introduce one more view in between your custom alert view and orignal view, once the alert comes you need to bring that view on your self.view and hide (or remove) it when your alert is dismissed, i have already done this and it work like charm for me. Hope this helps you too :)

Answer 2

Got it. I used a UIScrollView with interaction enabled. That stops touches from outside the custom alertview from being passed to the main view underneath.
- (void)enterNameAlert {
//pop a UIScrollView behind the alert so that the user can't touch the controls behind it
shadowScrollView = [[UIScrollView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, 768, 1024)];
shadowScrollView.userInteractionEnabled = YES;
shadowScrollView.backgroundColor = [UIColor blackColor];
shadowScrollView.alpha = 0.0;
[self.view addSubview:shadowScrollView];
[self.view bringSubviewToFront:shadowScrollView];
//put the alertview in front of the disabled view to make it act like a modal view
NSArray *subviewArray = [[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:#"AddNameAlertView" owner:self options:nil];
enterNameAlertView = [subviewArray objectAtIndex:0];
enterNameAlertView.frame = CGRectMake(232, 417, 303, 171);
enterNameAlertView.alpha = 0.0;
[self.view addSubview:enterNameAlertView];
[self.view bringSubviewToFront:enterNameAlertView];
//animate view in
[UIView animateWithDuration:.50f delay:0.0f options:UIViewAnimationOptionCurveEaseOut animations:^(void) {
shadowScrollView.alpha = .6;
enterNameAlertView.alpha = 1.0;
} completion:NULL];
[UIView commitAnimations];
}