Detect when a tab bar item is pressed

Question

I have a root view controller which isn’t set as the custom class for any of my view controllers on my storyboard. Instead, all of my view controllers are subclassing this c

Answer 1

Here is a version of @mbeaty's answer with a little more context. It is adapted from my fuller answer here.

import UIKit

class MyTabBarController: UITabBarController, UITabBarControllerDelegate {

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()

        // tell our UITabBarController subclass to handle its own delegate methods
        self.delegate = self
    }

    // called whenever a tab button is tapped
    func tabBarController(_ tabBarController: UITabBarController, didSelect viewController: UIViewController) {

        if let firstVC = viewController as? FirstViewController {
            firstVC.doSomeAction()
        }

        if viewController is FirstViewController {
            print("First tab")
        } else if viewController is SecondViewController {
            print("Second tab")
        }
    }

    // alternate method if you need the tab bar item
    override func tabBar(_ tabBar: UITabBar, didSelect item: UITabBarItem) {
        // ...
    }
}

Set this as the Custom class of your Tab View Controller in IB.

Alternate solution

• Just do something in the viewDidLoad method of the tab's view controller. See this answer.