Reuse a uiview xib in storyboard

Reuse and render a xib in a storyboard.

Tested with Swift 2.2 & Xcode 7.3.1

1 ---- Create a new UIView named 'DesignableXibView'

• File > New > File > Source > Cocoa Touch Class > UIView

2 ---- Create a matching xib file named 'DesignableXibView'

• File > New > File > User Interface > View

3 ---- Set the file owner of the of the xib

1. select the xib
2. select file's owner
3. set custom class to 'DesignableXibView' in the Identity Inspector.

• Note: Do not set the custom class of the view on the xib. Only the File Owner!

4 ---- DesignableXibView's Implementation

//  DesignableXibView.swift

import UIKit

@IBDesignable

class DesignableXibView: UIView {

    var contentView : UIView?

    override init(frame: CGRect) {
        super.init(frame: frame)
        xibSetup()
    }

    required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
        super.init(coder: aDecoder)
        xibSetup()
    }

    func xibSetup() {
        contentView = loadViewFromNib()

        // use bounds not frame or it'll be offset
        contentView!.frame = bounds

        // Make the view stretch with containing view
        contentView!.autoresizingMask = [UIViewAutoresizing.FlexibleWidth, UIViewAutoresizing.FlexibleHeight]

        // Adding custom subview on top of our view (over any custom drawing > see note below)
        addSubview(contentView!)
    }

    func loadViewFromNib() -> UIView! {

        let bundle = NSBundle(forClass: self.dynamicType)
        let nib = UINib(nibName: String(self.dynamicType), bundle: bundle)
        let view = nib.instantiateWithOwner(self, options: nil)[0] as! UIView

        return view
    }

}

5 ---- Test your reuseable view in a storyboard

1. Open your storyboard
2. Add a view
3. Set that view's Custom Class
4. wait a sec ... BOOM!!

NEW! updated answer with ability to render directly in the storyboard (and swift!)

Works in Xcode 6.3.1

Create a new UIView named 'ReuseableView'

• File > New > File > Source > Cocoa Touch Class > UIView

Create a matching xib file named 'ReuseableView'

• File > New > File > User Interface > View

Set the file owner of the of the xib

1. select the xib
2. select file's owner

3. set custom class to 'ReusableView' in the Identity Inspector.

   • Note: Do not set the custom class of the view on the xib. Only the File Owner!

Make an outlet from the view in the ReuseableView.xib to your ReuseableView.h interface

1. Open Assistant Editor
2. Control + Drag from the view to your interface

Add initWithCoder implementation to load view and add as a subview.

- (id)initWithCoder:(NSCoder *)aDecoder{
    self = [super initWithCoder:aDecoder];
    if (self) {

        // 1. load the interface
        [[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:NSStringFromClass([self class]) owner:self options:nil];
        // 2. add as subview
        [self addSubview:self.view];
        // 3. allow for autolayout
        self.view.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = NO;
        // 4. add constraints to span entire view
        [self addConstraints:[NSLayoutConstraint constraintsWithVisualFormat:@"H:|[view]|" options:0 metrics:nil views:@{@"view":self.view}]];
        [self addConstraints:[NSLayoutConstraint constraintsWithVisualFormat:@"V:|[view]|" options:0 metrics:nil views:@{@"view":self.view}]];

    }
    return self;
}

Test your reuseable view in a storyboard

1. Open your storyboard
2. Add a view
3. Set that view's Custom Class

Run and observe!