How do I make this UITableView clear (transparent)

Question

How do I make this UITableView and it's cells clear in Swift 3.

I have gone through the previous threads but I am still getting a white background.

As you can see from my code I have tried the various methods mentioned:

override func viewDidLoad() {

    self.communitiesTableView.delegate = self
    self.communitiesTableView.dataSource = self

    let background = CAGradientLayer().bespokeColor()
    background.frame = self.view.bounds
  //      view.addSubview(background)
    super.viewDidLoad()

    // Do any additional setup after loading the view.
}

and in my cell table function:

  func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {


    let title = self.communities[indexPath.row]
    let cell = UITableViewCell()


    cell.textLabel?.text = title
    cell.textLabel?.font = UIFont(name: "Avenir", size: 12)
    cell.textLabel?.textColor = UIColor.red
    cell.textLabel?.backgroundColor = UIColor.clear


    cell.contentView.backgroundColor = UIColor.clear
    communitiesTableView.backgroundColor = UIColor.clear
    cell.layer.backgroundColor = UIColor.clear.cgColor

    return cell

}

This gif shows the problem - notice the black lines showing the table is present just not populated (as no-one is logged in)

But for a second it is clear, then turns white. Where am I going wrong?

This is from another post that I have found:

Apple document says

... In iOS 7, cells have a white background by default; in earlier versions of iOS, cells inherit the background color of the enclosing table view. If you want to change the background color of a cell, do so in the tableView:willDisplayCell:forRowAtIndexPath: method of your table view delegate.

You might need to use willDisplayCell UITableView delegate method to have a transparent background for your table view .

- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView willDisplayCell:(UITableViewCell *)cellforRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath

{
  [cell setBackgroundColor:[UIColor clearColor]];
}

How do I apply the code above as it says its for iOS 7?

Answer 1

Setting these wont be enough as you have not applied clear color to the contentView of the tableView and so it is coloring white in it. Try this in cellForRowAtIndexPath

cell.contentView.backgroundColor = UIColor .clearColor()

Answer 2

For this to work you have to implement a new tableview method:

func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, willDisplay cell: UITableViewCell,
               forRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) {
    cell.backgroundColor = UIColor.clear
}

Answer 3

You have to set both table and cell background clear.

Inside tableView function:

tableView.backgroundColor = .clear
cell.backgroundColor = .clear
tableView.tableFooterView = UIView()

Answer 4

Note: Below code been tested in Swift 3.

Method 1:

Select your tableViewCell from your storyboard and goto Attributes Inspector under View change Background to clear

Method 2: Try below code inside your cellForRowAt

  cell.layer.backgroundColor = UIColor.clear.cgColor

Note : If above method didn't works.try clear your project build by pressing shift + option + command + k

Update: Update your cellForRowAt from below code...

func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {

    let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "Cell", for: indexPath as IndexPath)
    cell.textLabel?.text = communities[indexPath.row]
    cell.textLabel?.font = UIFont(name: "Avenir", size: 12)
    cell.textLabel?.textColor = UIColor.red // set to any colour 
    cell.layer.backgroundColor = UIColor.clear.cgColor

    return cell
}

Answer 5

The two first answer doesn't work for me so I add a clear background everywhere and the white bg go away.

cell.layer.backgroundColor = UIColor.clear.cgColor
cell.backgroundColor = .clear
tableView.layer.backgroundColor = UIColor.clear.cgColor
tableView.backgroundColor = .clear

SWIFT 4.2

Answer 6

Maybe, you can check your table view's alpha.