best time to alter GUIs

FROM : Daniel Child
DATE : Fri Feb 29 06:04:50 2008

I am trying to understand the interrelationship between various 
method calls made once a window controller is instantiated. I am 
loading a window controller from within a master controller. Data 
passed from the master controller to the window controller is used to 
programmatically alter the way the window appears The initial master 
code is as follows:

if (!fieldIDController)
{
  fieldIDController = [[Step3_FieldIDController alloc] init];
}
[fieldIDController setLocalDataCopy: [self dataValues]];
[fieldIDController showWindow: self];

Now here's the problem. It makes sense to check whether the 
controller exists before adding local data and loading the window, 
hence the if (!fieldIDController). But once init is called for 
fieldIDController, all the following take place:

- the init (which calls super = initWindowWithNibName:)
- windowWillLoad (I tried the delegate)
- awakeFromNib
- windowDidLoad

In other words, the window loads right away. I actually don't want it 
to load until I have set the local data, as it is the local data that 
will determine how the window should appear. Is there a way to sneak 
the data in in before all the loading takes place?

Thanks.