When dismissing a modal view controller using dismissViewController, there is the option to provide a completion block. Is there a similar equivalent for popViewController?

The completion argument is quite handy. For instance, I can use it to hold off removing a row from a tableview until the modal is off screen, letting the user see the row animation. When returning from a pushed view controller, I would like the same opportunity.

I have tried placing popViewController in an UIView animation block, where I do have access to a completion block. However, this produces some unwanted side effects on the view being popped to.

If there is no such method available, what are some workarounds?


I know an answer has been accepted over two years ago, however this answer is incomplete.

There is no way to do what you're wanting out-of-the-box

This is technically correct because the UINavigationController API doesn't offer any options for this. However by using the CoreAnimation framework it's possible to add a completion block to the underlying animation:

[CATransaction begin];
[CATransaction setCompletionBlock:^{
    // handle completion here
}];

[self.navigationController popViewControllerAnimated:YES];

[CATransaction commit];

The completion block will be called as soon as the animation used by popViewControllerAnimated: ends. This functionality has been available since iOS 4.


Swift 5 version - works like a charm. Based on this answer

extension UINavigationController {
    func pushViewController(viewController: UIViewController, animated: Bool, completion: @escaping () -> Void) {
        pushViewController(viewController, animated: animated)

        if animated, let coordinator = transitionCoordinator {
            coordinator.animate(alongsideTransition: nil) { _ in
                completion()
            }
        } else {
            completion()
        }
    }

    func popViewController(animated: Bool, completion: @escaping () -> Void) {
        popViewController(animated: animated)

        if animated, let coordinator = transitionCoordinator {
            coordinator.animate(alongsideTransition: nil) { _ in
                completion()
            }
        } else {
            completion()
        }
    }
}

I made a Swift version with extensions with @JorisKluivers answer.

This will call a completion closure after the animation is done for both push and pop.

extension UINavigationController {
    func popViewControllerWithHandler(completion: ()->()) {
        CATransaction.begin()
        CATransaction.setCompletionBlock(completion)
        self.popViewControllerAnimated(true)
        CATransaction.commit()
    }
    func pushViewController(viewController: UIViewController, completion: ()->()) {
        CATransaction.begin()
        CATransaction.setCompletionBlock(completion)
        self.pushViewController(viewController, animated: true)
        CATransaction.commit()
    }
}