subclass method not being called

I created a subclass that I want to use as a separate data model apart from the main viewController code. It contains some custom instance variables for the data - just NSIntegers - and a custom instance method to assign values to the variables. In my .h and .m subclass files I am also creating properties of the variables so that I can easily reference them.

I added this subclassed object as an instance variable to my viewController.
I then made it a property of the viewController and synthesized it as (nonatomic, retain).

Then in the viewDidLoad method of the viewController I call the instance method on the subclass to assign values to its variables.

My problem is that this method does not get run. I know this because I have 2 NSLog messages inside the method and they are not printing in the console.
Also I am referencing one of the subclass variables in a viewController method and its value remains initialized at 0.

The build succeeds with no errors and the app runs, but this one method is being ignored.

Here is what the code looks like...

the subclass .h and .m files

Code:

@interface payoutData : NSObject {
	NSInteger ivar; 	
}
- (void) assignPayouts;

@property (nonatomic) NSInteger ivar;
@end

@implementation payoutData

@synthesize ivar;

- (void) assignPayouts {
		ivar = 5;
       NSLog(@"This message does not get printed\n");		
}	
@end

the viewController .h and .m code

Code:

@interface My_ViewController : UIViewController {
	
payoutData *paydata;
	
@property (nonatomic, retain) payoutData *paydata;
@end

@implementation My_SlotsViewController
@synthesize  paydata;

- (void)viewDidLoad {

    [paydata  assignPayouts];
    NSLog(@"the program makes it here because this message gets printed");
}

It seems that it could not be any simpler, so why isn't the subclass's method being run?

 

The output of %p is 0x0. I guess meaning no address assignment?

I'm a bit confused then about how to use this subclass.
I have other objects declared as instance variables to viewController, but they never are explicitly allocated, unless that happens when the nib is loaded since they are view objects.

I added an allocation command in viewDidLoad just before the subclass method call..

Code:

paydata = [[payoutData alloc]init];
[paydata  assignPayouts];

That works. Could I then just eliminate the assignPayouts method and use the init method to assign my variables?

Another side of this question is whether I need to use ivars at all ?
Basically I just want to isolate a bunch of constant values from the viewController code so that I can use them in other places. I just want them in a single location so that I only have to change them once.
I could just as well define them all as constants in a .h file and never actually instantiate the object. Is that a viable technique?

 

Thanks for the help.

I think constants in a header is the best way in this case.

But at least I got a better handle on using a subclass.