Why do I see NSAutoresizingMaskLayoutConstraint when all UI Elements are set to setTranslatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = NO

Question

I am trying to debug a UI Layout and all the elements I have added in the code are labelled with [self.element setTranslatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints:NO]; The only thing that is set in XIB file is the background color of the view (one of many views in a tabbed viewController.

When I look at the NSLog I am seeing the following:

*<UIWindow:0xc352370> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   *<UILayoutContainerView:0xc3651b0>
|   |   *<UINavigationTransitionView:0xc355b40>
|   |   |   *<UIViewControllerWrapperView:0xbd3e250>
|   |   |   |   *<UILayoutContainerView:0xbd3da60>
|   |   |   |   |   *<UITransitionView:0xbd46ed0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIViewControllerWrapperView:0xc09a450>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIView:0xbd51f40>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<_UILayoutGuide:0xbd51fa0> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<_UILayoutGuide:0xbd50a10> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButton:0xc064170> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButtonLabel:0xc09d640>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UILabel:0xc073990> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButton:0xc0576a0> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButtonLabel:0xc095290>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButton:0xc096640> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UIButtonLabel:0xc096820>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButton:0xc098b70> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UIButtonLabel:0xc098cb0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButton:0xc09a4c0> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UIButtonLabel:0xc09a6d0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UILabel:0xc09c9d0> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UILabel:0xc09cc60> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButton:0xc09ce00> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UIButtonLabel:0xc09d010>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UILabel:0xc0a25f0> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButton:0xc0a2800> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UIButtonLabel:0xc0a2a10>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UILabel:0xc0a5720> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   <UITabBar:0xc356c00>
|   |   |   |   |   |   <_UITabBarBackgroundView:0xbe28cc0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <_UIBackdropView:0xbe29100>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   <_UIBackdropEffectView:0xbe296e0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UIView:0xbe29780>
|   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButton:0xbd42000>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarSwappableImageView:0xbd41050>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButtonLabel:0xbd43320>
|   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButton:0xbd462e0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarSwappableImageView:0xbd45d60>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButtonLabel:0xbd45c70>
|   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButton:0xbd47770>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarSwappableImageView:0xbd48a90>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButtonLabel:0xbd486c0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButton:0xbd4c0c0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarSwappableImageView:0xbd4c220>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButtonLabel:0xbd4aea0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   <UIImageView:0xbe29ed0>
|   |   <UINavigationBar:0xc06c4a0>
|   |   |   <_UINavigationBarBackground:0xc05e720>
|   |   |   |   <_UIBackdropView:0xc357d70>
|   |   |   |   |   <_UIBackdropEffectView:0xc3639a0>
|   |   |   |   |   <UIView:0xc355470>
|   |   |   |   <UIImageView:0xc071980>
|   |   |   <UINavigationItemView:0xc074c80>
|   |   |   |   <UILabel:0xc083730>
|   |   |   <_UINavigationBarBackIndicatorView:0xc36edb0>
po [
(lldb) po [0xbd51fa0 constraintsAffectingLayoutForAxis:0]
<__NSArrayM 0xbd39190>(

)

(lldb) po [0xbd50a10 constraintsAffectingLayoutForAxis:0]
<__NSArrayM 0x1121f8f0>(

)

(lldb) po [0xc064170 constraintsAffectingLayoutForAxis:0]
<__NSArrayM 0xc0a14e0>(
<NSLayoutConstraint:0xc093aa0 H:|-(NSSpace(20))-[UIButton:0xc064170]   (Names: '|':UIView:0xbd51f40 )>,
<NSLayoutConstraint:0xc093b30 UIButton:0xc064170.width == UIButton:0xc0576a0.width>,
<NSLayoutConstraint:0xc093be0 H:[UIButton:0xc064170]-(20)-[UILabel:0xc073990]>,
<NSLayoutConstraint:0xc093c10 UILabel:0xc073990.width == UIButton:0xc0576a0.width>,
<NSLayoutConstraint:0xc096530 H:[UILabel:0xc073990]-(20)-[UIButton:0xc0576a0]>,
<NSLayoutConstraint:0xc096590 H:[UIButton:0xc0576a0]-(NSSpace(20))-|   (Names: '|':UIView:0xbd51f40 )>,
<NSAutoresizingMaskLayoutConstraint:0xc0af130 h=--& v=--& H:[UIView:0xbd51f40(768)]>
)

(lldb) po [0xc09a4c0 constraintsAffectingLayoutForAxis:0]
<__NSArrayM 0xc36a0a0>(
<NSLayoutConstraint:0xc09c9a0 H:|-(<=0)-[UIButton:0xc09a4c0]   (Names: '|':UIView:0xbd51f40 )>,
<NSContentSizeLayoutConstraint:0xc0ad530 H:[UIButton:0xc09a4c0(110)] Hug:250 CompressionResistance:750>

As you can see from po commands, I am getting NSAutoresizingMasktLayoutContraints. I thought this shouldn't happen?

How can I ensure that I don't get this?

Answer 1

Ok.. I have figured out that the constraints did not appropriately address the relationship between each other. I have updated the code and now I can get clean constraints for all aspects, except for the main UIWindow, which I am sure is just because of the problem with the UILayoutGuide being ambiguous -

*<UIWindow:0xcc6d7f0> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   *<UILayoutContainerView:0xbd34720>
|   |   *<UINavigationTransitionView:0xbd4b140>
|   |   |   *<UIViewControllerWrapperView:0xcc48400>
|   |   |   |   *<UILayoutContainerView:0xbd5ad40>
|   |   |   |   |   *<UITransitionView:0xbd635c0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIViewControllerWrapperView:0xcca68b0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIView:0xcc9ddd0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<_UILayoutGuide:0xcc9de30> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<_UILayoutGuide:0xcc9e090> - AMBIGUOUS LAYOUT
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButton:0xcc9d910>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UIImageView:0xcc9dd20>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UILabel:0xcc9e860>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButton:0xcc9ebb0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UIImageView:0xcc9eda0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButton:0xcc9f020>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UIButtonLabel:0xcc9f470>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButton:0xcca0620>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UIButtonLabel:0xcca0830>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButton:0xcca15d0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButtonLabel:0xcca17e0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UILabel:0xcca2580>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UILabel:0xcca2710>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButton:0xcca28d0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButtonLabel:0xcca2ae0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UILabel:0xcca3880>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UILabel:0xcca3bd0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButton:0xcca3e30>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UIButtonLabel:0xcca4040>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UILabel:0xcca4de0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   *<UILabel:0xcca5000>
|   |   |   |   |   <UITabBar:0xcc69e40>
|   |   |   |   |   |   <_UITabBarBackgroundView:0xcccad10>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <_UIBackdropView:0xcccb150>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   <_UIBackdropEffectView:0xcccb730>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UIView:0xcccb7d0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButton:0xcc96bf0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarSwappableImageView:0xcc8d330>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButtonLabel:0xcc8d270>
|   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButton:0xcc98830>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarSwappableImageView:0xcc81840>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButtonLabel:0xcc983a0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButton:0xcc9a050>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarSwappableImageView:0xcc8e3e0>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButtonLabel:0xcc9a130>
|   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButton:0xcc9a560>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarSwappableImageView:0xcc9b140>
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   <UITabBarButtonLabel:0xcc9aa20>
|   |   |   |   |   |   <UIImageView:0xcccbf20>
|   |   <UINavigationBar:0xbd27340>
|   |   |   <_UINavigationBarBackground:0xbd2fc60>
|   |   |   |   <_UIBackdropView:0xbd43740>
|   |   |   |   |   <_UIBackdropEffectView:0xbd2c200>
|   |   |   |   |   <UIView:0xbd46100>
|   |   |   |   <UIImageView:0xbd2ffd0>
|   |   |   <UINavigationItemView:0xbd1e270>
|   |   |   |   <UILabel:0xbd283c0>
|   |   |   <_UINavigationBarBackIndicatorView:0xbd566e0>

The UILayoutGuide is not set anywhere in my code, so I am not quite sure what do with it.