how to make custom tabbar in iphone?

Hello,
Just like as every time, I'm here to share code regarding "Custom Tabbar" in iPhone/iPad Application.

Please take a look..

Step 1:  Place these two files in to your project... "CustomTabBar.h" and "CustomTabBar.m"

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>

@interface CustomTabBar : UITabBarController {
    UIButton *btn1;
    UIButton *btn2;
    UIButton *btn3;
    UIButton *btn4;
    UIButton *btn5;
}

@property (nonatomic, retain) UIButton *btn1;
@property (nonatomic, retain) UIButton *btn2;
@property (nonatomic, retain) UIButton *btn3;
@property (nonatomic, retain) UIButton *btn4;
@property (nonatomic, retain) UIButton *btn5;

-(void) hideTabBar;
-(void) addCustomElements;
-(void) selectTab:(int)tabID;

@end


#import "CustomTabBar.h"

@implementation CustomTabBar

@synthesize btn1, btn2, btn3, btn4, btn5;

- (void)viewDidAppear:(BOOL)animated
{
    [super viewWillAppear:animated];
    [self hideTabBar];
    [self addCustomElements];
}

-(void)hideTabBar
{
    for(UIView *view in self.view.subviews)
    {
        if([view isKindOfClass:[UITabBar class]])
        {
            view.hidden = YES;
            break;
        }
    }
}

-(void)hideNewTabBar
{
    self.btn1.hidden = 1;
    self.btn2.hidden = 1;
    self.btn3.hidden = 1;
    self.btn4.hidden = 1;
    self.btn5.hidden = 1;
}

- (void)showNewTabBar
{
    self.btn1.hidden = 0;
    self.btn2.hidden = 0;
    self.btn3.hidden = 0;
    self.btn4.hidden = 0;
    self.btn5.hidden = 0;
}

-(void)addCustomElements
{
    // Initialise our two images
    UIImage *btnImage = [UIImage imageNamed:@"NotificationsSelectedBg.png"];
    UIImage *btnImageSelected = [UIImage imageNamed:@"NavBar_01_s.png"];
   
    self.btn1 = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeCustom]; //Setup the button
    btn1.frame = CGRectMake(0, 430, 80, 50); // Set the frame (size and position) of the button)
    [btn1 setBackgroundImage:btnImage forState:UIControlStateNormal]; // Set the image for the normal state of the button
    [btn1 setBackgroundImage:btnImageSelected forState:UIControlStateSelected]; // Set the image for the selected state of the button
    [btn1 setTag:0]; // Assign the button a "tag" so when our "click" event is called we know which button was pressed.
    [btn1 setSelected:true]; // Set this button as selected (we will select the others to false as we only want Tab 1 to be selected initially
   
    // Now we repeat the process for the other buttons
    btnImage = [UIImage imageNamed:@"NotificationsSelectedBg.png"];
    btnImageSelected = [UIImage imageNamed:@"NavBar_02_s.png"];
    self.btn2 = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeCustom];
    btn2.frame = CGRectMake(80, 430, 80, 50);
    [btn2 setBackgroundImage:btnImage forState:UIControlStateNormal];
    [btn2 setBackgroundImage:btnImageSelected forState:UIControlStateSelected];
    [btn2 setTag:1];
   
    btnImage = [UIImage imageNamed:@"NotificationsSelectedBg.png"];
    btnImageSelected = [UIImage imageNamed:@"NavBar_03_s.png"];
    self.btn3 = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeCustom];
    btn3.frame = CGRectMake(160, 430, 80, 50);
    [btn3 setBackgroundImage:btnImage forState:UIControlStateNormal];
    [btn3 setBackgroundImage:btnImageSelected forState:UIControlStateSelected];
    [btn3 setTag:2];
   
    btnImage = [UIImage imageNamed:@"NotificationsSelectedBg.png"];
    btnImageSelected = [UIImage imageNamed:@"NavBar_04_s.png"];
    self.btn4 = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeCustom];
    btn4.frame = CGRectMake(240, 430, 80, 50);
    [btn4 setBackgroundImage:btnImage forState:UIControlStateNormal];
    [btn4 setBackgroundImage:btnImageSelected forState:UIControlStateSelected];
    [btn4 setTag:3];
   
    btnImage = [UIImage imageNamed:@"NotificationsSelectedBg.png"];
    btnImageSelected = [UIImage imageNamed:@"NavBar_04_s.png"];
    self.btn5 = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeCustom];
    btn5.frame = CGRectMake(320, 430, 80, 50);
    [btn5 setBackgroundImage:btnImage forState:UIControlStateNormal];
    [btn5 setBackgroundImage:btnImageSelected forState:UIControlStateSelected];
    [btn5 setTag:4];
   
   
    // Add my new buttons to the view
    [self.view addSubview:btn1];
    [self.view addSubview:btn2];
    [self.view addSubview:btn3];
    [self.view addSubview:btn4];
    [self.view addSubview:btn5];

   
    // Setup event handlers so that the buttonClicked method will respond to the touch up inside event.
    [btn1 addTarget:self action:@selector(buttonClicked:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
    [btn2 addTarget:self action:@selector(buttonClicked:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
    [btn3 addTarget:self action:@selector(buttonClicked:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
    [btn4 addTarget:self action:@selector(buttonClicked:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
    [btn5 addTarget:self action:@selector(buttonClicked:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
}

- (void)buttonClicked:(id)sender
{
    int tagNum = [sender tag];
    [self selectTab:tagNum];
}

- (void)selectTab:(int)tabID
{
    switch(tabID)
    {
        case 0:
            [btn1 setSelected:true];
            [btn2 setSelected:false];
            [btn3 setSelected:false];
            [btn4 setSelected:false];
            [btn5 setSelected:false];
            break;
        case 1:
            [btn1 setSelected:false];
            [btn2 setSelected:true];
            [btn3 setSelected:false];
            [btn4 setSelected:false];
            [btn5 setSelected:false];
            break;
        case 2:
            [btn1 setSelected:false];
            [btn2 setSelected:false];
            [btn3 setSelected:true];
            [btn4 setSelected:false];
            [btn5 setSelected:false];
            break;
        case 3:
            [btn1 setSelected:false];
            [btn2 setSelected:false];
            [btn3 setSelected:false];
            [btn4 setSelected:true];
            [btn5 setSelected:false];
            break;
        case 4:
            [btn1 setSelected:false];
            [btn2 setSelected:false];
            [btn3 setSelected:false];
            [btn4 setSelected:false];
            [btn5 setSelected:true];
            break;
    }   
    self.selectedIndex = tabID;
}

- (void)dealloc {
    [btn1 release];
    [btn2 release];
    [btn3 release];
    [btn4 release];
    [btn5 release];
    [super dealloc];
}

Step 2 :  If you user XIB base TabBarController then you need to set "CustomTabBar" as its class or otherwise you have to create TabBarController object of "CustomTabBar" class .

Now , you are able to use custom tabbar into user application. one more thing, You have to add the images which you want to assign at your tabbar controller items.

Thanks & Regards,
Nilesh Prajapati