Doesn't [UIWindow addSubView:] retain?

Check it:

NSUserDefaults *defaults = [NSUserDefaults standa开发者_JAVA技巧rdUserDefaults];
NSLog(@"Checking login--user value is %@", [defaults valueForKey:@"userID"]);
if ([defaults valueForKey:@"userID"] == NULL){
    LoginViewController *loginController = [[LoginViewController alloc] initWithNibName:@"LoginView" bundle:nil];
    [window addSubview:loginController.view];
    [loginController release];
}
else {
    [window addSubview:[navigationController view]];
}

Every other place when I put a subview into another view, I release that view after I've done that, because it's now owned by the view it's a subview of. HERE, though, when I do [loginController release], every IBAction on that loginController gets called against a deallocated instance. Commenting out that line makes everything work.

I note the difference in approach between my loginController and the navigationController that came with the template; the navigationController is a synthesized property that gets released in -(void)dealloc{ }, so it's still around after being put into window.

-addSubview: only retains the view, not the controller.

You shouldn't manually add a controller's view to a view hierarchy as the controller won't be retained and even if retained won't receive the expected system calls (e.g. orientation changes, etc.).

Instead add the controller to a UIWindow using its rootViewController property.

If you still feel the need to add the controller's view somewhere, then maybe you shouldn't be using view controllers but simple custom views instead.