NSMutableArray *shapes = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
for (NSDictionary *object in array) {
NSString *type = [object objectForKey:#"Type"];
ShapeFactory *shape = [[[ShapeFactory alloc] init] shapeWithType:type dictionary:object];
[shapes addObject:shape];
}
self.shapes = shapes;
I want to know if i can declare the variable *shape outside the loop and still work
Shapes should be declared outside the loop.
Shape is declared inside the loop, since you want to iterate every object.
So what you did is fine.
First of: Yes, as Roee84 said, this is valid syntax and you can do that. However, the fact that you have (deducing from the method name) a factory class pattern here and the type of the created shape seems to be defined by a special argument, I wonder why you're using ShapeFactory. Why not simply use id?
The array won't care about the object and it's probably better to not pretend the objects are of the same type as the factory class object.
That being said, your code is correct. Of course, you can also declare shape (the * is usually considered part of the type, btw) outside of the loop. You don't even need to declare a local mutable array (assuming your property is also a mutable array). I'll use id in this example just to illustrate what I said above:
self.shapes = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
id shape; // only declaration! note no * as id is basically NSObject *
for (NSDictionary *object in array) {
NSString *type = [object objectForKey:#"Type"];
shape = [[[ShapeFactory alloc] init] shapeWithType:type dictionary:object];
[self.shapes addObject:shape];
}
If your property is not a mutable array, you can't do self.shapes = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init], etc., of course, but then I'd suggest being completely safe with the last line and write self.shapes = [NSArray arrayWithArray:shapes]. This may seem a bit paranoid, but that way you're not just casting the mutable object to an immutable one, you actually have an immutable one (I'm writing libraries often and sometimes I have to expect users trying to be... frisky with stuff... ^^). Then it can't be mutated behind your back.
Related
I wanted to know which is the right way to allocate an NSMutableArray.
NSMutableArray *a;
Where a is a class level variable.
First method is:
self.a = [NSMutableArray alloc] init];
Second method is:
a = [NSMutableArray alloc] init];
Which method is better? Can anyone please help me out in this?
If a is a class variable, then correct way to allocate NSMutableArray will be creating a temporary array and assigning it to class variable, followed by releasing the temporary variable.
You can do this way:
NSMutableArray *temp = [[NSMutableArray alloc]init];
self.a = temp;
[temp release];
It depends on the property type. (Though it's in most cases a retain)
You should either use a temp value or create it in one string and send an autorelease message:
self.a = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init] autorelease];
You must send an autorelease becuase a property increases retain count by one. This is the same as doing:
[self setA:array];//where array - is newly created array
Where:
- (void)setA:(NSMutableArray *)array {
if (array != a) {
[a release];
a = [array retain];//here you increased a retain count by 1
}
}
You can also use an autorelease method of creation:
self.a = [NSMutableArray array];
There are several ways. But below way is good enough per me whether you are working with ARC/Non-ARC. Just make sure you have created property.
self.a = [NSMutableArray array];//It will return autorelease object.
The difference between the methods:
1) When you use self.a ,
You use the setter & getter methods created in the #synthesize.
2) When you use just a,
You bypass the accessor methods and directly modify the instance variable. (a in here).
There are two ways to look at it.
Many programmers say that you should never call the accessors from within the implementation of the object as this adds unnecessary overhead.
Some others say that you should always use the accessors, and never access the instance variable directly.
It is generally safe to use an object directly, if you are reading its value only. If you are modifying the object, you should use the accessors in order to make sure that any other objects observing that property are properly notified.
The latest objective C syntax allows you to create mutable and non-mutable arrays very quickly.
The following two examples demonstrate this:
NSArray *objectsToAdd = [#"Ted", #"Ned" , #"Sed"];
NSMutableArray *objectsToAdd = [ #[#"Ted", #"Ned" , #"Sed"] mutableCopy ];
NSMutableArray *a = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
I'm trying to save data to and XML file on Iphone. For that, I load the wholeXML, add new data and the save it again. The problem arises when i try to store the new data, my
[mArray addObject:newData];
methods crashes, as mArray is not a NSMutableArray, instead, it is a NSCFArray even if I applied a mutableCopy method to it.
As I understand, a NSCFArray is a toll-free bridging to an NSArray, so I can't understand why the mutablyCopy method is not working.
Any idea??
NSMutableDictionary *wholeXML = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc] init];
wholeXML = xmlData;
NSArray *array = [[NSArray alloc] init];
NSMutableArray *mArray = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
array = [wholeXML objectForKey:#"Key"];
mArray = [a mutableCopy];
NSCFArray is a private subclass that gets instantiated when you do things with NSArray factory methods or initializers. You're doing too many initializations. Try this simplified version:
NSMutableDictionary *wholeXML = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc] initWithDictionary:xmlData];
NSMutableArray *mArray = [[NSMutableArray alloc] initWithArray:[wholeXML valueForKey:#"Key"]];
NSCFArray is the concrete class for both NSMutableArray and NSArray. It sounds like you are simply mistaken about what kind of array you have. Since the code you posted is obviously not your real code (it won't even compile, and wouldn't exhibit the problem even if it did), it's impossible to tell at what point your program is assigning an immutable array to the variable. But that's what it sounds like is happening.
I will say (and please don't take this as a personal criticism — it's just an observation) that the code you posted suggests you don't have a strong grasp on how classes and object identity work. That's probably the root cause here.
All three of your variables you initialize with [[Something alloc] init], but then you immediately throw away the object and replace it with something else. This means the original object (NSMutableArray in this case) just gets leaked and the variable now contains the new object you have assigned. If that new object isn't an NSMutableArray, it won't magically be turned into one just because that's what the variable held before.
Let's say I've got an array with strings.
NSArray *names = [NSArray arrayWithObjects: #"One", #"Two", #"Three", nil];
What I want is to initiate objects of some custom class and them add them to a mutable array. I'm using a custom init method that takes a string argument.
To be more specific, I want to [SomeClass alloc] initWithName: aName] and add the resulting object to a NSMutableArray.
I'm thinking of using Objective-C fast enumeration. So what I get is:
NSMutableArray *objects = [NSMutableArray arrayWithCapacity: [names count];
for (NSString *name in names) {
[objects addObject: [[[SomeClass alloc] initWithName: name] autorelease]];
}
The problem is that I can't add nil to the array and I don't like exception handling. However, my initiation method may return nil. So I decide to check first before adding (prevention). My new for-in-loop is:
SomeClass *someObject;
for (NSString *name in names) {
someObject = [[[SomeClass alloc] initWithName: name] autorelease];
if (someObject) {
[objects addObject: someObject];
}
}
Now, instead of immediately passing the new object to the array, I'm setting up a pointer someObject first and then passing the pointer to the array instead.
This example raises a question to me. When I someObject = [[[SomeClass alloc] initWithName: name] autorelease] in the loop, do the existing objects (which are added using the same pointer) in the array change too?
To put it in other words: does the addObject: (id)someObject method make a new internal copy of the pointer I pass or do I have to create a copy of the pointer — I don't know how — and pass the copy myself?
Thanks a lot! :-)
It's fine to reuse someObject; if you think about it, you're already reusing name each time you go through the loop.
-addObject: may or may not copy the object that you pass in. (It doesn't -- it retains the object rather than copying it, but it's conceivable that some NSMutableArray subclass could copy instead.) The important thing is that this code really shouldn't care about what -addObject: does.
Also, don't lose sight of the distinction between a pointer and the object that it points to. Pointers are just references, and a pointer is copied each time you pass it into a method or function. (Like C, Objective-C passes parameters by value, so passing a pointer into a method results in putting the value of the pointer on the stack.) The object itself isn't copied, however.
Short answer: no, you don't have to worry about reusing someObject.
Slightly longer answer: the assignment—someObject = ... assigns a new pointer value to the someObject variable; addObject: is then getting that value, not the address of someObject itself.
I think you're getting confused in the concept of pointer here. When you say someObject = [[[SomeClass alloc] init... you are basically pointing the someObject pointer to a new object. So to answer your question- your current code is fine.
As for whether arrays maintain copies of the objects added to them - NO, the array retains the object you add to it. However, that doesn't matter to your code above.
Three20 provides the answer!
I want to use NSMutableDictionary to cache some data i will use later. My custom object is following:
#interface MyData : NSObject {
NSRange range;
NSMutableArray *values;
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) NSMutableArray *values;
and implement:
- (id)init {
if (self = [super init]) {
values = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
}
return self;
}
and when i wanna cache it, i use it like this:
NSMutableDictionary *cache = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc] init];
NSString *key = #"KEY";
MyData *data = [[MyData alloc] init];
// save some data into data
[data.values addObject:"DATA1"];
[data.values addObject:"DATA2"];
//... ...
[cache setObject:data forKey:key];
My questions is the count of cache.values is zero when i retrieve this object later as follow:
[cache objectForKey:#"KEY"];
i can retrieve "data" and the object's memory address is the same as the address when i put it into cache.
what's wrong? i need some kind guys help, any info is helpful. thanks
As Carl Norum pointed out, you're passing C strings to addObject:. addObject:, as its name suggests, requires a pointer to a Cocoa object; a C string is a pointer to characters. You need to pass NSString objects there; for literal strings, this simply requires prefixing them with #: "Fred" is a constant C string, whereas #"Fred" is a constant NSString object.
Is cache an instance variable? It looks like it's not; it appears to be a local variable, which means you're creating a new dictionary object every time. That's why there's nothing you've added previously (to previous dictionaries) in the new one. It also means you're leaking those previous dictionaries, since you're not releasing them (not in the code you showed, anyway).
Make cache an instance variable and only create the dictionary when you don't already have one (i.e., when cache == nil). Creating the dictionary in your init method is one good way. And make sure you manage its lifetime appropriately, so you don't leak and/or crash.
First of all your objects your adding don't look right it should have an # before the string. Like #"DATA1"
Second when you add an object to a dictionary or an array it does not make an actual copy of it. It just creates a pointer to it so if those objects are destroyed or moved somewhere also they are also gone out of your dictionary. A better way to make a cache of your values would be to copy the objects like so:
MyData* cache = [[MyData alloc] init];
for (int i = 0; i < [data.values count]; i ++){{
[cache.values addObject:[NSString stringWithString:[data.values objectAtIndex:i]]];
}
Don't use a dictionary in this situation.
umm So simple question here:
I have an instance of NSMutableArray declared in my header
NSMutableArray *day19;
#property (nonatomic, retain) NSMutableArray *day19
implementation:
#synthesize day19;
In my viewDidLoad
self.day19 = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
In the myMethod where I want to add objects to the array I:
NSObject *newObject = [[NSObject alloc] init];
[day19 addObject:newObject];
However... when i check the day19 array there is nothing in it. If I conversely add the newObject to a tempArray within the myMethod scope and then set the day19 array to the tempArray, day19 has the objects.
Super basic I know just must be a confused morning or something...
thanks for any help
Is day19 actually an instance variable? In the snippet, it's not clear when it's declared as an instance variable or just as a variable outside the scope of the class.
A couple of things:
Are you sure viewDidLoad is the right place to init your array? Confer here.
Also, at least from the code you've got posted, it looks like you're being sloppy with your retains. If your property is a retain type, you should not be writing:
self.myProperty = [[Something alloc] init]; // double retain here, bad
You should instead be writing something like:
self.myProperty = [[[Something alloc] init] autorelease]; // single, good
Also, with
NSObject *newObject = [[NSObject alloc] init];
[day19 addObject:newObject];
unless you have a
[newObject release];
down the pike, you've got a memory leak.
In my viewDidLoad
self.day19 = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
In the myMethod where I want to add objects to the array I:
NSObject *newObject = [[NSObject alloc] init];
[day19 addObject:newObject];
However... when i check the day19 array there is nothing in it. If I conversely add the newObject to a tempArray within the myMethod scope and then set the day19 array to the tempArray, day19 has the objects.
Let me guess: You checked the array with code like this:
NSLog(#"day19 contains %lu objects", [day19 count]);
Remember that a message to nil does nothing and returns nil, 0, or 0.0. That's why the output said 0 objects: You don't have an array in the first place. The most probable reason for that is that viewDidLoad hasn't been called yet, so you have not yet created the mutable array.
It's also possible that you have an array (i.e., the view has been loaded) at the time you examine the array, but you didn't have an array yet (the view hadn't been loaded yet) at the time you tried to add to the array, so your addObject: message fell on deaf ears.
Consider creating the array earlier. You probably should be creating it in init or initWithCoder:.
A third possibility is that you examined the array before you ever added to it. Make sure you log or break at both points, so you know which one happened first.
Whatever the problem is, you also need to either assign the array to the instance variable, not the property, or autorelease the array before assigning it to the property. Otherwise, you're over-retaining the array, which means you will probably leak it later on. You probably need to review the Memory Management Programming Guide for Cocoa.