I have a class 'Membership' for which i create 10 member objects in my VC
#property (nonatomic,strong) Membership *member1;
#property (nonatomic,strong) Membership *member2;
..
#property (nonatomic,strong) Membership *member10;
and these are held in an
NSArray *membersArray;
which is periodically saved to file. In places my code needs to deal with those objects generically. How to select them is the problem
for (int idx=0; idx<10; idx++ {
NSString *str = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"self.member%d.name",idx];
str = nameField.text;
}
// further code edited out due to comment request for clarification
doesn't show an error but obviously isn't going to work. str holds the name, but the object itself doesn't.
How is it done?
I could write a function for each member and send program flow through switch cases, and that may be OK if there were only 2 or 3 members but for 10 that's just ungainly
Don't declare separate properties for each Membership. Instead, make the membersArray a property, and then access individual ones with subscripts, remembering that array subscripts are 0-based--in other words, your current member1 can be accessed at self.membersArray[0].
Related
I am studying Objective-C. I asked a question about this code earlier but I came up with further questions. The below code is trying to make NSArray externally but really makes NSMutableArray internally so I can add pointers or remove in NSMutableArray
I face two questions.
1) What is the purpose of doing like this? Is there a specific reason you make NSArray externally? Why can't I just declare a property of NSMutableArray?
2)I learn that instance variable (_assets) is made when I declare a property of NSArray *assets. And I also declared NSMutableArray *_assets under the interface. I think those two _assets conflict each other even though they have different types. Am I thinking this in a wrong way?
#interface BNREmployee : BNRPerson
{
NSMutableArray *_assets;
}
#property (nonatomic) unsigned int employeeID;
#property (nonatomic) unsigned int officeAlarmCode;
#property (nonatomic) NSDate *hireDate;
#property (nonatomic, copy) NSArray *assets;
I'll try put your answers the way you have asked them. Let hope they clear your doubts. By now I guess you would be knowing that NSArray once initialised with data you wont be able to add or delete the data inside it which is different from NSMutableArray.
The benefit here no one else can change your externally visible data. Also when you try to sort or iterate the array you are sure that no other data would be removed or added. Also if you use NSMutableArray for such cases the application would crash if you add data while you iterate the array.
Like #KirkSpaziani Explained
#synthesize assets = _assets;
would create an instance variable for your property. However you are actually supposed to use this _assets only in getter and setter. Else places you should be using self.assets.
You can also synthesize your other array NSMutableArray *_assets as follows
#synthesize _assets = __assets;
Which would have double underscore, but frankly we shouldn't be using the underscore for a starting variable name. Plus would be great if you have different names altogether.
Also with advances in Objective C you dont require to synthesize these variables at all. Just use the self.variableName and you can access it.
Hope it clears some of your queries.
Put
{
NSMutableArray *_assets;
}
in the #implementation block
#implementation {
NSMutableArray *_assets;
}
Putting the NSMutableArray in the implementation block hides the fact that it is mutable from consumers (it is no longer in the header file).
Follow it with:
#synthesize assets = _assets;
This might not be necessary actually, but makes things clearer. When you declare a property an ivar will be automatically created (unless you #dynamic the property). However an explicitly declared ivar of the same name will override the automatically created one - so long as the type is the same or a subclass.
The reason to make it an NSArray publicly visible is so that no one else can mutate your data structure. You will have control of it. If it is an NSMutableArray internally then you can add and remove items without exposing that functionality to consumers.
You can declare your property to be readonly or readwrite - a readwrite NSArray means you can replace the whole array with a property set, but you can't add or remove items. If internally you are adding and removing items, this can make things messy. Try to stick with readonly when having a mutable internal version.
Here's something you can do if you want _assets to be a mutable array, but you don't want other classes to modify it, implement the setter and getter of the assets property so they look like this (implementing the getter and the setter will cause the property to not be synthesised, which means the NSArray *_assets will not be created automatically):
-(NSArray *)assets{
return [_assets copy]; // Copy creates an immutable copy
}
-(void)setAssets:(NSArray *)assets{
_assets = [NSMutableArray arrayWithArray:assets];
}
Keep in mind that if you access the assets array a LOT, it might be slow since you're creating an immutable copy every time, so you can create an NSArray whenever your _assets array is modified and return that in the -(NSArray *)assets method
The reason you'd internally keep an NSMutableArray, but expose an NSArray externally is so that users of your API won't abuse it and mutate its data. Keeping it visible as immutable makes people less prone to mess with it.
Another approach you could take to this is to not use a property at all, but simply have a getter and a mutable property in a class extension. For example, in your .h:
#interface BNREmployee : BNRPerson
- (NSArray *)assets;
#end
In your .m
#interface BNREmployee ()
// Inside of the class manipulate this property
#property (nonatomic, strong) NSMutableArray *mutableAssets;
#end
#implementation BNREmployee
// Clients of your class rely on this
- (NSArray *)assets
{
// copy makes the result immutable
return [self.mutableAssets copy];
}
#end
Another approach might be to make the property only writable to the implementation of you class.
To do that you declare your property as readonly in the header:
//BNREmployee.h
#property (nonatomic, readonly) NSMutableArray *assets;
Than declare it as readwrite inside an inner interface in your implementation:
//BNREmployee.m
#interface BNREmployee()
#property (nonatomic, readwrite) NSMutableArray *assets;
#end
#implementation
...
I'm trying to write an app that has two scenes in it. The first page is a UITableView that will contain a list of note entries. The second scene has 2 text fields (note summary and note description). I'm entering details on the second scene and then clicking a "Save" button which saves the data:
NoteListViewController.m
- (IBAction)saveAndGoBack:(id)sender {
NSLog(#"NoteDetailViewController.m: %#", NSStringFromSelector(_cmd));
NSString * desc = [[NSString alloc]init];
NSString * detail = [[NSString alloc]init];
desc = _noteTitle.text;
detail = _noteDesc.text;
[[NoteStore sharedStore]createNoteWithDesc:desc AndDetail:detail];
[self.navigationController popViewControllerAnimated:YES];
}
NoteStore is a static sharedStore that I am saving the data into.
NoteStore.m
-(Notes *)createNoteWithDesc:(NSString *)desc AndDetail:(NSString *)detail {
NSLog(#"NoteStore.m: %#", NSStringFromSelector(_cmd));
Notes * newNote = [[Notes alloc]initNoteWithDesc:desc AndDetail:detail];
[self.privateItems addObject:newNote];
return newNote;
}
So, the note is added to an NSMutableArray called "privateItems". I confirmed that the Note object gets added properly.
*****The problem happens when I try to retrieve the Note object (desc and detail) from the privateItems array later on using an accessor method which has a public property in the NoteStore.h file called allItems (it's an NSArray readonly, nonatomic and a copy):
NoteStore.m
-(NSArray *)allItems{
NSLog(#"NoteStore.m: %#", NSStringFromSelector(_cmd));
return [self.privateItems copy];
}
Everytime I try to retrieve it, the first property (desc) comes up as nil while the second property (detail) has the data I saved in the second text field of the second scene. Why is the first field constantly coming up as nil???
Just for clarity, a Note object is declared as follows
#interface Notes : NSObject
// What are the properties of a note?
#property (nonatomic, weak) NSString * noteDesc;
#property (nonatomic, weak) NSString * noteDetail;
#property (nonatomic, weak) NSString * test;
// Designated Initializer
-(instancetype)initNoteWithDesc:(NSString *)desc AndDetail:(NSString *)detail;
#end
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
When you call the designated initialiser you pass in two NSString objects. At this point they are owned by the method where they are created.
When they are assigned to the properties they only have a weak reference and therefor the retain count is not bumped up. Weak references are good for things like delegate objects. In this case you want your objects to stick around, so by declaring them as strong you're saying I want these properties to stick around in memory and take ownership of them.
I have an Array full of PhRecords. For simplicity sake, let us consider the structure of object is as follows:
#interface PhRecord : NSObject
#property (nonatomic, strong) NSArray *PhName; //Person's name
#property (nonatomic, strong) NSArray *PhNumbers; //Person will have 2/3 contact numbers
#property (nonatomic, strong) NSArray *PhTypes; //The types of the contact numbers
#end
There is a property in my class which goes through the phone book and collects the names and phone numbers in an array in the format specified above. Let's say the array is the following
#property (nonatomic, strong) NSArray *allContacts;
Also, I have method to get all contacts as PhRecords with the following method
- (NSArray *)getAllContacts;
I have a method where if I give the contact number, it will find the name and type of the contact.
//Assume that both string1 and string2 don't have (,),*,#,+ and "<white space>"
- (void)findContactByPhoneNumber:(NSString *)phNum {
NSString *string1 = phNum;
NSArray *contacts = [self getAllContacts];
for(SDPhoneRecord *record in contacts) {
for(int j=0;j<record.PhNumbers.count;j++) {
NSString *string2 = [[record.PhNumbers objectAtIndex:j];
if([string2 rangeOfString:string1].location!=NSNotFound) {
NSLog(#"Name:%#,Type:%#",record.PhName,[record.PhTypes objectAtIndex:j];
}
}
}
}
As you can see, this search has time complexity of O(n^2). Is it possible to do a O(1) lookup? If I have to use predicates, how can I use them with this kind of requirement where a "range" of string has to be compared with the string passed argument?
To improve the "big O" you need to eliminate loops, not simply hide them. This generally implies using some sort of "look at" mechanism, vs a "look up" mechanism -- a mechanism that uses, eg, a hash table to locate item. The main such mechanism in Objective-C is the NS(Mutable)Dictionary, which internally contains a hash table.
In some cases it's possible to employ properties of the data to improve search efficiency, but absent that the hash table is usually the best (and most general) approach.
Use the NSArray objectsPassingTest where the test is if the phone number attribute is equal to the provided string
I create a NSMutableArray that I need as long as my app lives, lets call it suseranArray, just after the #implementation of my main class. This Array will hold several objects of a class called Vassal. A Vassal is simply:
1) A NSMutableString
2) Another NSMutableString
3) A NSMutableArray
4) Another NSMutable Array
Each Vassal created is also needed for the life of the app, and they never change.
These objects are made as (retain) properties in an .h file, synthesized in the .m file, and each given an alloc+init whenever the object Vassal is created during the init function. Each vassal has data filled in and stored in the suzerain Array. the 3rd item always has several elements, and after a bug appeared, I put a line to check if it is ever empty, but it never is, and life is good.
Now, later on when a certain Vassal object is needed, we try to access its 3rd property to fetch the data in there, and sometimes that array empty... I checked to see if it disappeared somehow, but it is always there on the debug, carrying a nice address like 0x2319f8a0 which makes sense since the NSMutableString just above it is at address 0x2319fb40 - (I was expecting 00000000 after a lot of headache). What is happening? I my head, I am creating an RETAINed objects, which retains data put in by default, and that object is put inside another, but somehow the data inside the array vanishes. What possible scenario could lead to this? Thank you for your time :)
Note: the last array currently just holds one item at this stage of development, and curiously enough, that one item is never missing, despite the two arrays being 'brothers'
Vassal.h
#interface Vassal : NSObject
#property (retain) NSMutableString *wordBody;
#property (retain) NSMutableString *wordCode;
#property (retain) NSMutableArray *wordRelations;
#property (retain) NSMutableArray *wordLinks;
#end
Vassal.m
#implementation Vassal:NSObject
#synthesize wordBody;
#synthesize wordCode;
#synthesize wordRelations;
#synthesize wordLinks;
-(NSObject*) init
{
if(self=[super init])
{
wordBody=[[NSMutableString alloc] init];
wordCode=[[NSMutableString alloc] init];
wordRelations=[[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
wordLinks=[[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
}
return self;
}
//Somewhere in Suseran:
-(void)fillStuff
{
...
Vassal *vassal=[Vassal new];
for (int i=0;i<[originalDataString length];i++)
{
...
[vassal.wordRelations addObject:anItem];
...
}
int errorTest=[vassal.wordRelations count];
if (errorTest==0)
{
//breakpoint here. Program NEVER comes here
}
[bigArrayOfVassals addObject:vassal];
}
//these arrays are never touched again but here:
-(void) getVassalstuff:(NSMutableString*)codeOfDesiredVassal
{
Vassal *aVassal;
for (int i=0;i<[bigArrayOfVassals count];i++)
{
aVassal=bigArrayOfVassals[i];
if ([codeOfDesiredVassal isEqualToString:aVassal.wordCode)
{
int errorTest=[aVassal.wordRelations count];
if (errorTest==0)
{
//yay! this breakpoint sometimes is hit, sometimes not,
//depending on code's mood. Why is this happening to me? :,(
}
}
}
}
I see that that you have properties that are mutable (which is itself a bad idea except for specific cases) and that you are retaining them.
Mutability means that if you have set the array as a property based on some other array, and if that original array is changed, the array in your property is also changed. It may be, and I don't know because you haven't shown any code, that you are emptying the original array, and thus changing the array you have as a property
Solutions:
My preferred solution is to use the immutable versions of these classes for your properties; NSString, NSArray and instead of retain use copy
A second solution is to leave the properties as mutable, but write a custom setter for each of them that stores a mutableCopy of the object that you pass in.
In both of these cases, your property will be a copy of the object used to set the property, so that if the object is changed outside of your class it will not affect your class's properties.
edited to add, after a comment
If you declare your property as
#property (copy) NSArray wordRelations;
Then simply writing
vassal wordArray = tempArray;
will do the same thing and is cleaner and more readable..
Suppose I have
#interface A : NSObject
#property (nonatomic, strong) NSMutableArray *array;
#end
Later on in another class B, I want to access that array, to check how many items are in it. I can do one of two things in B (a is an instance of A):
Option 1
[a.array count]
Option 2
[[a array] count];
Which option is the best way to do this? Is option 2 the right way to access the array when using [a array] as the getter method?
both are the same if you have synthesized the array. in first one you just call the property and in 2nd one you are calling the getter method which was generated by #synthesize action.
and sure the 2nd option is the right way as #synthesize makes two methods
1- getter that is same as the property name
2- setter that is add set with property name at start with first letter captial like setArray.
There is no difference between the two if you have synthesized the array, as The Saad said. However, I recommend bracket syntax as to remain consistent in all your method calling as all other Objective-C methods (aside from functions from C) use bracket syntax to be called.
There's no difference until you decide to rename the generated getter/setter methods and the message is likely to become invalid.
For the public instance variables you can skip the accessor methods (both property and method styles) and use the structure dereference operator:
#interface A : NSObject
{
NSMutableArray *array;
}
#property (nonatomic, strong) NSMutableArray *array;
#end
classA.m
[self->array count];
classB.m
[a->array count];
Doing this, you waive the convenience of both operation and memory management optimizations which you have using properties (in both access styles) with the different attributes, see more.
As example for the NSString property
#property (readwrite, copy) NSString *sVar;
the generated setter looks like this:
-(void)setSVar:(NSString*)inSVar
{
if (self->sVar != inSVar)
{
[self->sVar release];
self->sVar = [inSVar copy];
}
}