Getting userData from SKNode array in for loop - objective-c

Question

I am having some trouble getting the userData values from my object. I know the userData is being set for the objects because else where in my code I am able to access it without any problems.
I created a SKNode *column3 to hold all the buttons that are in that column. which was added to scene like so:
column3 = [SKNode node];
[self addChild:column3];
column3.name = #"column3";
when I create the buttons I assign them to the appropriate column like so:
[column3 addChild:newButton];
Later in my code I need to loop through the column3 node group and get the #"buttonRow" userData from each object in that group. For some reason it only gives me "NULL" for the values. The NSLog's are just what I was using to test, they have no real importance to me.
I need to get this userData in order to shift all my buttons down to take up any empty spaces on screen when any button is deleted/removed from that column. Game will shift buttons down and add new ones to top to fill column back up.
I tried changing column3.children to self.children and it game me all the column nodes IE/column1, column2, column3 etc.. so I am not really sure why it does not work. Been reading and trying to figure out for a while now.
for(SKNode * child in column3.children) { //loop through all children in Column3.
SKSpriteNode* sprite = (SKSpriteNode*)child;
NSString* name = sprite.name;
NSLog(#"child name %#", name);
NSString *childRowTmp = [child.userData objectForKey:#"buttonRow"];
NSLog(#"child row %#", childRowTmp);
int childRowNumber = [childRowTmp intValue];
NSLog(#"child row # %i", childRowNumber);
}
Any help or tips would be great, thank you.
UPDATE:
here is how I create the button using my button class file I created.
//Create Blue Button.
NSString *rand = [self genRandStringLength:10];
newButton = [[ButtonNode alloc] initWithButtonType:1 column:3 row:i uniqueID:rand];
newButton.name = rand;
[column3 addChild:newButton]; //add the button to correct column
[column3Array addObject:newButton];
blueTotal++;
totalButtons++;
column3Total++;
here is the custom class file where the Object is created.
-(id)initWithButtonType:(int)buttonType column:(int)buttonColumn row:(int)buttonRow uniqueID:(NSString *)uniqueID {
self = [super init];
uniqueStr = uniqueID;
rowNumber = buttonRow;
columnNumber = 3; //this is just hard coded for testing
buttonNumber = 1;
[self addButtonBlue];
}
here is the part of the class that creates and adds the button
- (void) addButtonBlue {
SKSpriteNode *button;
//button type 1
button = [SKSpriteNode spriteNodeWithColor:[UIColor blueColor] size:kBoxSize];
button.name = uniqueStr;
button.physicsBody.categoryBitMask = blueCategory;
button.physicsBody.contactTestBitMask = blueCategory;
button.physicsBody.collisionBitMask = blueCategory | redCategory | yellowCategory | greenCategory | orangeCategory;
NSString *tmpColumn = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%i",columnNumber];
NSString *tmpType = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%i",buttonNumber];
NSString *tmpRow = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%i",rowNumber];
button.userData = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];
[button.userData setValue:uniqueStr forKey:#"buttonID"];
[button.userData setValue:tmpType forKeyPath:#"buttonType"];
[button.userData setValue:tmpColumn forKeyPath:#"buttonColumn"];
[button.userData setValue:tmpRow forKey:#"buttonRow"];
button.position = CGPointMake(xPos , yPos );
[self addChild:button];
}

Answer 1

I am having the same issue, see below the code which generates a green or red sprite. Attempting to give it the colour value within the SKSpriteNode.userData. In my log output the userData is (null)!
+(SKSpriteNode *)randomSprite {
SKSpriteNode *sprite = [SKSpriteNode spriteNodeWithImageNamed:#"green.png"];
[sprite setUserData:[NSMutableDictionary dictionary]];
if ((arc4random() %(2)-1) == 0){
sprite = [SKSpriteNode spriteNodeWithImageNamed:#"green.png"];
[sprite.userData setValue:#"GREEN" forKey:#"COLOR"];
}else {
sprite = [SKSpriteNode spriteNodeWithImageNamed:#"red.png"];
[sprite.userData setValue:#"RED" forKey:#"COLOR"];
}
NSLog(#"user data = %#",sprite.userData);
sprite.physicsBody = [SKPhysicsBody bodyWithCircleOfRadius:sprite.size.width/2];
sprite.physicsBody.dynamic = YES;
return sprite;
}
For a workaround I guess we could create a reference dictionary where the SKSpriteNode instances are the keys and a NSDictionary of data are the values.
//----- * UPDATE ** -------
And theres no wonder, after the userData was initialised, another sprite was being initialised in its place, leaving the userData nil!
+(SKSpriteNode *)randomSprite {
SKSpriteNode *sprite;
if ((arc4random() %(2)-1) == 0){
sprite = [SKSpriteNode spriteNodeWithImageNamed:#"green.png"];
[sprite setUserData:[NSMutableDictionary dictionary]];
[sprite.userData setValue:#"GREEN" forKey:#"COLOR"];
}else {
sprite = [SKSpriteNode spriteNodeWithImageNamed:#"red.png"];
[sprite setUserData:[NSMutableDictionary dictionary]];
[sprite.userData setValue:#"RED" forKey:#"COLOR"];
}
NSLog(#"user data = %#",sprite.userData);
sprite.physicsBody = [SKPhysicsBody bodyWithCircleOfRadius:sprite.size.width/2];
sprite.physicsBody.dynamic = YES;
return sprite;
}