short call for singleton - objective-c

Question

Update with working code. Problem was like #HotLinks state, that I did init instead of initWithBaseURL:url
I am using a Singleton in my App, based on this guide.
Now every time I use the singleton I do like this:
SingletonClass* sharedSingleton = [SingletonClass sharedInstance];
[sharedSingleton callAMethod];
// or
[[SingletonClass sharedInstance] callAMethod];
Is there a way to use a short syntax, especially if I have to use the Singleton several times? Something like:
[sc callAMethod];
I tried already this kind, but it did not work, as the init method was not called...
WebApi.h
#import "AFHTTPRequestOperationManager.h"
#import "SingletonClass.h"
#interface WebApi : AFHTTPRequestOperationManager
#property (nonatomic, strong) SingletonClass *sc;
+(WebApi*)sharedInstance;
-(void)sandbox;
#end
WebApi.m (updated with working code)
#import "WebApi.h"
#implementation WebApi
//-(WebApi*)init {
-(WebApi*)initWithBaseURL:url {
self = [super init];
if (self != nil) {
self.sc = [SingletonClass sharedInstance]; // is never called.
}
return self;
}
#pragma mark - Singleton methods
/**
* Singleton methods
*/
+(WebApi*)sharedInstance
{
static WebApi *sharedInstance = nil;
static dispatch_once_t oncePredicate;
dispatch_once(&oncePredicate, ^{
sharedInstance = [[self alloc] initWithBaseURL:[NSURL URLWithString:kApiHost]];
});
return sharedInstance;
}
-(void)sandbox {
DLog(#"test short singleton call: %#", [sc callAMethod];
}
#end
Debug Message
[WebApi sandbox] [Line 42] test short singleton call: (null)

Answer 1

I don't see how you can do this in any language. In Java, you would generally see
<Class>.getInstance().<blah>.
There's nothing stopping you from getting that instance inside a method where it will be used a lot, e.g.
WebApi *api = [WebApi sharedInstance];
then a whole lot of:
[api <method1>];
...
Does that get you there?
(Amusingly, a developer and I were discussing this issue yesterday because the example code Apple has for use of the accelerometer puts the motion manager in the app delegate and the syntax to get a hold of the manager is completely insane:
CMMotionManager *mManager = [(APLAppDelegate *)[[UIApplication sharedApplication] delegate] sharedManager];
As you can see, they are making a local var and then diddling that from there on in the controller class.

Answer 2

You could declare a global variable and set it in your +sharedInstance method, then make sure you call +sharedInstance once.
But, really, don't bother. Using [SomeClass sharedInstance] makes it easy to quantify all uses of shared instances in your code base, as well as all uses of SomeClass's class level API. Both are quite useful for anyone else that ends up maintaining your code.
Secondly, it doesn't really save that much typing. Not enough to justify requiring everyone to learn about a new global.
(What Rob said):
Finally, if you are calling instance methods on the shared instance repeatedly in a scope, just use a local variable:
ThingManager *thingManager = [ThingManager sharedInstance];
[thingManager foo];
[thingManager bar];
[thingManager baz];

Answer 3

You can do it this way:
In .h file
#interface WebApi : AFHTTPRequestOperationManager
#property (nonatomic, strong) SingletonClass *sc;
...
+(id) methodName;
...
#end
In .m file
+(id) methodName
{
return [[WebApi shareInstance] instanceMethod];
}
- (id) instanceMethod
{
return #"SMTH";
}