Search in all objects of a NSArray of dictionaries - objective-c

Question

I have implemented the search method for a UITableView populate from a NSArray (mylist):
- (void)filterContentForSearchText:(NSString*)searchText scope:(NSString*)scope{
// reset array
[self.filteredListContent removeAllObjects];
// check the elements contained in the list
NSString *cellTitle;
for (cellTitle in myList){ //CHANGE HERE
NSComparisonResult result = [cellTitle compare:searchText options:NSCaseInsensitiveSearch range:NSMakeRange(0, [searchText length])];
if (result == NSOrderedSame){
[filteredListContent addObject:cellTitle];
}
}
}
Now i would the same method for search a char in objectForKey:#"name" of a List of NSDictionary:
myList [0]:
{
gender
id
name
picture }
myList [1]
{
gender
id
name
picture }
I would something like this:
- (void)filterContentForSearchText:(NSString*)searchText scope:(NSString*)scope{
[self.filteredFriendsList removeAllObjects];
NSString *cellTitle;
for (cellTitle in [[friendsList /* all objects */] objectForKey:#"name"]){
NSComparisonResult result = [cellTitle compare:searchText options:NSCaseInsensitiveSearch range:NSMakeRange(0, [searchText length])];
if (result == NSOrderedSame){
[filteredFriendsList addObject:cellTitle];
}
}
}
Someone has some ideas?
Thank you.

Answer 1

Try this one:
for (NSString *name in [friendsList valueForKey:#"name"])
{
if ([name isEqualToString:searchText]) [filteredFriendsList addObject:name];
}
The key here is the fact that valueForKey: method once invoked on an NSArray it calls valueForKey: on every of its objects.
Ps. If you want a case insensitive comparison you can do so like:
NSComparisonResult res = [searchTex caseInsensitiveCompare:name];
if (res == NSOrderedSame) [filteredFriendsList addObject:name];
EDIT: (To include solution for substring matching)
if ([name rangeOfString:searchText].location =! NSNotFound)
{
// 'name' contains 'searchText'
}

Answer 2

Why don't you just have the method do:
Friend *friend;
for (friend in friendsList) {
NSString *cellTitle = [friend objectForKey:#"name"];
/* do comparison */
}