convert NSDictionary's key into an NSNumber - objective-c

Question

How can i convert the key to an NSNumber? this code gives me the error:
no matter how i try it, i always end up with the error: Incompatible integer to pointer conversion assigning to 'NSNumber' from 'NSIntegar' (aka 'int').
for (id key in consultants)
{
consultantData = [[ConsultantData alloc] init];
consultantData.name = [consultants objectForKey:key];
consultantData.conID = [[NSNumber numberWithInteger:key] integerValue];
NSLog(#"name: %# ID: %#", consultantData.name, consultantData.conID);
[consultantList addObject:consultantData];
[consultantData release];
}
here is my object ConsultantData:
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#interface ConsultantData : NSObject
{
NSString *name;
NSNumber *conID;
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) NSString *name;
#property (nonatomic, retain) NSNumber *conID;
#end
#import "ConsultantData.h"
#implementation ConsultantData
#synthesize name;
#synthesize conID;
-(void) dealloc
{
[name release];
[conID release];
[super dealloc];
}
#end
if i try isMemberOfClass, it never returns true. if i try isKindOfClass, it tells me its a NSString.
consultants is a dictionary i receive from my sever that passes thru an XMLRPC function (server is PHP). from what i've seen, everything is a string in the server dictionary returns.

Answer 1

could be that you have the order wrong.
consultantData.conID = [[NSNumber numberWithInteger:key] integerValue];
means
NSNumber *foo = [NSNumber numberWithInteger:key];
NSInteger bar = [foo integerValue];
consultantData.conID = bar;
you probably want
consultantData.conID = [NSNumber numberWithInteger:[key integerValue]];
which is in verbose form:
NSInteger foo = [key integerValue];
NSNumber *bar = [NSNumber numberWithInteger:foo];
consultantData.conID = bar;

Answer 2

consultantData.conID = [[NSNumber numberWithInteger:key] integerValue];
The above line should be:
consultantData.conID = [NSNumber numberWithInteger:[key integerValue]];

Answer 3

Assuming your key is an NSString, you can't pass the key to [NSNumber numberWithInteger:key] because it is not an integer! Use the intValue method on the key to get an integer, then convert the integer to a NSNumber like so:
consultantData.conID = [NSNumber numberWithInteger:[key intValue]];

Answer 4

integerValue returns an NSInteger, which is not an NSNumber. You should pass the NSNumber directly:
consultantData.conID = [NSNumber numberWithInteger:[key integerValue]];