Objective-C property that is readonly publicly, but has a private setter - objective-c

I'd like to use the #property syntax to declare a synthesized property that is publicly readonly but has a setter that can be called privately from within the class.
Since it's Objective-C, this basically means that the setFoo: method would be synthesized, but calling it outside of the class itself would result in a warning (unrecognized selector). To trigger the warning I have to declare the property readonly; is there any way to force a synthesized setter that is only available within the class?

I think what you're looking for are called class extensions. You would declare the property read-only in the header:
#interface MyClass : NSObject {
}
#property (readonly, assign) NSInteger myInteger;
#end
Then redeclare in your class extension in the implementation file:
#interface MyClass ()
#property (readwrite, assign) NSInteger myInteger;
#end
#implementation MyClass
#end
For more check out Apple's documentation

I might be late, but without extension i did using the following technique
#interface MyClass : NSObject {
NSString * name;
}
#property (readonly, strong) NSString * name;
#end
on the other hand in implementation file
#implementation MyClass
#synthesize name;
- (id)initWithItems:(NSDictionary *)items {
self = [super init];
if(self)
{
name = #"abc";
}
return self;
}
#end
doing so it will set your value and will be accessible as readonly.
Thanks.

Related

Readonly, non-mutable, public and readwrite, mutable, private #property: more information?

I want to expose an NSArray to my user (and I want them to only read it), but in my class, I want to use an NSMutableArray.
I tried the following code and it does not raise any warning:
// In the .h
#interface MyClass : NSObject <NSApplicationDelegate>
#property (nonatomic, readonly) NSArray * test ;
#end
and
// In the .m
#interface MyClass ()
#property (nonatomic, strong, readwrite) NSMutableArray * test ;
#end
#implementation MyClass
- (id)init
{
self = [super init];
if (self)
{
self.test = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init] ;
}
return self;
}
#end
But, if I try to access the #property test from within my class, I can use the method addObject:. So, I guess what precedes is not possible.
Why is there no warning as it is?
I don't think that mixing property type would be a good practice. Instead I would create an accessor that returns a copy of the private mutable array. This is more conventional. Please note, don't use self for property access in your -init: method:
// In the .h
#interface MyClass : NSObject <NSApplicationDelegate>
- (NSArray *)test;
#end
// In the .m
#interface MyClass ()
#property (nonatomic, strong) NSMutableArray *aTest;
#end
#implementation MyClass
- (id)init
{
self = [super init];
if (self)
{
_aTest = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init] ;
}
return self;
}
- (NSArray *)test
{
return [self.aTest copy];
}
#end
The #property is just syntax sugar which automatically creates getter/setter methods for you. With the readonly in the .h file only the getter method will be created for the public but by overriding it in the .m file you get both methods in your implementation.
readwrite is the default (see here) so even if leave out readwrite put still have the #property in you implementation file you will get a setter method. It is good practice to explicitly write readwrite then in your .m file so you and other will get a hint that this variable might only be declared read only in the .h file.

property public and private but not protected?

I'm learning the objective C language and i ask a simple question,
when i do that :
// ParentClass.h
#interface ParentClass : NSObject
#property (read, strong) NSString *parentPublicStr;
#end
// ParentClass.m
#interface ParentClass ()
#property (readwrite, strong) NSString *parentPrivateStr;
#end
#implementation ParentClass
#synthesize parentPublicStr;
#synthesize parentPrivateStr;
#end
// Subclass SubClass.h
#interface SubClass : ParentClass
- (void) test;
#end
#implementation SubClass
- (void) test
{
// Its not possible to do that : [self setParentPrivateStr:#"myStrin"]
// And for parentPublicStr, it is public property so not protected, because i can change the value
// in main.c, and it's so bad..
}
#end
I would like create a property that is protected :x
Thx you. (Sorry for my english)
Objective-C does not provide for protected methods/properties. See this question.
Edit: Also see this answer. You can still practice encapsulation by declaring the property in a class extension and including the extension in subclasses.
You can manually create an ivar for the property as long as you use the same name prefixed with an underscore:
#interface ParentClass : NSObject
{
#protected
NSString* _parentPublicStr;
}
#property (read, strong) NSString *parentPublicStr;
#end
That makes the synthesized ivar for the property #protected (default is #private) and subclasses can then use the super class' ivar directly.

Subclass of class with synthesized readonly property cannot access instance variable in Objective-C

In the superclass MyClass:
#interface MyClass : NSObject
#property (nonatomic, strong, readonly) NSString *pString;
#end
#implementation MyClass
#synthesize pString = _pString;
#end
In the subclass MySubclass
#interface MySubclass : MyClass
#end
#implementation MySubclass
- (id)init {
if (self = [super init]) {
_pString = #"Some string";
}
return self;
}
The problem is that the compiler doesn't think that _pString is a member of MySubclass, but I have no problem accessing it in MyClass.
What am I missing?
The instance variable _pString produced by #synthesize is private to MyClass. You need to make it protected in order for MySubclass to be able to access it.
Add an ivar declaration for _pString in the #protected section of MyClass, like this:
#interface MyClass : NSObject {
#protected
NSString *_pString;
}
#property (nonatomic, strong, readonly) NSString *pString;
#end
Now synthesize the accessors as usual, and your variable will become accessible to your subclass.
I am familiar with this problem. You synthesize the variable in your .m class, so it is not imported along with the header since the _pString variable will be created as part of the implementation, and not the interface. The solution is to declare _pString in your header interface and then synthesize it anyway (it will use the existing variable instead of creating a private one).
#interface MyClass : NSObject
{
NSString *_pString; //Don't worry, it will not be public
}
#property (nonatomic, strong, readonly) NSString *pString;
#end
The given answer works perfectly fine. This is an alternative answer, that apparently Apple likes a bit more.
You can define a private extension of your class, a MyClass+Protected.h file, which needs to be included in MyClass.m and MySubclass.m.
Then, in this new file, you redefine the property as readwrite.
#interface MyClass ()
#property (strong, readwrite) NSString * pString;
#end
This alternative allows you to use the accessor self.pString rather than the ivar _pString.
Note: you still need to keep the definition of pString in your MyClass.h as is.

NSObject subclass as a property

I want to use my class as a property in my project. The idea is that i have a class which contains all list ellements. The basic idea i show below in graph:
So i have a myContainerClass object, and i want to do in some other class:
#property (strong,nonatomic) MyContainerClass *obj;
and here i have error! I figure out that i can only use Foundations type as a #property. But Why? What is replacement for doing that (passing an object)?
No, you can use any class you like as a property
#property (nonatomic, strong) MyContainerClass* obj;
is perfectly legal provided that the compiler knows that MyContainerClass is a class. To do that in the header file, the best way is to use an #class forward declaration:
#class MyContainerClass;
#interface SomeOtherClass : NSObject
// method an property declarations
#property (nonatomic, strong) MyContainerClass* obj;
#end
And then include the header file in the implementation:
#import "MyContainerClass.h"
#implementation SomeOtherClass
#synthesize obj;
// other stuff
#end
What is the error you are getting? May be you are not importing MyContainerClass to where you want to use it.
#import "MyContainerClass.h"
Declare a category for an object that you want to add your property to:
#interface NSObject (MyContainerClassAdditions)
#property (nonatomic, strong) MyContainerClass *myContainerClass
#end
Then implement the setter and getter methods using objective c associated object trick:
#import <objc/runtime.h>
#implementation NSObject (MyContainerClassAdditions)
- (void)setMyContainerClass:(MyContainerClass *)myContainerClass {
objc_setAssociatedObject(self, "myContainerClass", myContainerClass, OBJC_ASSOCIATION_ASSIGN);
}
- (MyContainerClass *)myContainerClass {
return objc_getAssociatedObject(self, "myContainerClass");
}
#end

Synthesize property to a Base class' ivar

I have a hierarchy of model objects which I will be displaying on different type of UITableViewCell subclasses. All decision is made on the fly as to which model object should be used and corresponding UITableViewCell subclass' object is spawned and then set the model object to the UITableViewCell's subclass object so that it can fetch values from it.
My UITableViewCell hierarchy is something like this:
The base class Cell hierarchy:
#interface BaseCell : UITableViewCell
{
Base *baseObj_;
}
#end
The subclass of cell hierarchy:
#interface DerivedCell : BaseCell
{
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) Derived *derivedObject;
#end
#implementation DerivedCell
#synthesize derivedObject = baseObj_;
#end
The base class of Model object:
#interface Base : NSObject
{
NSString *title_;
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) NSString *title;
#end
The subclass of model hierarchy
#interface Derived : Base
{
NSString *detailedText_;
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) NSString *detailedText;
#end
When I do so, I am having errors in this line:
#synthesize derivedObject = baseObj_;
Which reads:
Property 'derivedObject' attempting to use ivar 'baseObj_' declared in super class BaseCell.
Type of property 'derivedObject' (Derived*) does not match type of ivar 'baseObj_' ('Base * __strong')
I want to use properties and synthesize them so that I can leverage the uses of properties (like using dot notation etc.). I have for now used accessors and setters which solves the problem:
#interface DerivedCell : BaseCell
{
}
-(Derived*)derivedObject;
-(void)setDerivedObject:(Derived*)newDerivedObject;
#end
But I was just wondering if I could somehow fix these errors to use the properties only.
Thanks,
Raj
Try the below code I have modified your code a bit as shown below
Since you can assign class Base object to class Derived in #synthesize, it can be achieved by this way, I know you have tried it already, I have tried it with the below code and able to access the variables with dot, try the below code and let me know if it is not working
#interface DerivedCell : BaseCell
{
Derived *derivedObject;
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) Derived *derivedObject;
#end
#implementation DerivedCell
#dynamic derivedObject;
- (void)setDerivedObject:(Base *)baseObj {
if (self.derivedObject == nil) {
derivedObject = [[Derived alloc] init];
}
derivedObject.detailedText = baseObj.title;
}
- (Derived *)derivedObject {
return derivedObject;
}
#interface Derived : Base
{
NSString *detailedText_;
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) NSString *detailedText;
#end
#implementation Derived
#synthesize detailedText = detailedText_;
#end
#interface BaseCell : UITableViewCell
{
Base *baseObj_;
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) Base *baseObj;
#end
#implementation BaseCell
#synthesize baseObj = baseObj_;
#end
#interface Base : NSObject
{
NSString *title_;
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) NSString *title;
#end
#implementation Base
#synthesize title = title_;
#end
Base *b = [[Base alloc] init];
b.title = #"Hello Raj";
BaseCell *bc = [[BaseCell alloc] init];
bc.baseObj = b;
DerivedCell *dc = [[DerivedCell alloc] init];
dc.derivedObject = b;
NSLog(#"Derive dc %#", dc.derivedObject.detailedText);
Another Solution which I have provided has an issue when I checked it
#interface BaseCell : UITableViewCell
{
NSString *baseTitle_;
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) NSString *baseTitle;
#end
#implementation BaseCell
#synthesize baseTitle = baseTitle_;
#end
#interface DerivedCell : BaseCell
{
NSString *derivedTitle_;
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) NSString *derivedTitle;
#implementation DerivedCell
#synthesize derivedTitle = baseTitle;
#end
When I created instance for the class and as shown below
DerivedCell *dCell = [[DerivedCell alloc] init];
dCell.baseTitle = #"Hello";
NSLog(#"%#",dCell.baseTitle);//Output was Hello
NSLog(#"%#",dCell.derivedTitle);//Output was (null)
It didn't assign the value to derivedTitle, If it is working for you please let me know
Another solution with memory referncing
#interface BaseCell : UITableViewCell
{
NSMutableString *baseTitle_;
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) NSMutableString *baseTitle;
#end
#implementation BaseCell
#synthesize baseTitle = baseTitle_;
#end
#interface DerivedCell : BaseCell
{
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) NSMutableString *derivedTitle;
#end
#implementation DerivedCell
#synthesize derivedTitle;
- (id) init
{
if ( self = [super init] )
{
baseTitle_ = [[NSMutableString alloc] init];
derivedTitle = baseTitle_;
}
return self;
}
#end
DerivedCell *dCell = [[DerivedCell alloc] init];
[dCell.baseTitle appendString:#"Hello"];
NSLog(#"baseTitle : %#",dCell.baseTitle);
NSLog(#"derivedTitle :%#",dCell.derivedTitle);
Console Output baseTitle : Hello derivedTitle :Hello
One pattern I've used for situations like this is to re-declare the property in a category on the derived class. The one structural change this approach requires from the code you posted is that it requires a same-named property (or equivalent getter/setter methods) to be defined in the base class. Consider the following snippet:
#interface BaseModel : NSObject
#end
#interface DerivedModel : BaseModel
#end
#interface BaseCell : UITableViewCell
{
BaseModel *baseObj_;
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) BaseModel *modelObject;
#end
#interface DerivedCell : BaseCell
#end
#interface DerivedCell (DowntypedPropertyCategory)
#property (nonatomic, retain) DerivedModel *modelObject;
#end
#implementation BaseModel
#end
#implementation DerivedModel
#end
#implementation BaseCell
#synthesize modelObject = baseObj_;
#end
#implementation DerivedCell
#end
In this pattern, the base class declares the iVar and the base-typed property, and synthesizes the implementation. The derived class declares the downcast-typed property in a category. Being in a category, the compiler won't force you to implement methods for that property. This gets you out of trying to synthesize against a superclass's iVar, instead relying on implementations that exist in the superclass, but declaring them to be of a different type. At runtime, the runtime will just end up calling the superclass methods (since Obj-C method dispatch is based on selector only, and does not have multiple dispatch.) As a result, clients of these properties can do stuff like this without any compile time warnings or errors:
#interface UnrelatedObject : NSObject
#end
#implementation UnrelatedObject
- (void)unrelatedMethod: (DerivedCell*)dc
{
DerivedModel* dm = dc.modelObject;
NSLog(#"dm: %#", dm);
}
#end
Again, the catch/minor difference is that in order for this to work, the base class must define a property of the same name (or equivalent getter/setter methods). That said, the property/methods in the base class could be declared (or in the case of methods, NOT even delayed) and defined in the base class's implementation file only, and thus would not be visible to other files merely including the header.
One other note: by using this approach you're missing out on compile time checks for things like mismatch between the property specifiers ([nonatomic|atomic], [readonly|readwrite], [assign|retain|copy]). I've found this pattern incredibly useful, but there are some potential pitfalls to keep an eye out for.
I hope I understand the question correctly, how about typing the model as id?
#interface BaseCell : UITableViewCell
#property(retain, nonatomic) id model;
#end
#implementation BaseCell
#synthesize model;
#end
Then the derived cells can use whatever model classes they want.
When you initialize an instance variable through synthesize, that variable is not accesible from any class that may inherit it.
It looks like you may have been trying to point synthesize to a public instance variable and I'm not sure if that is possible. It may be trying to declare a new variable with the same name which I'm sure would generate some compiler warnings at the least since that new declaration would hide an existing one and is less accessible.
You could simply write your own getter and setter to expose the instance variable.
- (Base *) baseObj {
return _baseObj;
}
- (void) setBaseObj:(Base *)val {
if( val != _baseObj ) {
[_baseObj release];
_baseObj = [val retain];
}
}
Hope this helps!