Searching for objects in array by name - iphone

Question

is there a possibility to check for an object in an array by name.
At some point in my app I need to access the plist and pull information stored under an object which I found by its name.
The reason I need to do this is because I don't have the integer number under which where the object is placed in my array.
I have started the usual procedure but i'm not getting anywhere. Maybe its just getting a little too late for me....
This is how my plist looks
Array
Dictionary
title ...
text ...
ect ...
Dictionary
title ...
text ...
ect ...
Dictionary
title ...
text ...
ect ...
My code so far isn't helping at all. I'm definitely doing something wrong.
-(NSString*)nameFromPlist:(NSString*)name {
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *writableDBPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Orte.plist"];
_regionArray = [NSArray arrayWithContentsOfFile:writableDBPath];
NSString *string = [[NSString alloc]init];
for(NSDictionary *dict in _regionArray) {
string = [[dict objectForKey:name] valueForKey:#"title"];
}
return [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#",string];
}
My string is just returning null.
Any ideas anyone?
Thanks a lot!
ANSWER:
Here is the code for everyone:
-(NSString*)nameFromPlist:(NSString*)name {
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *tmpFileName = [[NSString alloc] initWithFormat:#"Orte.plist"];
NSString *path = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:tmpFileName];
NSString *string;
NSMutableArray *array = [NSMutableArray arrayWithContentsOfFile:path];
NSDictionary *dict = [[NSDictionary alloc] init];
NSString *title;
for (int i=0; i<[array count]; i++) {
dict = [array objectAtIndex:i];
title = [dict valueForKey:#"title"];
if([title isEqualToString:name]) {
string = [dict valueForKey:#"title"];
NSLog(#"Titel: %#", string);
}
}
return [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#",string];
}
Thank a lot everyone!

Answer 1

First you don't need to alloc the NSString, 'cause you'll get a different one from valueForKey.
Then if I understood right what you want to get a better code may be something that make use of NSPredicate or the block-based indexOfObjectPassingTest. Both iterate across the array and perform a test on the elements to get you the matching elements (or the index of them).

Answer 2

NSString* plistPath = [[NSBundle bundleForClass:[self class]] pathForResource:#"<PlistFileName>" ofType:#"plist"];
NSArray *array = [[NSArray alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:plistPath];
NSMutableArray* titles = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
for (NSDictionary* d in array)
[titles addObject:[d objectForKey:#"title"]];
NSLog(#"Object found at index %i", [a indexOfObject:#"<Your object name>"]);
Make sure you're testing against NSNotFound for failure to locate, and not (say) 0.