I'm currently building quite a large iPhone application. Bigger than I expected anyway. But that is beside the point, the overall idea of the application is to grab JSON from a web service, sort it all into custom NSObject's that are linked together and then present.
This goes all well and good. But, because I want the user to be able to see this information on the device without an internet connection, I need to save the information that I am presenting into the Documents folder that each Application has.
I basically implemented the NSCoding protocol into all the custom NSObject's that would need it in order to save it into a subdirectory of the Documents directory.
This is all achieved through this function here.
- (void)applicationDidEnterBackground:(UIApplication *)application
{
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0]; // Get documents folder
NSString *dataPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Data"];
NSString *dataFileString = [dataPath stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Company.archive"];
if (![[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:dataFileString]) //Does directory already exist?
{
MACompany *company = [MACompany sharedMACompany];
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0]; // Get documents folder
NSString *dataPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Data"];
NSError *error;
if (![[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:dataPath]) //Does directory already exist?
{
if (![[NSFileManager defaultManager] createDirectoryAtPath:dataPath
withIntermediateDirectories:NO
attributes:nil
error:&error])
{
NSLog(#"Create directory error: %#", error);
}
}
NSString *dataFileString = [dataPath stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Company.archive"];
NSMutableData *data = [[NSMutableData alloc] init];
NSKeyedArchiver *archiver = [[NSKeyedArchiver alloc] initForWritingWithMutableData:data];
[archiver encodeObject:company forKey:#"MACompany"];
[archiver finishEncoding];
[[NSFileManager defaultManager] createFileAtPath:dataFileString
contents:data
attributes:nil];
[archiver release];
[data release];
} else {
NSLog(#"File already exists, no need to recreate, not yet anyway");
}
}
I do the following request when the user first loads the application (application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:) and when the user opens the application after being in the background (applicationWillEnterForeground:).
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0]; // Get documents folder
NSString *dataPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Data"];
NSString *dataFileString = [dataPath stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Company.archive"];
if (![[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:dataFileString]) //Does directory already exist?
{
NSLog(#"Create a new Company Request");
MAWebRequests *companyReq = [[MAWebRequests alloc] init];
[companyReq getCompanyDetails];
[companyReq release];
} else {
NSLog(#"Saved Company Needs to be Decoded applicationWillEnterForeground");
MACompany *company = [MACompany sharedMACompany];
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0]; // Get documents folder
NSString *dataPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Data"];
NSString *dataFileString = [dataPath stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Company.archive"];
NSData *data = [[NSData alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:dataFileString];
NSKeyedUnarchiver *unarchiver = [[NSKeyedUnarchiver alloc] initForReadingWithData:data];
[data release];
company = [unarchiver decodeObjectForKey:#"MACompany"];
[unarchiver finishDecoding];
[unarchiver release];
}
Now this works all well and good and I can pull from this file also. But, I can only grab the data stored in this file when I have Xcode's debugger attached to the application. As soon as is stopped, the data is corrupted and doesn't include the original data.
The data is still stored there, I can see the created file, but the actual data itself that is stored within the file is wrong...
Should I not be using the above logic to save the data to the file and then pull recreate the shared object?
Has anyone else tried to do such a thing and had success?
Is there any reason as to why I'm running into this weird issue?
Has anyone else had this issue?
Any help would be greatly appreciated, have been trying all sorts of different methods to get it to work and nothing has been able to get there. All I need to be able to do is be able to store the data there permanently until I need to update it...
I have resolved this issue by saving the MACompany object well before applicationDidEnterBackground:
Major thanks to #OleBegemann for his aid in finding where the issue nested.
Related
I am new programmer in objective c. I want to create "Download" directory inside the i phone(path : setting (i phone setting directory))I want to know is it possible?. I am using i phone simulator to test the program.
Another question is, How can I access created directory in i phone simulator. Below contains code I tried to create folder in i phone. But I can not access that directory by using i phone simulator. what the wrong of this code?
NSString *error;
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *dataPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"/Test"];
if (![[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:dataPath])
[[NSFileManager defaultManager] createDirectoryAtPath:dataPath withIntermediateDirectories:NO attributes:nil error:&error];
you can create Directory in to Document Directory as sub Folder like this way:-
-(IBAction)CreatDirInDocDir
{
NSFileManager *filemgr = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
NSString *documentsDirectory = [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES) lastObject];
NSString *dir = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#",DirName];
NSString *path = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:dir];
NSError *error;
if ([filemgr fileExistsAtPath:path ] == YES){
}
else
{
NSLog (#"File not found");
[[NSFileManager defaultManager] createDirectoryAtPath:path withIntermediateDirectories:NO attributes:nil error:&error];
}
}
when ever you create directory in to Document directory folder then you can get all list of Created Custom directory like this way:-
//Get all Directory
NSFileManager *fileMan = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSArray *filePathsArray = [[NSFileManager defaultManager] subpathsOfDirectoryAtPath:documentsDirectory error:nil];
NSLog(#"files array %#", filePathsArray);
NSMutableArray *directoryList=[[NSMutableArray alloc]init];
for ( NSString *direPath in filePathsArray )
{
NSString *path = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:direPath];
BOOL isDir = NO;
[fileMan fileExistsAtPath:path isDirectory:(&isDir)];
if(isDir) {
NSString *fullPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:path];
NSLog(#"log path ==%#",fullPath);
[directoryList addObject:fullPath];
}
}
NSLog(#"list path ==%#",directoryList);
Now you have array of all directory you can get any directory with index :)
Hope its helps you
All The method posted here are correct and there are tons of answers about them, but I'd like to warn you about a concept. Since The introduction of iCloud, Apple started to reject applications that saves a lot of data in document directory, when they are used by means of caches or they could be downloaded again later. The problem here is that you can backup your ios devices on the cloud and document directory is one of the backupped. Can you image yourself backupping one GB on application on the cloud? That's the explanation about apple rejects. To avoid that temp/redownloadable/cached data should be saved in cache directory. This useful dir is freed when the device is running out of space on "disk", like when you try to install a new app and you don't have enough space. So this is ok if your data can be downloaded again and are not indispensable. the other way around is to keep data in the document directory but telling the system to do not backup them, this is possible adding a special flag to the doc subdirectory where you saved the file, here is how link , pay attention that this methods is only available from 5.0.1 so you need to check its existence if you target lower ioses. In this case the system will not free your data and not backup them this is safe for apple guidelines. hope this helps
For creating directory you can use:
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *dataPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Test"];
NSError *error;
if (![[NSFileManager defaultManager] createDirectoryAtPath:dataPath withIntermediateDirectories:NO attributes:nil error:&error])
{
NSLog(#"Couldn't create directory error: %#", error);
}
For getting the files inside that directory you can use:
NSArray *datArray = [[NSFileManager defaultManager] contentsOfDirectoryAtPath:dataPath error:&error];
if(error)
{
NSLog(#"Could not get list from directory, error = %#",error);
}
Here all file names will be in the datArray.
No need append '/' . Just Use
NSString *dataPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Test"];
Try This
NSArray *dirPath;
NSString *docsDir;
NSFileManager *filemgr = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
dirPath = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
docsDir = [dirPath objectAtIndex:0];
if ([filemgr changeCurrentDirectoryPath: docsDir] == NO)
{
NSLog(#"Error");
}else {
NSString *currentPath = [filemgr currentDirectoryPath];
NSLog(#"%#",currentPath);
}
NSString *dataDirectory = [docsDir stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Test"];
if ([filemgr fileExistsAtPath:dataDirectory]){
NSLog(#"dir Exist");
}else{
NSLog(#"Creating Dir");
[filemgr createDirectoryAtPath:dataPath withIntermediateDirectories:NO attributes:nil error:&error];
}
Anyone want to show your created directory in i phone simulator follow bellow steps :
Go to finder
Click Command +Shift + g
Type ~/Library then click Go
Open Application Support --> i phone simulator
Then you can find your created applications and directories..
In my Application i save Recording file in Document Directory.then later gets all these file from document directory and showing all these files in My mainClass where i have UITableview for it.
When i Click on any row of this mainClass Tableview it goes to next Class where i play this file,delete this file and Send this file to my Favourite Recording Class where i have Tableview for it.Now my play button action method and delete Button action method works fine but i Don't know how to send this file to my Favurite Class Tableview.now i show here my delete button Code through which we can get the basic idea.
-(IBAction)deleteFile
{
NSArray *dirPaths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *docsDir = [dirPaths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *documentPath = [docsDir stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"MyRecordings"];
NSString *soundFilePath = [documentPath stringByAppendingPathComponent:fileToPlay];
recordedTmpFile = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:soundFilePath];
[[NSFileManager defaultManager] removeItemAtURL:recordedTmpFile error:nil];
}
As my Delete button Code show how we delete the Current Recording file which i selected from MainTableview .Now if the user Want to send the current Recording file to my Favourite Class Tableview instead of Deleting it then Whether i use the another Document folder here if answer is yes? then how we can save the Current file(recordedTmpFile) in this new Document folder.
-(IBAction)AddToFavourite
{
NSArray *dirPaths1 = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *docsDir1 = [dirPaths1 objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *documentPath1 = [docsDir1 stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"MyFovouriteRecordings"];
// How to pass here the Current Recording File (recordedTmpFile) to this new document Folder.
}
When i NSlog recordedTmpFile it show result :file://localhost/Users/Umar/Library/Application%20Support/iPhone%20Simulator/4.2/Applications/9219677A-B0E3-4B78-B2E5-FEA49D689618/Documents/MyRecordings/06:Dec:12_05:54:07%20PM+Active%20song
Any Help will be appriated.Thanks
-(IBAction)AddToFavourite {
NSArray *dirPaths1 = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *docsDir1 = [dirPaths1 objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *documentPath1 = [docsDir1 stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"MyFovouriteRecordings"];
NSString *soundFilePath1 = [documentPath1 stringByAppendingPathComponent:fileToPlay];
// How to pass here the Current Recording File (recordedTmpFile) to this new document Folder.
// First check if the directory existst
if([[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:documentPath1]==NO) {
NSLog(#"Creating content directory: %#",documentPath1);
NSError *error=nil;
if([[NSFileManager defaultManager] createDirectoryAtPath:documentPath1 withIntermediateDirectories:NO attributes:nil error:&error]==NO) {
NSLog(#"There was an error in creating the directory: %#",error);
}
}
//then get the origin file path
NSArray *dirPaths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *docsDir = [dirPaths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *documentPath = [docsDir stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"MyRecordings"];
NSString *soundFilePath = [documentPath stringByAppendingPathComponent:fileToPlay];
//Then convert paths to URL
NSURL* originURL = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:soundFilePath];
NSURL* destinationURL = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:soundFilePath1];
//Then, you have to copy the file
[[NSFileManager defaultManager] copyItemAtURL:destinationURL toURL:originURL error:NULL];
}
That should do it, tell me if there is any error.
Just create an instance of NSData with your original file. Than write it to the other location.
//write file to the other location
NSData *myData = [[NSData alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:originalPath];
[myData writeToFile:newDataPath options:NSDataWritingAtomic error:&error];
//delete file from original location
NSFileManager *fileManager = [[NSFileManager alloc] init];
[fileManager removeItemAtPath:originalPath error:&removeError];
I'm beginning to store an NSArray in file, but I keep getting nil as a response...
The Apple docs say that nil means your file doesn't exist, but I'm pretty sure mine does (I'm probably not building my path correctly)...
Here is the code that I use to store my NSArray in a file...
NSString *filePath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:#"scorecards" ofType:#"dgs"];
NSArray *myArray = [[NSArray alloc] initWithObjects:#"J", #"ANA", #"MY", #"GDON", nil];
[myArray writeToFile:filePath atomically:YES];
NSArray *mynewArray = [NSArray arrayWithContentsOfFile:filePath];
NSLog(#"%#", [mynewArray objectAtIndex:2]);
I also took a screenshot of Xcode to show you guys that my file does exist...
The file is clearly saved in the group ScorecardsSaved and the file is called scorecards with the extension dgs (something I made up for my specific application - Dot Golf Scorecard - dgs)
Indeed, your file path uses the pathForResource method, thus it will point to a location in your application bundle, which is not writable.
Instead, you have to write to the application document directory on the device / simulator.
NSURL *documentsDirectory =
[[[NSFileManager defaultManager] URLsForDirectory:NSDocumentDirectory
inDomains:NSUserDomainMask] lastObject];
NSURL *fileURL = [documentsDirectory
URLByAppendingPathComponent:#"storecards.dgs"];
So if your bundle version of the document contains some seed data, copy it to the app documents directory first.
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *filePath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:FILE_NAME];
[myArray writeToFile:filePath atomically:YES];
I'm making a application where I need to store some information the user have provided. I try to use a .plist file to store the information, I found this:
NSString *filePath = #"/Users/Denis/Documents/Xcode/iPhone/MLBB/data.plist";
NSMutableDictionary* plistDict = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:filePath];
[plistDict setValue:#"Man" forKey:#"Gender"];
[plistDict writeToFile:filePath atomically: YES];
The problem is that the application will only work as long as I'm testing it in the iPhone simulator. I've tried this Changing Data in a Plist but without luck. I have also read something about that I need to add it to my bundle, but how?
New code:
- (IBAction)segmentControlChanged{
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *plistLocation = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"data.plist"];
NSMutableDictionary* plistDict = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:plistLocation];
if (Gender.selectedSegmentIndex == 0) {
[plistDict setObject:#"Man" forKey:#"Gender"];
[plistDict writeToFile:plistLocation atomically: YES];
}
else
{
[plistDict setObject:#"Women" forKey:#"Gender"];
[plistDict writeToFile:plistLocation atomically: YES];
}
}
I guess you have added your plist file to your resources folder in Xcode (where we place image, if not then you need to place that first). Resources data goes to [NSBundle mainBundle] by default and iOS does not allow us to change data inside bundle. So first you need to copy that file to Documents Directory.
Here is the code for copying file from NSBundle to the Documents directory.
- (NSString *)copyFileToDocumentDirectory:(NSString *)fileName {
NSError *error;
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory,
NSUserDomainMask,
YES);
NSString *documentsDir = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *documentDirPath = [documentsDir
stringByAppendingPathComponent:fileName];
NSArray *file = [fileName componentsSeparatedByString:#"."];
NSString *filePath = [[NSBundle mainBundle]
pathForResource:[file objectAtIndex:0]
ofType:[file lastObject]];
NSFileManager *fileManager = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
BOOL success = [fileManager fileExistsAtPath:documentDirPath];
if (!success) {
success = [fileManager copyItemAtPath:filePath
toPath:documentDirPath
error:&error];
if (!success) {
NSAssert1(0, #"Failed to create writable txt file file with message \
'%#'.", [error localizedDescription]);
}
}
return documentDirPath;
}
Now you can use the returned documentDirPath to access that file and manipulate (Read/Write) over that.
The plist structure is:
<array>
<dict>key-value data</dict>
<dict>key-value data</dict>
</array>
Here is code to write data into plist file:
/* Code to write into file */
- (void)addToMyPlist {
// set file manager object
NSFileManager *manager = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
// check if file exists
NSString *plistPath = [self copyFileToDocumentDirectory:
#"MyPlistFile.plist"];
BOOL isExist = [manager fileExistsAtPath:plistPath];
// BOOL done = NO;
if (!isExist) {
// NSLog(#"MyPlistFile.plist does not exist");
// done = [manager copyItemAtPath:file toPath:fileName error:&error];
}
// NSLog(#"done: %d",done);
// get data from plist file
NSMutableArray * plistArray = [[NSMutableArray alloc]
initWithContentsOfFile:plistPath];
// create dictionary using array data and bookmarkKeysArray keys
NSArray *keysArray = [[NSArray alloc] initWithObjects:#"StudentNo", nil];
NSArray *valuesArray = [[NSArray alloc] initWithObjects:
[NSString stringWithFormat:#"1234"], nil];
NSDictionary plistDict = [[NSDictionary alloc]
initWithObjects:valuesArray
forKeys:keysArray];
[plistArray insertObject:poDict atIndex:0];
// write data to plist file
//BOOL isWritten = [plistArray writeToFile:plistPath atomically:YES];
[plistArray writeToFile:plistPath atomically:YES];
plistArray = nil;
// check for status
// NSLog(#" \n written == %d",isWritten);
}
Are you using that same path on your device? Apps on a device are sandboxed and can only read/write files in their documents directory. Grab that file path like this and append your plist name. This approach will also work on the simulator.
Try this:
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *plistLocation = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"myplist.plist"];
I want to add a new dictionary to the existing plist file, how can I do that, I can read from the file, but with the same approach, writing doesn't work. My plist structure looks like this:
Root Array
|__item0 Dictionary
|__item1 Dictionary
|__item2 Dictionary
The code of writing to the file looks like this:
NSFileManager *fileManager = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *plistPath = [documentDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"list.plist"];
if (![fileManager fileExistsAtPath:plistPath]) {
plistPath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:#"list" ofType:#"plist"];
}
NSMutableArray *dataRoot = [NSMutableArray arrayWithContentsOfFile:plistPath];
NSMutableDictionary *item = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc] init];
[item setObject:#"value1" forKey:#"1"];
[item setObject:#"value2" forKey:#"2"];
[item setObject:#"value3" forKey:#"3"];
[dataRoot addObject:item];
[dataRoot writeToFile:plistPath atomically:YES];
[item release];
Can anyone help me with this, thanks!
I have updated my code, but it still doesn't work...And the problem is list.plist file doesn't get copied to ~/Documents directory.
You are trying to write the main bundle which is no-no on iOS. Please read the A Few Important Application Directories.
But your coding boils down to the following:
Check if plist is not in Application_Home/Documents/
Copied original plist from main bundle is the answer to step 1 is false.
Open the plist in the Documents directory
Update NSMutableArray
Write to file the plist
I think code is not wrong.
Have you check plistPath, dataRoot, and item?
They have correct value?
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *filePath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"list.plist"];
if ([[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:filePath]) {
bingoArray = [[NSMutableArray alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:filePath];
}
[bingoArray writeToFile:filePath atomically:YES];
You can only save primitive types by default.
try out this link.
http://deadpanic.com/howtosave
He explains how to save any object to disk by using NSCoding protocol.
If you are working only with primitives then I apologize for wasting your time. But this is the path I took to write my custom stuff to disk. And I thought it was just an array issue.
Edit:
I just noticed... It looks like you are trying to write to an array in the Main Bundle. These files are read only.
You need to save a copy of the file in the Documents directory.
try this out to find the documents directory
NSFileManager *fileManager = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
// Change your plistPath to be this
plistPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"list.plist"];
[dataRoot writeToFile:plistPath atomically:YES];
put your plist in this folder and you can write to it.