I'm doing:
NSString *current_path = [[NSBundle mainBundle] bundlePath];
NSString *string_path = [NSString stringWithFormat:
#"%#/filedstring", current_path];
my_string_ = [[NSKeyedUnarchiver unarchiveObjectWithFile:string_path] retain];
The archived string is the text from a UITextField which we unarchive here. I've tried with and without current_path.
This all works fine when running in simulator (class member NSString *my_string_ is not nil) but when run on my iPhone my_string_ is nil.
Why is that?
Thanks for the quick responses all.
Adding to Jason Coco's answer, archive to and unarchive here:
NSString *library_path = [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSLibraryDirectory,
NSUserDomainMask, YES) objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *username_path = [library_path
stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Caches/filedstring"];
You can't write into the main bundle on the phone, it's not allowed. That's why you don't find your archive there later. The simulator, since it actually runs on Mac OS X doesn't work this way, so it will actually write the file.
If you need to write something, you have to use one of the writeable paths available to your application. For more information, see the iOS Application Programming Guide / The File System. If you're going to do iOS Application Development, you should definitely read and understand this entire document.
As #middaparka says, there is probably something wrong with that file. Here's how I would debug this problem:
First step,
[[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath: string_path];
Second step,
NSError *err;
NSString *tmp = [NSString stringWithContentsOfFile:string_path encoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding error:&err];
NSLog(#"Contents of string %#",tmp);
Once you've done those, you should have a much clearer idea why your NSKeyedUnarchiver is failing.
Also, check out NSString's stringByAppendingPathComponent: method.
Related
EDIT: Doesn't look like it's working with the simulator either now.
Some more info, It seems if I install an archived version that did work, then install the one that wont work, right over it, everything works great. but when I delete the archived version, and install the new one, thats when everything stops working.
I was just testing my app on my iPhone, and it was working perfectly, and when I archived it, and installed the ipa on my phone, the database stopped working. no errors occur when you load the database, and like I said before, it was JUST working. I didn't change ANY code. it still works on the simulator, so I know it has to do with the copying of the database. here's the relevant code:
dbPath=[NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#/Documents/database.sql", NSHomeDirectory()];
// Get the documents directory
NSFileManager *fmngr = [[NSFileManager alloc] init];
NSString *filePath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:#"database.sql" ofType:nil];
NSError *error;
if(![[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] boolForKey:#"didLaunchFirstTime"])
{
[[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] setBool:TRUE forKey:#"didLaunchFirstTime"];
[fmngr removeItemAtPath:[NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#/Documents/database.sql", NSHomeDirectory()] error:&error];
if(![fmngr copyItemAtPath:filePath toPath:[NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#/Documents/database.sql", NSHomeDirectory()] error:&error])
{
// handle the error
NSLog(#"Error creating the database: %#", [error description]);
}
}
My query looks like this, because I'm using FMDB to query the database. It's in a separate method called when the user presses the search button.
FMResultSet *s = [db executeQueryWithFormat:#"SELECT Gurmukhi, ShabadID, FirstLetterStr FROM Shabad WHERE FirstLetterStr LIKE %#", searchString];
I also unzipped the ipa to check if the database wasn't blank, and it isn't. I have no idea what's going on.
You should not be hardcoding directory paths in your app - Apple provides functions to get them:
When you want to find the file in your bundle, you get it this way:
NSString *dbPathOld = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:#"database" ofType:#"sql"];
Now you have a path to the sql file you provided with your app.
When you want to copy it, you use this code:
NSString *docDir = [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES) lastObject];
NSString *dbPathNew = [docDir stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"database.sql"];
Other comments:
1) Why not use the NSFileManager *fm = [NSFileManager defaultManager];?
2) With your standard defaults, you are registering them in an initialize method in your app delegate? You are synchronizing them after you update values (so in fact "didLaunchFirstTime" is set the second time)? You might want to add a log message so you can know for sure.
Sorry I saw similar questions but they don't seem to have some full answers for me. And i try to put it in order so that people will not hate me or my poor english.
I am working with Xcode 4.2 with storyboard and ARC
I can read from my plist file. My task is simply to write back the updated value(s) to my plist file.
My plist is contain in "supporting files" sub folder of the main folder (where story-board is things goes). the file is call Global.plist and GlobalValue2 is a element of the file type string.
So the read file part looks like this
NSString *plistfile = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:#"Global" ofType:#"plist"];
NSDictionary *dict = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:plistfile];
FirstValueTextBox.text = [[dict valueForKey:#"GlobalValue1"] stringValue];
learn it from some handy youtube video works just fine. updates the value to my text box.
The real problem comes in when I write back my plist file. When i try the following
NSString *plistfile = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:#"Global" ofType:#"plist"];
NSMutableDictionary *dict = [NSMutableDictionary
dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:plistfile];
[dict setValue:#"ABC" forKey:#"GlobalValue2"];
SecondValueTextBox.text = [dict valueForKey:#"GlobalValue2"];
[dict writeToFile:plistfile atomically:YES];
the result is I really saw a updated value pop up on the second text box, but the plist file remain unchanged.
The following are the break down of my questions and my guess for the problem
I try to use NSDictionary(not NSMutableDictionary) and call setValue (crash in runtime)
my guess: NSDictionary object itself is readonly so it crash me when i say add value. But why don't it error me when in coding time? if the object is readonly
I use NSMutableDictionary can call setValue. it doesn't crash me and when i call the updated value at "SecondValueTextBox.text = [dict valueForKey:#"GlobalValue2"];" it really return me the updated value. but the content inside of the plist file is not changed. Which is the result I have right now.
my guess: after some search here and there I think "supporting files" is read only too. pure guess did see anyone directly talk about it.
I did try to move on a little more and some people talks about a "document folder" in Xcode that is a read and write place. I think people also talk about write a code to access that folder. Can someone show me the code here.
My last question, can I hook up my Xcode to that "document folder" or where can i see it(the real file folder structure is different from inside Xcode I think). So that i can see and edit my plist file for testing, and i can see the real result without using codes and stuff
I will be much appreciated if people can tell me my guess is right or wrong and the answer to my 3 and 4 question.
In order for your changes to be persisted in your plist, you would indeed need ot copy it from the resource bundle to the documents dirtectory on launch of the application, then use the plist in the documents to read and write.
Here is how you can copy the file:
NSFileManager *fileManager = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
NSError *error;
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *plistPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Global.plist"];
if ([fileManager fileExistsAtPath:plistPath] == NO) {
NSString *resourcePath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:#"Global" ofType:#"plist"];
[fileManager copyItemAtPath:resourcePath toPath:plistPath error:&error];
}
I'm a (kind of) newbie XCode programmer (well, I would say not so newbie nowadays...) and "my pet issue" is: "I'm having trouble saving local files onto my real iPad, compared to saving them with the simulator".
Well to be honest, I have no problem whatsoever SAVING local files, but retrieving them. Why? Because on the simulator my local files seem to persist between compilation sessions, but on the real device, every time the application gets launched (not only after being uploaded from Xcode, but normally launched), data inside the "Documents" directory seems to disappear... So the final user would not be able to store needed historical data between sessions.
Is it a perception of mine? Is it normal behaviour?
The code I use to save this "persistent" data is this one:
NSArray * paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString * documentsDir = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *finalPath=[NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#/%#", documentsDir, path];
NSLog(#"Course.m: updatePersistentObject (to disk): final file = %#",finalPath);
[NSKeyedArchiver archiveRootObject:newObject toFile:finalPath];
'path' variable being #".HistoricalTestResults";
The code I use to retrieve data (wheather at boot time, or at runtime) is this one:
NSArray* paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSLog(#" historical data: Documents paths = %#", paths);
NSString * docsDir = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSLog(#"Course.m: loadHistoricalResultsData: docsDir vale [%#]", docsDir);
NSString *tmpPath=[NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#/.HistoricalTestResults", (NSString *)docsDir];
NSLog(#"Course.m: loadHistoricalResultsData: tmpPath vale [%#]", tmpPath);
NSFileManager *localFileManager = [[NSFileManager alloc] init];
// create directory if it doesn't exist, don't do anything if it exists... (?)
[localFileManager createDirectoryAtPath:tmpPath withIntermediateDirectories:YES attributes:nil error:nil];
NSDirectoryEnumerator *dirEnum = [localFileManager enumeratorAtPath:tmpPath];
NSString *file;
while (file = [ dirEnum nextObject])
{
NSLog(#"Historical Data Folder: %#", file);
if ( [[file pathExtension] compare:#"dat"] == NSOrderedSame )
{
NSString *filePath = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#/%#", tmpPath, file];
NSLog(#"Course.m: loadHistoricalResultsData: filePath vale [%#]", filePath);
mHistoricalTestList=[[NSKeyedUnarchiver unarchiveObjectWithFile:filePath] retain];
}
}
[localFileManager release];
My exact problem is that while on the simulator, AT BOOT TIME, if I put a trace on the "while" code line, I can see how the enumerator gets some value, and I can iterate among the found files.
On the other hand, when using my iPad, the same breakpoint yields a "nil" pointer when obtaining the enumerator.
As I said, at the beginning of a clean program session, this is normal, so then I need to generate some storable results inside my program memory to store them onto disk.
I do it, and then I write them (both inside the simulator and the iPad). Then I can even re-retrieve this data (from disk) and it seems to still exist inside the Documents folder (both onto the iPad and the simulator).
But then, if I close/kill the program, this data seems to be lost onto the real iPad, and to persist in the simulator.
With this behaviour, my only deduction is "Real iPad programs cannot store persistent data onto their Documents directory". Am I right? (Of course not, because I've seen it work on some other programs).
So I have the feeling I'm doing something wrong, and after wasting TONS of time trying to find it, I'm now asking for advice on stackoverflow...
Every piece of help/insight/hint will be more than welcome.
Something I can think of is that your app is not being installed on the same app sandbox everytime. That means that while in the simulator your path is the same and the documents dir contains the same data, your ipad creates a new directory path for the installation, therefore the data you persisted in the last session won't be accessible.
Another thing that I experienced, was that the simulator was case insensitive when loading up resources, in contrast with the device that is actually case sensitive. In that time I had a strings file with extension .Strings and the iphone was looking for .strings. The simulator would work but the phone showed the keys when LocalizedString() macro was called.
So, tl;dr: verify the paths are the same in the different sessions, and your file names match.
I hope it helps. good luck!
PS: Gaudí rlz.
I'm happy! I was able to solve my own mess (!!?).
I've discovered that, when I originally copied my 2 code snippets, specially the "read part", I didn't copy it literally as it appears on my actual code, I just adapted some variable names and extra stuff that wasn't important here. (Typical situation)
I even did some more things than "removing some unrelated code pieces", (and here comes the important part), as I reordered some of them. And one of the parts I reordered was this one (which didn't work):
NSFileManager *localFileManager = [[NSFileManager alloc] init];
NSString *tmpPath=[NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#/.HistoricalTestResults", (NSString *)docsDir];
NSDirectoryEnumerator *dirEnum = [localFileManager enumeratorAtPath:tmpPath];
// create directory if it doesn't exist, don't do anything if it exists... (?)
[localFileManager createDirectoryAtPath:tmpPath withIntermediateDirectories:YES attributes:nil error:nil];
which I changed (when posting here), onto this other part (which works):
NSString *tmpPath=[NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#/.HistoricalTestResults", (NSString *)docsDir];
NSFileManager *localFileManager = [[NSFileManager alloc] init];
// create directory if it doesn't exist, don't do anything if it exists... (?)
[localFileManager createDirectoryAtPath:tmpPath withIntermediateDirectories:YES attributes:nil error:nil];
NSDirectoryEnumerator *dirEnum = [localFileManager enumeratorAtPath:tmpPath];
There's proably some logic behind this, as "why the first part does work on the emulator, but doesn't on the real device". It seems that "createDirectoryAtPath" is somewhat "resetting" some internal stuff, or maybe asking for an enumerator without having created a directory doesn't make sense...
Whatever the case is, I think my experience is worth enough to keep it here posted for someone who might be in my situation in the future!
Greetings again!
I want to use pathForResource, but it doesn't look like it will create the path if one doesn't exist. Therefore I'm trying to create one manually by doing the following:
NSString *path = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#/%#.plist",[[NSBundle mainBundle] bundlePath],#"myFileName"];
I'm creating files dynamically, so I need to access them after I have Build and Run the application. But it puts the project in a unique id folder so the path comes out to something like:
/Users/RyanJM/Library/Application Support/iPhone Simulator/3.0/Applications/80986747-37FD-49F3-9BA8-41A42AF7A4CB/MyApp.app/myFileName.plist
But that unique id changes every time I do a build. What is the proper way to create a path that I can get to every time (even in the Simulator)?
Thanks.
Update: edited the question, hopefully to help anyone who comes across it in the future.
Update: IWasRobbed answered the proper way to get create a path URL. But the the best answer I've been able to find is from Brad Parks. Though, I do wish there was a cleaner way.
With the way you phrased your question, this is how you read a plist that has been included in the bundle before build:
NSString *propertyListPath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:SomeString ofType:#"plist"];
If you want to access the directories that each app has as a unique storage area for a file that you create AFTER build, you use this:
#define kFilename #”data.plist”
- (NSString *)dataFilePath {
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
return [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:kFilename];
}
Then you can check for it and do some data handling here:
NSString *filePath = [self dataFilePath];
if ([[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:filePath]) {
// do something with data here
}
You would save yourself a lot of trouble if you bought/read Beginning iPhone 3 Development specifically chapter 11 where he goes over data persistence (which is where this example came from). It's a great book.
I have been reading alot on iPhone read/writing and I believe that everything I have is correct but for some reason it isn't working the way it should.
code is as follows
NSString *docsDirectory = [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES) objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *filePath = [docsDirectory stringByAppendingFormat:#"filename.rtf"];
NSFileManager *fileManager = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
if (![fileManager fileExistsAtPath:filePath])
I went into the folder iphone simulator documents folder for the app I am making and added that file into it as a safety measure and it is still not triggering the if statement. So for some reason it is not finding it which is making all of my writing and reading impossible. I even tried using the FileManager's createFile function and didn't get any results. If I need to post more code of something let me know but I figure if all of the above is correct it should be finding the file correctly. Thanks in advance.
UPDATE: Fixed. Hilariously simple mistake. Thanks everyone.
The NSString returned by NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains does not have a trailing slash, thus the path you are building is incorrect. To append the filename to the use stringByAppendingPathComponent which will handle the path separaters correctly.
To create the filePath, try:
NSString *filePath =[docsDirector stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"filename.rtf"];
Have you tried using stringByAppendingPathComponent: instead of stringByAppendingFormat:. If docsDirectory does not contain a trailing slash, you will actually be creating a file called /PATH/TO/Documentsfilename.rtf rather than /PATH/TO/Documents/filename.rtf.