How can we store into an NSDictionary? What is the difference between NSDictionary and NSMutableDictionary?

Question

I am developing an application in which I want to use an NSDictionary. Can anyone please send me a sample code explaining the procedure how to use an NSDictionary to store Data with a perfect example?

Answer 1

The NSDictionary and NSMutableDictionary docs are probably your best bet. They even have some great examples on how to do various things, like...

...create an NSDictionary

NSArray *keys = [NSArray arrayWithObjects:@"key1", @"key2", nil];
NSArray *objects = [NSArray arrayWithObjects:@"value1", @"value2", nil];
NSDictionary *dictionary = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjects:objects 
                                                       forKeys:keys];

...iterate over it

for (id key in dictionary) {
    NSLog(@"key: %@, value: %@", key, [dictionary objectForKey:key]);
}

...make it mutable

NSMutableDictionary *mutableDict = [dictionary mutableCopy];

Note: historic version before 2010: [[dictionary mutableCopy] autorelease]

...and alter it

[mutableDict setObject:@"value3" forKey:@"key3"];

...then store it to a file

[mutableDict writeToFile:@"path/to/file" atomically:YES];

...and read it back again

NSMutableDictionary *anotherDict = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:@"path/to/file"];

...read a value

NSString *x = [anotherDict objectForKey:@"key1"];

...check if a key exists

if ( [anotherDict objectForKey:@"key999"] == nil ) NSLog(@"that key is not there");

...use scary futuristic syntax

From 2014 you can actually just type dict[@"key"] rather than [dict objectForKey:@"key"]