Xcode warning "Property access results unused - getters should not be used for side effects"

Question

I'm getting this warning when I'm calling a local routine.

My code is this:

-(void)nextLetter {
    // NSLog(@"%s", __FUNCTION__);
    currentLetter ++;
    if(currentLetter > (letters.count - 1))
    {
        currentLetter = 0;
    }
    self.fetchLetter;
}

I'm getting the warning on the self.fetchLetter statement.

That routine looks like this:

- (void)fetchLetter {
    // NSLog(@"%s", __FUNCTION__);
    NSString *wantedLetter = [[letters objectAtIndex: currentLetter] objectForKey: @"langLetter"];

    NSString *wantedUpperCase = [[letters objectAtIndex: currentLetter] objectForKey: @"upperCase"];    


.....   
}

I prefer to fix warning messages, is there a better way to write this?

Thanks!

Answer 1

The dot notation (i.e. self.fetchLetter) is meant for properties, not for arbitrary methods. The self.fetchLetter is being interpreted as "get the 'fetchLetter' property of 'self'," which isn't what you intend.

Just use [self fetchLetter] instead.