I've edited this post to make it simpler to read, I think.
I need to call an NSUrlConnection after I've finished doing some intensive string manipulation in a dispatch_async block.
The URL I call has got .htaccess authentication on it, so I can't use a synchronous connection.
But the NSURLConnection delegate methods are not being called. I know the URL loads after about 5 seconds in the browser, and I've tested the code with a simple URL with no authentication and it makes no difference.
What is stopping the delegate methods being called?
This function does some string manipulation stuff, and takes a while to finish:
- (void)performSearch {
// set some defaults and work out if it is a valid search, setting bSearchOk
if (bSearchOk) {
// update some interface elements
self.msgBox.text = @"Translating...";
self.plateInput.enabled = NO;
self.searchProgress.hidden = NO;
dispatch_async( dispatch_get_global_queue(DISPATCH_QUEUE_PRIORITY_DEFAULT, 0), ^{
// create a new search
Search *oPlateSearch = [[Search alloc] initWithTerm:thisTerm];
// ...
// perform search... this calls a variety of slow and intensive functions
// ...
self.aFinalPlates = [oPlateSearch.aValidated copy];
self.aCurrentPlates = [oPlateSearch.aFinals copy];
dispatch_async( dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
[oPlateSearch release];
// make ajax call to check if plates can be bought
[self getPrices];
});
});
} else {
// hide results
self.searchResults.hidden = YES;
}
}
And this is the one called towards the end of the block above
/* call to get plate availability and prices */
-(void) getPrices {
// set return message
self.msgBox.text = @"Getting prices and availability";
// ...
// then I build my strRequest var, which is a valid working URL
// ...
NSMutableURLRequest *request = [NSMutableURLRequest requestWithURL:[NSURL URLWithString:strRequest]];
NSURLConnection *loginConnection = [[[NSURLConnection alloc] initWithRequest:request delegate:self] autorelease];
NSLog('This will get logged');
if(loginConnection) {
NSLog('This will also get logged');
self.jsonSearchResponse = [[[NSMutableData data] retain] autorelease];
NSLog('And this will get logged, so it's not throwing errors');
} else {
NSLog(@"Failed to get search results");
}
}
Update: I've tried this as well, as it was an accepted in answer on another similar question, but it hasn't worked:
NSURLConnection *loginConnection = [[NSURLConnection alloc] initWithRequest:request delegate:self startImmediately:NO];
[loginConnection scheduleInRunLoop:[NSRunLoop mainRunLoop] forMode:NSRunLoopCommonModes];
[loginConnection start];
Based on this question: Why NSURLConnection delegate methods don't get called, when using the global dispatch queue?
Someone from iphonedevsdk.com forum answered this for me:
http://www.iphonedevsdk.com/forum/iphone-sdk-development/97415-dispatch_async-nsurlconnection.html
The answer was to use:
[self performSelectorOnMainThread:@selector(getPrices) withObject:Nil waitUntilDone:NO];