Accessing locally stored (hidden from user, under library) file in iOS - ios

Question

Here is the NSURL object that I am using for creating and accessing important configuration file on iOS with features:
hidden from user
not user generated file (storing configuration related to user)
not temp or cache (not possible to create later with existing data)
must be backed up by iCloud/iTunes
[NSURL fileURLWithPath:[[NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(
NSLibraryDirectory,
NSUserDomainMask,
YES) objectAtIndex:0]
stringByAppendingString:#"/important.txt"]];
As suggested in FileSystemOverview (developer.apple.com), I am storing this file under Library.
Maybe better way is storing it under Library/Application Support.
Using NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains, which takes:
enum NSSearchPathDirectory
NSApplicationDirectory
NSDeveloperApplicationDirectory
NSLibraryDirectory
NSDeveloperDirectory
NSApplicationSupportDirectory
...
enum NSSearchPathDomainMask
NSUserDomainMask
NSLocalDomainMask
NSSystemDomainMask
...
BOOL expandTilde
Is this the correct way of storing such a file?
There are couple of alternatives for NSSearchPathDirectory and NSSearchPathDomainMask.
Also what about the expandTilde, on iOS is it necessary?
Is there a better way of doing it, instead of creating path as a NSString using objectAtIndex and appending file name then converting it to NSURL?
Thanks.

Answer 1

Using NSApplicationSupportDirectory would be my first choice for this.
But keep a few things in mind:
Unlike the "Documents" folder, the "Library/Application Support" folder doesn't exist in an iOS app sandbox by default so you must create the folder before trying to use it.
"Hidden from the user" only means that the user won't see it under normal circumstances. But the file is easily accessible by anyone with any technical knowledge.
You do want to pass YES for the expandTilde parameter so your app returns a proper path when you run the app in the simulator. On a real iOS device, it makes little difference.
Do not use stringByAppendingString: to create paths. Use stringByAppendingPathComponent:.
NSString *appSupportPath = [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSApplicationSupportDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES) firstObject];
NSString *filePath = [appSupportPath stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"important.txt"];
NSURL *fileURL = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:filePath];
You can get a direct NSURL using NSFileManager:
NSURL *appSupportURL = [[[NSFileManager defaultManager] URLsForDirectory:NSApplicationSupportDirectory inDomains:NSUserDomainMask] firstObject];
NSURL *fileURL = [appSupportURL URLByAppendingPathComponent:#"important.txt"];