managedObjectContext not being called on launch - ios

Question

I am modifying an existing Core Data app to iCloud. My problem is that when I try to load seed data after detecting an initial app launch in the appDelegate, my first [NSEntityDescription insertNewObjectForEntityForName: inManagedObjectContext:] statement throws the error "'NSInvalidArgumentException', reason: '+entityForName:XXX nil is not a legal NSManagedObjectContext parameter searching for entity name 'XXX''" I'm sure the inManagedObjectContext parameter I'm passing is the correct one, but sure enough, it's nil in debugger.
Part of my trouble is that I don't understand what cues the app to call the boilerplate core data -managedObjectContext, -managedObjectModel, and -persistentStoreCoordinators methods. The app always seemed to call the methods and instantiate these objects automatically whenever they were required.
The core data stack is basically the standard stuff from a core data app template, with the iCloud option added to persistentStoreCoordinator, and a branch for migrating existing data. Here's the code; trying to limit it to essential elements:
#synthesize managedObjectContext = _managedObjectContext;
#synthesize managedObjectModel = _managedObjectModel;
#synthesize persistentStoreCoordinator = _persistentStoreCoordinator;
- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions
{
// Notification registrations
[self register_iCloudNotifications];
// Data from defaults
BOOL _firstLocalLaunch = ...
BOOL _update =
BOOL _iCLoudDataSeeded = ...
// FIRST APP LAUNCH LOCALLY; FIRST iCLOUD LAUNCH ANYWHERE
// This is the code that's calling initializeSeedData and getting the error
if (_firstLocalLaunch && !_iCloudDataSeeded) {
[self initializeSeedData];
... update defaults
} else if {
... code for update launch and normal launch
// Safety check for seed data in persistent store; if none, initialize.
NSFetchRequest *modelFetchRequest = [[NSFetchRequest alloc] init];
NSEntityDescription *modelEntity = [NSEntityDescription entityForName:#"entity" inManagedObjectContext:self.managedObjectContext];
[modelFetchRequest setEntity:modelEntity];
NSArray *fetchResults = [_managedObjectContext executeFetchRequest:modelFetchRequest error:nil];
if (!fetchResults.count) {
NSLog(#"Safety catch: seed data missing");
[self initializeSeedData];
}
return YES;
}
- (void)initializeSeedData
{
SWSEntity *entity1 = [NSEntityDescription insertNewObjectForEntityForName:#"Entity" inManagedObjectContext:_managedObjectContext]; // THIS IS WHATS THROWING THE ERROR
entity.name = #"First seed data item";
[_managedObjectContext save:nil];
}
- (NSManagedObjectContext *)managedObjectContext
{
if (_managedObjectContext != nil) {
return _managedObjectContext;
}
NSPersistentStoreCoordinator *coordinator = [self persistentStoreCoordinator];
if (coordinator != nil) {
_managedObjectContext = [[NSManagedObjectContext alloc] init];
[_managedObjectContext setPersistentStoreCoordinator:coordinator];
}
return _managedObjectContext;
}
- (NSManagedObjectModel *)managedObjectModel
{
if (_managedObjectModel != nil) {
return _managedObjectModel;
}
NSURL *modelURL = [[NSBundle mainBundle] URLForResource:#"model" withExtension:#"momd"];
_managedObjectModel = [[NSManagedObjectModel alloc] initWithContentsOfURL:modelURL];
return _managedObjectModel;
}
- (NSPersistentStoreCoordinator *)persistentStoreCoordinator
{
if (_persistentStoreCoordinator != nil) {
NSLog(#"exists; returning");
return _persistentStoreCoordinator;
}
_persistentStoreCoordinator = [[NSPersistentStoreCoordinator alloc] initWithManagedObjectModel:[self managedObjectModel]];
// NO UPDATE FROM PREVIOUS
if (!_update) {
NSLog(#"Persistent store: adding");
[self add_iCloudPersistentStore];
// UPDATE FROM PREVIOUS VERSION
} else {
NSLog(#"Persistent store: migrating");
...code for migrating existing store to iCloud; not called with this issue
}
return _persistentStoreCoordinator;
}
- (void)add_iCloudPersistentStore
{
NSError *error = nil;
if (![_persistentStoreCoordinator addPersistentStoreWithType:NSSQLiteStoreType
configuration:nil
URL:[self get_iCloudStoreURL]
options:[self iCloudPersistentStoreOptions]
error:&error]) {
NSLog(#"Unresolved error %#, %#", error, [error userInfo]);
}
}
- (NSDictionary *)iCloudPersistentStoreOptions
{
return #{NSPersistentStoreUbiquitousContentNameKey: #"myAppStore",
NSMigratePersistentStoresAutomaticallyOption : #YES,
NSInferMappingModelAutomaticallyOption : #YES};
}
Interesting thing: If I comment out the [self initializeSeedData] after detecting a first launch, the "safety catch" for adding the data executes, and creates the seed data just fine! The only thing I can figure that's different is that I'm executing a fetchRequest on the managed object context first... somehow the _managedObjectContext is instantiated when the fetch is executed, and still around for [self initializeSedData]. Why would that happen?