Why my array of NSDictionary lost its objects? - ios

Question

I'm having a difficulty with this one I have a method that returns a value of Array of NSDictionary once I pass the return value of an array first it works. I already get the object in my NSLog but when I try to access the objects of my Array of NSDictionary in another method I get the error and I think that I loses the objects of the array.
Here's the method that return an Array of NSDictionary:
-(NSMutableArray *)selectItemDataTbl {
NSMutableArray *l_array_data = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
NSString *query = #"SELECT pid, fname, gen_name, type, fu, fprice FROM tbl_selectItem_data";
sqlite3_stmt *l_statement;
if (sqlite3_open([l_SqliteDb UTF8String], &(_database)) == SQLITE_OK) {
if (sqlite3_prepare_v2(_database, [query UTF8String], -1, &l_statement, nil) == SQLITE_OK) {
while(sqlite3_step(l_statement) == SQLITE_ROW){
NSMutableDictionary *l_dataDictionary = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc]init];
NSString *l_pid = [NSString stringWithUTF8String:(char *)sqlite3_column_text(l_statement, 0)];
NSString *l_name = [NSString stringWithUTF8String:(char *)sqlite3_column_text(l_statement, 1)];
NSString *l_genName = [NSString stringWithUTF8String:(char *)sqlite3_column_text(l_statement, 2)];
NSString *l_Type = [NSString stringWithUTF8String:(char *)sqlite3_column_text(l_statement, 3)];
NSString *l_u = [NSString stringWithUTF8String:(char *)sqlite3_column_text(l_statement, 4)];
NSString *l_Price = [NSString stringWithUTF8String:(char *)sqlite3_column_text(l_statement, 5)];
[l_dataDictionary setObject:l_pid forKey:#"pid"];
[l_dataDictionary setObject:l_name forKey:#"name"];
[l_dataDictionary setObject:l_genName forKey:#"genName"];
[l_dataDictionary setObject:l_Type forKey:#"Type"];
[l_dataDictionary setObject:l_u forKey:#"u"];
[l_dataDictionary setObject:l_Price forKey:#"Price"];
[l_array_data addObject:l_dataDictionary];
}
NSLog(#"l_array_data count: %i", [l_array_data count]);
sqlite3_finalize(l_statement);
sqlite3_close(_database);
}
}
return l_array_data;
}
And here my method how I access it I'm calling it on my viewDidLoad:
- (void)selectItemData {
_l_alldataInSelectItem = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
_l_prodId = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
_l_prodName = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
_l_prodGenName = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
_l_prodCompType = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
_l_prodUom = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
_l_prodListPrice = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
_l_alldataInSelectItem = [dbc selectItemDataTbl];
_l_selectItemData_Dictionary = [[NSDictionary alloc] init];
for (_l_selectItemData_Dictionary in _l_alldataInSelectItem) {
NSString *Id = [_l_selectItemData_Dictionary valueForKey:#"pid"] ;
NSString *Name = [_l_selectItemData_Dictionary valueForKey:#"name"];
NSString *GenName = [_l_selectItemData_Dictionary valueForKey:#"genName"];
NSString *Type = [_l_selectItemData_Dictionary valueForKey:#"Type"];
NSString *U = [_l_selectItemData_Dictionary valueForKey:#"u"];
NSString *Price = [_l_selectItemData_Dictionary valueForKey:#"Price"];
[_l_prodId addObject:Id];
[_l_prodName addObject:Name];
[_l_prodGenName addObject:GenName];
[_l_prodCompType addObject:GenName];
[_l_prodUom addObject:U];
[_l_prodListPrice addObject:Price];
}
NSLog(#"adsfasdf %#", _l_prodId);
NSLog(#"adsfasdf %i", [_l_alldataInSelectItem count]);
}
But in this method I can't get the value of my array _l_alldataInSelectItem
- (void)textFieldshouldChange {
NSString *searchKey = self.txt_SearchField.text;
NSMutableArray *searchingData = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
if (![searchKey isEqualToString:#""]) {
NSLog(#"When TextField text is changed, this will be called");
NSLog(#"textFieldshouldChange _l_alldataInSelectItem: %i", [_l_alldataInSelectItem count]);
}
}
here's how i declare my l_alldataInSelectItem. I declared it on my header file
#property (strong, nonatomic) NSMutableArray *l_alldataInSelectItem, *l_prodId, *l_prodName, *l_prodGenName, *l_prodCompType, *l_prodUom, *l_prodListPrice;

Answer 1

Go systematically through the possibilities.
Possibility 1: There are gremlins somewhere trying to annoy you. We exclude that.
Possibility 2: You never created the data. Set a breakpoint on the return statement in selectItemDataTbl and check it.
Possibility 3: You never stored the array. Well, there is the fact that you store an empty mutable array into _l_alldataInSelectItem which is absolutely pointless, but set a breakpoint on the last statement in selectItemData and check it.
Possibility 4: You stored it and overwrote it. Search for all places where you store to _l_alldataInSelectItem or to a property named l_alldataInSelectItem, set breakpoints everywhere, and check.
Possibility 5 (the stupid one): _l_alldataInSelectItem is a weak instance variable or a weak property.
Possibility 6: You stored it, but looked for it in a different place. Is the self in textFieldshouldChange the same as the self in selectItemData? Set breakpoints and check.
Possibility 7: You are doing something asynchronously. The variable will be set, but much later than you think.
Most important: Put it very strongly in your mind that you did something wrong, and you don't have to solve any magical puzzles, all you need to do is find out what you did wrong.