Adding Array to PLIST - ios

Question

I am trying to add and array to a Root array in my plist:
And is not working. Here's my code:
-(IBAction)addName:(id)sender{
NSArray *arrayValues = [NSArray arrayWithObjects: nameLabel.text, nameDate.text, nameValue.text, nil];
NSString *plistpath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:#"Names" ofType:#"plist"];
NSMutableArray *namesNew = [[NSMutableArray alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:plistpath];
[namesNew addObject:arrayValues];
[namesNew writeToFile:plistpath atomically:YES];
}
What am I doing wrong? Thanks!

Answer 1

You need to move the file to NSDocumentDirectory. Then edit the plist file.
For example:
Moving to NSDocumentDirectory:
-(NSDictionary *)copyBundleToDocuments
{
NSFileManager *fileManager = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
NSArray *documentPaths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [documentPaths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *documentPlistPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Names.plist"];
NSString *bundlePath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] bundlePath];
NSString *bundlePlistPath = [bundlePath stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Names.plist"];
//if file exists in the documents directory, get it
if([fileManager fileExistsAtPath:documentPlistPath])
{
NSMutableDictionary *documentDict = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:documentPlistPath];
return documentDict;
}
//if file does not exist, create it from existing plist
else
{
NSError *error;
BOOL success = [fileManager copyItemAtPath:bundlePlistPath toPath:documentPlistPath error:&error];
if (success) {
NSMutableDictionary *documentDict = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:documentPlistPath];
return documentDict;
}
return nil;
}
}
Then get the plist:
-(void)plistArray:(NSArray*)array
{
//get the documents directory:
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains
(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
//getting the plist file name:
NSString *plistName = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#/Names.plist",
documentsDirectory];
NSMutableArray *namesNew = [[NSMutableArray alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:plistName];
[namesNew addObject:arrayValues];
[namesNew writeToFile:plistName atomically:YES];
return nil;
}

Answer 2

The plist should be a dictionary as the base object instead of an array.
NSMutableDictionary *namesNew = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:plistpath];
[namesNew setObject: arrayValues forKey: #"Root"];
[namesNew writeToFile:plistpath atomically:YES];

Answer 3

You cant write your plist to the bundle you need to use NSDocumentDirectory or NSCachesDirectory
Just copy your plist to bundle the overwrite it.
Note: learn the difference between NSCachesDirectory and NSDocumentDirectory
https://developer.apple.com/icloud/documentation/data-storage/
Copy your plist from bundle to documents(in below code caches), you need to this only one time if your plist in your bundle, I prefer using this code in appdelegate.m when - (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSCachesDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *sourcePath = [[[NSBundle mainBundle] resourcePath] stringByAppendingPathComponent:#"Names.plist"];
NSString *plistInDocuments=#"Names.plist";
NSString *dataPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:plistInDocuments];
NSError *error = nil;
if (![[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:dataPath]){
[[NSFileManager defaultManager] copyItemAtPath:sourcePath
toPath:dataPath
error:&error];
}
NSLog(#"Error description-%# \n", [error localizedDescription]);
NSLog(#"Error reason-%#", [error localizedFailureReason]);
Get your file and overwrite it
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSCachesDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *plistInDocuments=#"Names.plist";
NSString *dataPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:plistInDocuments];
//add object here
NSMutableArray *namesNew = [[NSMutableArray alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:dataPath];
[namesNew addObject:arrayValues];
NSError *error = nil;
if ([myFile writeToFile:dataPath options:NSDataWritingAtomic error:&error]) {
// file saved
} else {
// error writing file
NSLog(#"Unable to write plist to %#. Error: %#", dataPath, error);
}