plist to tableview when root is array then dictionary - ios

Question

I see example and tutorial after tutorial of how to load tableview from plist when root is dictionary but I have to use a plist that is an array.
plist setup:
root Array
Item 0 Dictionary
name String
Item 1 Dictionary
name String
...
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
[super viewDidLoad];
NSString *path = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:#"food" ofType:#"plist"];
NSArray *tableData = [[NSArray alloc]initWithContentsOfFile:path];
NSArray *thumbnails = [[NSArray alloc] init];
for (NSDictionary *dict in tableData){
NSLog(#"%#",dict); // prints all key value pairs in dictionary
thumbnails = [dict objectForKey:#"name"];
}
NSLog(#"outside %#", thumbnails); // this prints last value added to thumbnails array
}
- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
static NSString *simpleTableIdentifier = #"SimpleTableItem";
UITableViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:simpleTableIdentifier];
if (cell == nil) {
cell = [[UITableViewCell alloc] initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleDefault reuseIdentifier:simpleTableIdentifier];
}
NSLog(#"%#", thumbnails); // this loads last value added to array thumbnails
cell.textLabel.text = [thumbnails objectAtIndex:indexPath.row];
return cell;
}
I'm doing this wrong...it doesn't load into my tableview and crashes. I think my for loop is wrong and I think my objectAtIndex is wrong because it crashes at that line. I'm more than happy to share more information. I have datasource and delegate of tableview hooked up to file's owner. I've tested that the tableview works with loading an array directly into it. Please help, I appreciate it.
EDIT:
I placed declaration for the mutable array thumbnails at the top of my .m file as you see below:
#interface SimpleTableViewController ()
#property (nonatomic, strong) NSMutableArray *thumbnails;
#end
These changes still unfortunately leave me with empty thumbnails array in cellForRowAtIndexPath
Same when #property is placed into .h file
EDIT: .m file (latest code)
#import "SimpleTableViewController.h"
#interface SimpleTableViewController ()
#end
#implementation SimpleTableViewController
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
[super viewDidLoad];
NSString *path = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:#"food" ofType:#"plist"];
NSArray *tableData = [[NSArray alloc]initWithContentsOfFile:path];
NSMutableArray *thumbnails = [NSMutableArray array];
for (NSDictionary *dict in tableData){
NSLog(#"%#",dict); // prints all key value pairs in dictionary
[thumbnails addObject:dict[#"name"]];
}
NSLog(#"outside %#", thumbnails);
// Do any additional setup after loading the view, typically from a nib.
}
- (void)didReceiveMemoryWarning
{
[super didReceiveMemoryWarning];
// Dispose of any resources that can be recreated.
}
- (NSInteger)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView numberOfRowsInSection:(NSInteger)section
{
return 50;
}
- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
static NSString *simpleTableIdentifier = #"SimpleTableItem";
UITableViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:simpleTableIdentifier];
if (cell == nil) {
cell = [[UITableViewCell alloc] initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleDefault reuseIdentifier:simpleTableIdentifier];
}
NSLog(#"other method%#", self.thumbnails); // this loads last value added to array thumbnails
cell.textLabel.text = self.thumbnails[indexPath.row];
return cell;
}
#end
.h file
#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
#interface SimpleTableViewController : UIViewController <UITableViewDelegate, UITableViewDataSource>
#property (strong, nonatomic) NSMutableArray *thumbnails;
#end

Answer 1

Try
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
[super viewDidLoad];
NSString *path = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:#"food" ofType:#"plist"];
NSArray *tableData = [[NSArray alloc]initWithContentsOfFile:path];
NSMutableArray *thumbnails = [NSMutableArray array];
for (NSDictionary *dict in tableData){
NSLog(#"%#",dict); // prints all key value pairs in dictionary
[thumbnails addObject:dict[#"name"];
}
NSLog(#"outside %#", thumbnails); // this prints last value added to thumbnails array
}
EDIT :
#property (nonatomic, strong) NSMutableArray *thumbnails;
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
[super viewDidLoad];
NSString *path = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:#"food" ofType:#"plist"];
NSArray *tableData = [[NSArray alloc]initWithContentsOfFile:path];
self.thumbnails = [NSMutableArray array];
for (NSDictionary *dict in tableData){
NSLog(#"%#",dict); // prints all key value pairs in dictionary
[self.thumbnails addObject:dict[#"name"];
}
NSLog(#"outside %#", self.thumbnails); // this prints last value added to thumbnails array
}
- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
//Initialize Cell
cell.textLabel.text = self.thumbnails[indexPath.row];
return cell;
}

Answer 2

There are several mishaps with your code.
A. Looking at the provided plist data, you have an array of dictionaries.
B. This line, allocated thumbnails as a local NSArray.
NSArray *thumbnails = [[NSArray alloc] init];
But this line, what is self.thumbnails which is a property? It is not thumbnails above. And it looks lie key #"name" contains an array rather than a final object.
self.thumbnails = [dict objectForKey:#"name"];