How to effectively save user settings in a Cocos2d game - ios

Question

So I currently have a functioning way of saving settings for my Cocos2d game, and the method I am using is an XML parser.
First of all, is it better to use NSUserDefaults for something like this?
EDIT: I DO APPOLOGIZE FOR THE LONG POST, IF YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW AN XML PARSER WORKS JUST SKIP TO THE END.
Here is my GlobalSettings.h:
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#interface GlobalSettings : NSObject {
// Declare variables with an underscore in front, for example:
int _currency;
BOOL _BankerBossDefeated;
BOOL _BabyBossDefeated;
BOOL _DuckBossDefeated;
BOOL _BaseBallBossDefeated;
BOOL _NewtonBossDefeated;
BOOL _CatchExtender;
BOOL _CatchExtenderEnabled;
BOOL _SpeedBoost;
BOOL _SpeedBoostEnabled;
}
// Declare your variable properties without an underscore, for example:
#property (nonatomic, assign) int currency;
#property (nonatomic, assign) BOOL BankerBossDefeated;
#property (nonatomic, assign) BOOL BabyBossDefeated;
#property (nonatomic, assign) BOOL DuckBossDefeated;
#property (nonatomic, assign) BOOL BaseBallBossDefeated;
#property (nonatomic, assign) BOOL NewtonBossDefeated;
#property (nonatomic, assign) BOOL SpeedBoost;
#property (nonatomic, assign) BOOL CatchExtender;
#property (nonatomic, assign) BOOL SpeedBoostEnabled;
#property (nonatomic, assign) BOOL CatchExtenderEnabled;
// Put your custom init method interface here:
-(id)initWithcurrency:(int)currency
BankerBossDefeated:(BOOL)BankerBossDefeated
BabyBossDefeated:(BOOL)BabyBossDefeated
DuckBossDefeated:(BOOL)DuckBossDefeated
BaseBallBossDefeated:(BOOL)BaseBallBossDefeated
NewtonBossDefeated:(BOOL)NewtonBossDefeated
CatchExtender:(BOOL)CatchExtender
SpeedBoost:(BOOL)SpeedBoost
CatchExtenderEnabled:(BOOL)CatchExtenderEnabled
SpeedBoostEnabled:(BOOL)SpeedBoostEnabled;
#end
My GlobalSettings.m is:
#import "GlobalSettings.h"
#implementation GlobalSettings
// Synthesize your variables here, for example:
#synthesize currency = _currency;
#synthesize BankerBossDefeated = _BankerBossDefeated;
#synthesize BabyBossDefeated = _BabyBossDefeated;
#synthesize DuckBossDefeated = _DuckBossDefeated;
#synthesize BaseBallBossDefeated = _BaseBallBossDefeated;
#synthesize NewtonBossDefeated = _NewtonBossDefeated;
#synthesize SpeedBoost = _SpeedBoost;
#synthesize CatchExtender = _CatchExtender;
#synthesize SpeedBoostEnabled = _SpeedBoostEnabled;
#synthesize CatchExtenderEnabled = _CatchExtenderEnabled;
// put your custom init method here which takes a variable
// for each class instance variable
-(id)initWithcurrency:(int)currency
BankerBossDefeated:(BOOL)BankerBossDefeated
BabyBossDefeated:(BOOL)BabyBossDefeated
DuckBossDefeated:(BOOL)DuckBossDefeated
BaseBallBossDefeated:(BOOL)BaseBallBossDefeated
NewtonBossDefeated:(BOOL)NewtonBossDefeated
CatchExtender:(BOOL)CatchExtender
SpeedBoost:(BOOL)SpeedBoost
CatchExtenderEnabled:(BOOL)CatchExtenderEnabled
SpeedBoostEnabled:(BOOL)SpeedBoostEnabled;{
if ((self = [super init])) {
// Set class instance variables based on values
// given to this method
self.currency = currency;
self.BankerBossDefeated = BankerBossDefeated;
self.BabyBossDefeated = BabyBossDefeated;
self.DuckBossDefeated = DuckBossDefeated;
self.BaseBallBossDefeated = BaseBallBossDefeated;
self.NewtonBossDefeated = NewtonBossDefeated;
self.CatchExtender = CatchExtender;
self.SpeedBoost = SpeedBoost;
self.CatchExtenderEnabled = CatchExtenderEnabled;
self.SpeedBoostEnabled = SpeedBoostEnabled;
}
return self;
}
- (void) dealloc {
[super dealloc];
}
#end
I then parse the XML with SettingsParser.h:
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#class GlobalSettings;
#interface SettingsParser : NSObject {}
+ (GlobalSettings *)loadData;
+ (void)saveData:(GlobalSettings *)saveData;
#end
and SettingsParser.m:
#import "SettingsParser.h"
#import "GlobalSettings.h"
#import "GDataXMLNode.h"
#implementation SettingsParser
+ (NSString *)dataFilePath:(BOOL)forSave {
NSString *xmlFileName = #"GlobalSettings";
/***************************************************************************
This method is used to set up the specified xml for reading/writing.
Specify the name of the XML file you want to work with above.
You don't have to worry about the rest of the code in this method.
***************************************************************************/
NSString *xmlFileNameWithExtension = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#.xml",xmlFileName];
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *documentsPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:xmlFileNameWithExtension];
if (forSave || [[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:documentsPath]) {
return documentsPath;
NSLog(#"%# opened for read/write",documentsPath);
} else {
NSLog(#"Created/copied in default %#",xmlFileNameWithExtension);
return [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:xmlFileName ofType:#"xml"];
}
}
+ (GlobalSettings *)loadData {
/***************************************************************************
This loadData method is used to load data from the xml file
specified in the dataFilePath method above.
MODIFY the list of variables below which will be used to create
and return an instance of TemplateData at the end of this method.
***************************************************************************/
int currency;
BOOL BankerBossDefeated;
BOOL BabyBossDefeated;
BOOL DuckBossDefeated;
BOOL BaseBallBossDefeated;
BOOL NewtonBossDefeated;
BOOL CatchExtender;
BOOL SpeedBoost;
BOOL CatchExtenderEnabled;
BOOL SpeedBoostEnabled;
// Create NSData instance from xml in filePath
NSString *filePath = [self dataFilePath:FALSE];
NSData *xmlData = [[NSMutableData alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:filePath];
NSError *error;
GDataXMLDocument *doc = [[GDataXMLDocument alloc] initWithData:xmlData options:0 error:&error];
if (doc == nil) { return nil; NSLog(#"xml file is empty!");}
NSLog(#"Loading %#", filePath);
/***************************************************************************
This next line will usually have the most customisation applied because
it will be a direct reflection of what you want out of the XML file.
***************************************************************************/
NSArray *dataArray = [doc nodesForXPath:#"//GlobalSettings" error:nil];
NSLog(#"Array Contents = %#", dataArray);
/***************************************************************************
We use dataArray to populate variables created at the start of this
method. For each variable you will need to:
1. Create an array based on the elements in the xml
2. Assign the variable a value based on data in elements in the xml
***************************************************************************/
for (GDataXMLElement *element in dataArray) {
NSArray *currencyArray = [element elementsForName:#"currency"];
NSArray *BankerBossDefeatedArray = [element elementsForName:#"BankerBossDefeated"];
NSArray *BabyBossDefeatedArray = [element elementsForName:#"BabyBossDefeated"];
NSArray *DuckBossDefeatedArray = [element elementsForName:#"DuckBossDefeated"];
NSArray *BaseBallBossDefeatedArray = [element elementsForName:#"BaseBallBossDefeated"];
NSArray *NewtonBossDefeatedArray = [element elementsForName:#"NewtonBossDefeated"];
NSArray *CatchExtenderArray = [element elementsForName:#"CatchExtender"];
NSArray *SpeedBoostArray = [element elementsForName:#"SpeedBoost"];
NSArray *CatchExtenderEnabledArray = [element elementsForName:#"CatchExtenderEnabled"];
NSArray *SpeedBoostEnabledArray = [element elementsForName:#"SpeedBoostEnabled"];
// currency
if (currencyArray.count > 0) {
GDataXMLElement *currencyElement = (GDataXMLElement *) [currencyArray objectAtIndex:0];
currency = [[currencyElement stringValue] intValue];
}
// BankerBossDefeated
if (BankerBossDefeatedArray.count > 0) {
GDataXMLElement *BankerBossDefeatedElement = (GDataXMLElement *) [BankerBossDefeatedArray objectAtIndex:0];
BankerBossDefeated = [[BankerBossDefeatedElement stringValue] boolValue];
}
// DuckBossDefeated
if (DuckBossDefeatedArray.count > 0) {
GDataXMLElement *DuckBossDefeatedElement = (GDataXMLElement *) [DuckBossDefeatedArray objectAtIndex:0];
DuckBossDefeated = [[DuckBossDefeatedElement stringValue] boolValue];
}
// BabyBossDefeated
if (BabyBossDefeatedArray.count > 0) {
GDataXMLElement *BabyBossDefeatedElement = (GDataXMLElement *) [BabyBossDefeatedArray objectAtIndex:0];
BabyBossDefeated = [[BabyBossDefeatedElement stringValue] boolValue];
}
// BaseBallBossDefeated
if (BaseBallBossDefeatedArray.count > 0) {
GDataXMLElement *BaseBallBossDefeatedElement = (GDataXMLElement *) [BaseBallBossDefeatedArray objectAtIndex:0];
BaseBallBossDefeated = [[BaseBallBossDefeatedElement stringValue] boolValue];
}
// NewtonBossDefeated
if (NewtonBossDefeatedArray.count > 0) {
GDataXMLElement *NewtonBossDefeatedElement = (GDataXMLElement *) [NewtonBossDefeatedArray objectAtIndex:0];
NewtonBossDefeated = [[NewtonBossDefeatedElement stringValue] boolValue];
}
// CatchExtender
if (CatchExtenderArray.count > 0) {
GDataXMLElement *CatchExtenderElement = (GDataXMLElement *) [CatchExtenderArray objectAtIndex:0];
CatchExtender = [[CatchExtenderElement stringValue] boolValue];
}
// SpeedBoost
if (SpeedBoostArray.count > 0) {
GDataXMLElement *SpeedBoostElement = (GDataXMLElement *) [SpeedBoostArray objectAtIndex:0];
SpeedBoost = [[SpeedBoostElement stringValue] boolValue];
}
// CatchExtenderEnabled
if (CatchExtenderEnabledArray.count > 0) {
GDataXMLElement *CatchExtenderEnabledElement = (GDataXMLElement *) [CatchExtenderEnabledArray objectAtIndex:0];
CatchExtenderEnabled = [[CatchExtenderEnabledElement stringValue] boolValue];
}
// SpeedBoost
if (SpeedBoostEnabledArray.count > 0) {
GDataXMLElement *SpeedBoostEnabledElement = (GDataXMLElement *) [SpeedBoostEnabledArray objectAtIndex:0];
SpeedBoostEnabled = [[SpeedBoostEnabledElement stringValue] boolValue];
}
}
/***************************************************************************
Now the variables are populated from xml data we create an instance of
TemplateData to pass back to whatever called this method.
The initWithExampleInt:exampleBool:exampleString will need to be replaced
with whatever method you have updaed in the TemplateData class.
***************************************************************************/
//NSLog(#"XML value read for exampleInt = %i", exampleInt);
//NSLog(#"XML value read for exampleBool = %i", exampleBool);
//NSLog(#"XML value read for exampleString = %#", exampleString);
GlobalSettings *Data = [[GlobalSettings alloc] initWithcurrency:currency
BankerBossDefeated:BankerBossDefeated
BabyBossDefeated:BabyBossDefeated DuckBossDefeated:DuckBossDefeated BaseBallBossDefeated:BaseBallBossDefeated NewtonBossDefeated:NewtonBossDefeated
CatchExtender:CatchExtender
SpeedBoost:SpeedBoost CatchExtenderEnabled:CatchExtenderEnabled
SpeedBoostEnabled:SpeedBoostEnabled];
[doc release];
[xmlData release];
return Data;
[Data release];
}
+ (void)saveData:(GlobalSettings *)saveData {
/***************************************************************************
This method writes data to the xml based on a TemplateData instance
You will have to be very aware of the intended xml contents and structure
as you will be wiping and re-writing the whole xml file.
We write an xml by creating elements and adding 'children' to them.
You'll need to write a line for each element to build the hierarchy // <-- MODIFY CODE ACCORDINGLY
***************************************************************************/
GDataXMLElement *GlobalSettingsElement = [GDataXMLNode elementWithName:#"GlobalSettings"];
GDataXMLElement *currencyElement = [GDataXMLNode elementWithName:#"currency"
stringValue:[[NSNumber numberWithInt:saveData.currency] stringValue]];
GDataXMLElement *BankerBossDefeatedElement = [GDataXMLNode elementWithName:#"BankerBossDefeated"
stringValue:[[NSNumber numberWithBool:saveData.BankerBossDefeated] stringValue]];
GDataXMLElement *BabyBossDefeatedElement = [GDataXMLNode elementWithName:#"BabyBossDefeated"
stringValue:[[NSNumber numberWithBool:saveData.BabyBossDefeated] stringValue]];
GDataXMLElement *DuckBossDefeatedElement = [GDataXMLNode elementWithName:#"DuckBossDefeated"
stringValue:[[NSNumber numberWithBool:saveData.DuckBossDefeated] stringValue]];
GDataXMLElement *BaseBallBossDefeatedElement = [GDataXMLNode elementWithName:#"BaseBallBossDefeated"
stringValue:[[NSNumber numberWithBool:saveData.BaseBallBossDefeated] stringValue]];
GDataXMLElement *NewtonBossDefeatedElement = [GDataXMLNode elementWithName:#"NewtonBossDefeated"
stringValue:[[NSNumber numberWithBool:saveData.NewtonBossDefeated] stringValue]];
GDataXMLElement *CatchExtenderElement = [GDataXMLNode elementWithName:#"CatchExtender"
stringValue:[[NSNumber numberWithBool:saveData.CatchExtender] stringValue]];
GDataXMLElement *SpeedBoostElement = [GDataXMLNode elementWithName:#"SpeedBoost"
stringValue:[[NSNumber numberWithBool:saveData.SpeedBoost] stringValue]];
GDataXMLElement *CatchExtenderEnabledElement = [GDataXMLNode elementWithName:#"CatchExtenderEnabled"
stringValue:[[NSNumber numberWithBool:saveData.CatchExtender] stringValue]];
GDataXMLElement *SpeedBoostEnabledElement = [GDataXMLNode elementWithName:#"SpeedBoostEnabled"
stringValue:[[NSNumber numberWithBool:saveData.SpeedBoost] stringValue]];
// Using the elements just created, set up the hierarchy
[GlobalSettingsElement addChild:currencyElement];
[GlobalSettingsElement addChild:BankerBossDefeatedElement];
[GlobalSettingsElement addChild:BabyBossDefeatedElement];
[GlobalSettingsElement addChild:DuckBossDefeatedElement];
[GlobalSettingsElement addChild:BaseBallBossDefeatedElement];
[GlobalSettingsElement addChild:NewtonBossDefeatedElement];
[GlobalSettingsElement addChild:CatchExtenderElement];
[GlobalSettingsElement addChild:SpeedBoostElement];
[GlobalSettingsElement addChild:CatchExtenderEnabledElement];
[GlobalSettingsElement addChild:SpeedBoostEnabledElement];
GDataXMLDocument *document = [[[GDataXMLDocument alloc]
initWithRootElement:GlobalSettingsElement] autorelease];
NSData *xmlData = document.XMLData;
NSString *filePath = [self dataFilePath:TRUE];
NSLog(#"Saving data to %#...", filePath);
[xmlData writeToFile:filePath atomically:YES];
}
#end
EDIT: THE ACTUAL PROBLEM BEGINS HERE:
In my menu class I have two switches that come up when CatchExtender and SpeedBoost become enabled (they are purchased in the game's store). In those switches, I want to set SpeedBoostEnabled and CatchExtenderEnabled depending on the switch.
These are the switches:
IN MY INIT:
if (GlobalSettings.CatchExtender == TRUE) {
if(GlobalSettings.SpeedBoost == TRUE){
catchSwitch = [[ UISwitch alloc ] initWithFrame: CGRectMake(220, 400, 10, 10)];
catchSwitch.center = CGPointMake(240, 450);
CCLabelTTF *catchLabel = [CCLabelTTF labelWithString:#"Catch Extender" fontName:#"Chalkduster" fontSize:15];
catchLabel.color = ccWHITE;
catchLabel.position = CGPointMake(240, 60);
[self addChild: catchLabel];
}else{
catchSwitch = [[ UISwitch alloc ] initWithFrame: CGRectMake(160, 400, 10, 10)];
catchSwitch.center = CGPointMake(160, 450);
CCLabelTTF *catchLabel = [CCLabelTTF labelWithString:#"Catch Extender" fontName:#"Chalkduster" fontSize:15];
catchLabel.color = ccWHITE;
catchLabel.position = CGPointMake(160, 60);
[self addChild: catchLabel];
}
catchSwitch.on = NO; //set to be OFF at start
catchSwitch.tag = 1; // this is not necessary - only to find later
[catchSwitch addTarget:self action:#selector(catchAction:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventValueChanged];
[[[CCDirector sharedDirector] openGLView] addSubview:catchSwitch];
}
if (GlobalSettings.SpeedBoost == TRUE) {
if(GlobalSettings.CatchExtender == TRUE){
speedSwitch = [[ UISwitch alloc ] initWithFrame: CGRectMake(100, 400, 10, 10)];
speedSwitch.center = CGPointMake(80, 450);
CCLabelTTF *speedLabel = [CCLabelTTF labelWithString:#"Speed Enhancer" fontName:#"Chalkduster" fontSize:15];
speedLabel.color = ccWHITE;
speedLabel.position = CGPointMake(80, 60);
[self addChild: speedLabel];
}else{
speedSwitch = [[ UISwitch alloc ] initWithFrame: CGRectMake(160, 400, 10, 10)];
speedSwitch.center = CGPointMake(160, 450);
}
speedSwitch.on = NO; //set to be OFF at start
speedSwitch.tag = 1; // this is not necessary - only to find later
[speedSwitch addTarget:self action:#selector(speedAction:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventValueChanged];
[[[CCDirector sharedDirector] openGLView] addSubview:speedSwitch];
}
IN THE ACTIONS:
- (void)catchAction:(id)sender
{
// Your logic when the switch it used
// NSLog(#"switchAction: value = %d", [sender isOn]);
if ([sender isOn]) {
GlobalSettings *GlobalSettings = [SettingsParser loadData];
GlobalSettings.CatchExtenderEnabled = TRUE;
UIAlertView* dialog = [[UIAlertView alloc] init];
[dialog setDelegate:self];
[dialog setTitle:#"ON"];
[dialog setMessage:#"Catch Extender is on"];
[dialog addButtonWithTitle:#"Sweet!"];
[dialog show];
[dialog release];
[SettingsParser saveData:GlobalSettings];
}else{
GlobalSettings *GlobalSettings = [SettingsParser loadData];
GlobalSettings.CatchExtenderEnabled = FALSE;
UIAlertView* dialog = [[UIAlertView alloc] init];
[dialog setDelegate:self];
[dialog setTitle:#"OFF"];
[dialog setMessage:#"Catch Extender is off"];
[dialog addButtonWithTitle:#"Thanks"];
[dialog show];
[dialog release];
[SettingsParser saveData:GlobalSettings];
}
}
- (void)speedAction:(id)sender
{
// Your logic when the switch it used
// NSLog(#"switchAction: value = %d", [sender isOn]);
if ([sender isOn]) {
GlobalSettings *GlobalSettings = [SettingsParser loadData];
GlobalSettings.SpeedBoostEnabled = TRUE;
UIAlertView* dialog = [[UIAlertView alloc] init];
[dialog setDelegate:self];
[dialog setTitle:#"ON"];
[dialog setMessage:#"Speed Enhancer is on"];
[dialog addButtonWithTitle:#"Sweet!"];
[dialog show];
[dialog release];
[SettingsParser saveData:GlobalSettings];
}else{
GlobalSettings *GlobalSettings = [SettingsParser loadData];
GlobalSettings.SpeedBoostEnabled = FALSE;
UIAlertView* dialog = [[UIAlertView alloc] init];
[dialog setDelegate:self];
[dialog setTitle:#"OFF"];
[dialog setMessage:#"Speed Enhancer is off"];
[dialog addButtonWithTitle:#"Thanks"];
[dialog show];
[dialog release];
[SettingsParser saveData:GlobalSettings];
}
}
In the classes that hold the data for the game levels, I check these Booleans normally with a simple if statement. But it doesn't seem to work, the settings don't seem to save because in the Log it doesn't seem like the values have changed in the XML file..
Again sorry for the long post but this issue is kinda bugging me.

Answer 1

I've never used Cocos2D before but this seems like exactly what you would use NSUserDefaults for in a typical iOS app, like this: [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] setBool:YES ForKey:#"Key"];