Save a mutable array with multiple properties to a plist

Question

I have a mutable array that has about 100 objects in it and each object has three properties. I cannot save this to a plist?? I can save an array that just has objects without properites, but the individual property thing is giving me a problem. Any suggestions? Also, is saving to a plist the best way to do this? thanks in advance.

Answer 1

You can store NSDictionary inside NSDictionary, or maybe you mean a NSArray that holds NSDictionary?

NSMutableArray *myArray = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];

NSMutableDictionary *myDict1 = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc] init];
[myDict1 setValue:@"string 1" forKey:@"item_1"];
[myDict1 setValue:@"string 2" forKey:@"item_2"];
[myDict1 setValue:[NSNumber numberWithInt:10]   forKey:@"item_3"];     

// add the array 3 times
[myArray addObject:myDict1];
[myArray addObject:myDict1];
[myArray addObject:myDict1];
NSLog(@"%@", myArray);

// write to plist    
[myArray writeToFile:@"/tmp/array_with_dict.plist" atomically:YES];

// dict inside dict
NSMutableDictionary *mainDict = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc] init];
[mainDict setValue:myDict1 forKey:@"dict_1"];

// write to plist
[mainDict writeToFile:@"/tmp/dict_with_dict.plist" atomically:YES];