Random words from plist to 7 labels

[soundoc]

I have a plist of 352 words listed as items 0-351 and I want to load them into 7 labels (label1- label7) randomly. I am a newbee and I just need a start.

the plist file is called "Words.plist" and the array in the plist file is "gameWords".

Thanks for the help in advance.

[Duncan C]

Originally Posted by soundoc

I have a plist of 352 words listed as items 0-351 and I want to load them into 7 labels (label1- label7) randomly. I am a newbee and I just need a start.

the plist file is called "Words.plist" and the array in the plist file is "gameWords".

Thanks for the help in advance.

Assuming your plist contains an array and that it's stored in your documents directory, use code like this:

NSString *documentsDirectory = 
  [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES) objectAtIndex:0];
  NSString* pathname = [documentsDirectory @"Words.plist"];
NSArray* gameWords = [NSArray arrayWithContentsOfFile: pathname];

NSInteger count = [gameWords count];
label1.text = [gameWords objectAtIndex: arc4random() % count];
label2.text = [gameWords objectAtIndex: arc4random() % count];

[soundoc]

Originally Posted by Duncan C

Assuming your plist contains an array and that it's stored in your documents directory, use code like this:

NSString *documentsDirectory = 
  [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES) objectAtIndex:0];
  NSString* pathname = [documentsDirectory @"Words.plist"];
NSArray* gameWords = [NSArray arrayWithContentsOfFile: pathname];

NSInteger count = [gameWords count];
label1.text = [gameWords objectAtIndex: arc4random() % count];
label2.text = [gameWords objectAtIndex: arc4random() % count];

Thank you Duncan, I see it now..

[soundoc]

Originally Posted by Duncan C

Assuming your plist contains an array and that it's stored in your documents directory, use code like this:

NSString *documentsDirectory = 
  [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES) objectAtIndex:0];
  NSString* pathname = [documentsDirectory @"Words.plist"];
NSArray* gameWords = [NSArray arrayWithContentsOfFile: pathname];

NSInteger count = [gameWords count];
label1.text = [gameWords objectAtIndex: arc4random() % count];
label2.text = [gameWords objectAtIndex: arc4random() % count];

The first error is on the [doumentsDirectory @"Words.plist"]; line. the complier error reads: Expected ':' before 'OBJC_STRING' token
The second is at the first label.text statement. The app freezes the simulator.

[Duncan C]

Originally Posted by soundoc

The first error is on the [doumentsDirectory @"Words.plist"]; line. the complier error reads: Expected ':' before 'OBJC_STRING' token
The second is at the first label.text statement. The app freezes the simulator.

It looks like there was an editing error in the code I posted. It should read like this (change in bold):

NSString *documentsDirectory = 
  [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES) objectAtIndex:0];
  NSString* pathname = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent: @"Words.plist"];
NSArray* gameWords = [NSArray arrayWithContentsOfFile: pathname];

NSInteger count = [gameWords count];
label1.text = [gameWords objectAtIndex: arc4random() % count];
label2.text = [gameWords objectAtIndex: arc4random() % count];

As for the hang, that makes no sense. With the editing error in my first post, the gameWords array should fail to read, so the variable gameWords should be nil. Sending a message to nil should do nothing, so the two assignments to label1.text and label2.text should just silently fail.

If you put a breakpoint before and after those statements, or a log statement before and after, does it definitely hang on one of those assignments?

BTW, most of us that post code in response to questions just bang out the code into the forum. We don't run it through the compiler for syntax checking, or test it. Our intention is to give you the general idea, with the expectation that you will clean it up and integrate it with your code.

[mavrick3]

Attention! It's possible that the iPhone takes twice the same object with Duncans solution!

[Duncan C]

Originally Posted by mavrick3

Attention! It's possible that the iPhone takes twice the same object with Duncans solution!

Huh? "takes twice the same object?" What does that mean?

You mean that more than one label could get the same text? That's true. The OP did not say that he wanted the random text to be random, non-repeating text. That would require a bit more code.

I have a post linked in my signature that shows how to generate random, non-repeating strings. That code could be easily adapted to create random, non-repeating button labels.

[soundoc]

Originally Posted by Duncan C

Huh? "takes twice the same object?" What does that mean?

You mean that more than one label could get the same text? That's true. The OP did not say that he wanted the random text to be random, non-repeating text. That would require a bit more code.

I have a post linked in my signature that shows how to generate random, non-repeating strings. That code could be easily adapted to create random, non-repeating button labels.

I got it to work.
I have these in the'.h' file
int count
NSArray *gamewords


//this is what worked in the '.m' file
NSString *dataPath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@"Words" ofType:@"plist"];
NSMutableDictionary *plistDict = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:dataPath];
gameWords = [plistDict objectForKey:@"gameWords"];

// initial load of words onto labels randomly
count = [gameWords count];
label1.text = [gameWords objectAtIndex:arc4random() % count];
label2.text = [gameWords objectAtIndex:arc4random() % count];
label3.text = [gameWords objectAtIndex:arc4random() % count];
label4.text = [gameWords objectAtIndex:arc4random() % count];
label5.text = [gameWords objectAtIndex:arc4random() % count];
label6.text = [gameWords objectAtIndex:arc4random() % count];
label7.text = [gameWords objectAtIndex:arc4random() % count];

Thanks so much for all your help
Tom