addObject to NSMutableArray

[krisix]

Hello,

I have a problem with adding custom objects to NSMutableArray. I've defined my class Absent.

Absent.h:

#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>

@interface Absent : NSObject {

	NSString *Username;

	NSDate *From;
	NSDate *To;

	NSString *Type;

}

@property (nonatomic,retain,readonly) NSString *Username;
@property (nonatomic,retain,readonly) NSDate *From;
@property (nonatomic,retain,readonly) NSDate *To;
@property (nonatomic,retain,readonly) NSString *Type;

- (id) initWithUsername:(NSString *)username from:(NSDate *)from to:(NSDate *)to type:(NSString *)type;

@end

Absent.m:

#import "Absent.h"

@implementation Absent

@synthesize Username, From, To, Type;

- (id) init {
	self = [super init];
	if (self != nil) {
		Username = [[NSString alloc] init];
		Type = [[NSString alloc] init];
		From = [[NSDate alloc] init];
		To = [[NSDate alloc] init];
	}
	return self;
}

- (id) initWithUsername:(NSString *)username from:(NSDate *)from to:(NSDate *)to type:(NSString *)type {
	self = [super init];

	if (self != nil) {
		Username = username;
		From = from;
		To = to;
		Type = type;
	}
	
	return self;	
}

@end

In another part of code I am initializing NSMutableArray with this code:

Absents = [[[NSMutableArray alloc] init] retain];

Next I'm trying to add object to my array:

Absent *userAbsent = [[[Absent alloc] initWithUsername:_xmlUsername from:fromDate to:toDate type:_xmlType] retain]; 

[Absents addObject:userAbsent];

[userAbsent release];

In a debugger I can see that NSMutableArray Absents has 1 object but it is marked as "out of scope". I've just changed my code for testing to this simple code:

NSString *test = [[NSString alloc] initWithString:@"Nieobecność"];
[Absents addObject:test];
[test release];

Above code works ok. What's wrong with my code and adding custom object?

[smasher]

Your code looks OK, except that you're calling "retain" where you don't need to. Objects that you init or copy start with a retainCount of 1, so you don't need to retain them right away.

Make sure it's a code problem and not a debugger problem. Try this to see if the object is really being saved:

Absent *userAbsent = [[Absent alloc] initWithUsername:_xmlUsername from:fromDate to:toDate type:_xmlType]; 

[Absents addObject:userAbsent];

[userAbsent release];

Absent *testUser = [Absents objectAtIndex:0];
NSLog (@" %@ ", testUser.Username);

I also see you're not retaining the inputs to your init method - you should, in case they get autoreleased or released by the original owner.

if (self != nil) {
	Username = [username retain];
	From = [from retain];
	To = [to retain];
	Type = [type retain];
}

Normally you would just say self.Username = username and let the property handle the retain for you, but Apple suggests not using the property in the init and dealloc methods.

[krisix]

Thanks for your help, smasher!

I will make some tests today.

[krisix]

I've made some changes to code which you suggests. But then I've problems in another part of code which was working ok.

So I've decided to test my app on iPhone - not on iPhone simulator. And now it works ok! So all my problems was related with iPhone simulator. On iPhone everything works ok!

With iPhone Simulator I've problems with accessing to my objects and the last problem was initializing NSDate object. On iPhone everything is ok.

Maybe it is caused that I'm using iPhone OS 4.0 Beta 3.

Thanks again Smasher for your help!