Question

Confusing one to explain: I’m trying to iterate a for loop through an NSMutableDictionary, looking at its “key” values, and comparing those to the “key” values of a second NSMutableDictionary. If there’s a match (they’re string comparisons), I want the “object” of both dictionaries to be added to a separate array.

To clarify, Dictionaries A and B both contain lists of words (object) and those words in alphabetical order (key), like so:

apple = aelpp
tomato = amoott
stack = ackst

So I need to compare “aelpp” to “amoott”, but then store “apple” and “tomato”.

Basic question is: when using a for loop (for (NSString *currentWord in dictionaryA)), how do I refer to dictionaryA’s objects or keys specifically? I’ll need it to compare the keys, but then store the objects if they’re a match.

If anything needs more clarification, please do ask 🙂

Answer 1

To answer your “basic question”: Fast enumeration of an NSDictionary enumerates the dictionary keys:

for (NSString *keyA in dictionaryA) {
    NSString *valueA = [dictionaryA objectForKey:keyA];
    // Now keyA : valueA is one key-value pair of dictionaryA ...
}

(assuming that all keys and values are strings).