Question

If I created subclasses of NSManagedObject Subclass, I see these functions on the implementation files Business.m (for example)

None of these functions are declared in the header file Business.h. I have to personally add

- (void)addDistrictsObject:(District *)value;
- (void)addCategoriesObject:(Category *)value;
- (void)addReviewsObject:(Review *)value;

I wonder why do I have to add those declaration manually? Why not automatically when I tried to generate the SubClass?

Here are the function by the way:

- (void)addPromotionsObject:(Promotion *)value {    
    NSSet *changedObjects = [[NSSet alloc] initWithObjects:&value count:1];
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Promotions" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Promotions"] addObject:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Promotions" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [changedObjects release];
}

- (void)removePromotionsObject:(Promotion *)value {
    NSSet *changedObjects = [[NSSet alloc] initWithObjects:&value count:1];
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Promotions" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Promotions"] removeObject:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Promotions" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [changedObjects release];
}

- (void)addPromotions:(NSSet *)value {    
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Promotions" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:value];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Promotions"] unionSet:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Promotions" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:value];
}

- (void)removePromotions:(NSSet *)value {
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Promotions" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:value];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Promotions"] minusSet:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Promotions" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:value];
}



- (void)addCategoriesObject:(Category *)value {    
    NSSet *changedObjects = [[NSSet alloc] initWithObjects:&value count:1];
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Categories" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Categories"] addObject:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Categories" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [changedObjects release];
}

- (void)removeCategoriesObject:(Category *)value {
    NSSet *changedObjects = [[NSSet alloc] initWithObjects:&value count:1];
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Categories" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Categories"] removeObject:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Categories" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [changedObjects release];
}

- (void)addCategories:(NSSet *)value {    
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Categories" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:value];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Categories"] unionSet:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Categories" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:value];
}

- (void)removeCategories:(NSSet *)value {
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Categories" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:value];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Categories"] minusSet:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Categories" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:value];
}



- (void)addImagesObject:(Image *)value {    
    NSSet *changedObjects = [[NSSet alloc] initWithObjects:&value count:1];
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Images" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Images"] addObject:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Images" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [changedObjects release];
}

- (void)removeImagesObject:(Image *)value {
    NSSet *changedObjects = [[NSSet alloc] initWithObjects:&value count:1];
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Images" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Images"] removeObject:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Images" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [changedObjects release];
}

- (void)addImages:(NSSet *)value {    
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Images" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:value];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Images"] unionSet:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Images" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:value];
}

- (void)removeImages:(NSSet *)value {
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Images" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:value];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Images"] minusSet:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Images" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:value];
}



- (void)addReviewsObject:(Review *)value {    
    NSSet *changedObjects = [[NSSet alloc] initWithObjects:&value count:1];
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Reviews" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Reviews"] addObject:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Reviews" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [changedObjects release];
}

- (void)removeReviewsObject:(Review *)value {
    NSSet *changedObjects = [[NSSet alloc] initWithObjects:&value count:1];
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Reviews" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Reviews"] removeObject:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Reviews" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [changedObjects release];
}

- (void)addReviews:(NSSet *)value {    
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Reviews" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:value];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Reviews"] unionSet:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Reviews" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:value];
}

- (void)removeReviews:(NSSet *)value {
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Reviews" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:value];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Reviews"] minusSet:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Reviews" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:value];
}


- (void)addURLsObject:(URL *)value {    
    NSSet *changedObjects = [[NSSet alloc] initWithObjects:&value count:1];
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"URLs" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"URLs"] addObject:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"URLs" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [changedObjects release];
}

- (void)removeURLsObject:(URL *)value {
    NSSet *changedObjects = [[NSSet alloc] initWithObjects:&value count:1];
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"URLs" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"URLs"] removeObject:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"URLs" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [changedObjects release];
}

- (void)addURLs:(NSSet *)value {    
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"URLs" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:value];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"URLs"] unionSet:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"URLs" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:value];
}

- (void)removeURLs:(NSSet *)value {
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"URLs" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:value];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"URLs"] minusSet:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"URLs" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:value];
}



- (void)addDistrictsObject:(District *)value {    
    NSSet *changedObjects = [[NSSet alloc] initWithObjects:&value count:1];
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Districts" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Districts"] addObject:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Districts" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [changedObjects release];
}

- (void)removeDistrictsObject:(District *)value {
    NSSet *changedObjects = [[NSSet alloc] initWithObjects:&value count:1];
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Districts" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Districts"] removeObject:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Districts" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:changedObjects];
    [changedObjects release];
}

- (void)addDistricts:(NSSet *)value {    
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Districts" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:value];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Districts"] unionSet:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Districts" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueUnionSetMutation usingObjects:value];
}

- (void)removeDistricts:(NSSet *)value {
    [self willChangeValueForKey:@"Districts" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:value];
    [[self primitiveValueForKey:@"Districts"] minusSet:value];
    [self didChangeValueForKey:@"Districts" withSetMutation:NSKeyValueMinusSetMutation usingObjects:value];
}

Answer 1

Prior to Xcode 4.x, the autogenerated code did produce header definition for methods. The loss of the headers is probably another victim of X4’s un-Apple-like slipshod quality control.

The headers are really only needed for intellisense or some other human interface tool. The @dynamic preprocessor command will tell the compiler that the methods exist based on naming conventions. During runtime, Core Data will check the class by sending respondsToSelector to the instantiated objects or it will use direct key-value methods.

You can always add them yourself with a small script that runs manually or with a build. It’s pain but apparently X4 design was focused on managing large multi-product projects and they dropped the ball on some of the older basic stuff.