Question

I’m extracting some string data from a plist:

<dict>
<key>Feb 7, 2000</key>
<array>
    <string>7</string>
    <string>8</string>
</array>
<key>Jan 27, 2001</key>
<array>
    <string>8</string>
    <string>7</string>
</array>

and using the following code to output the data in a UILabel:

  NSString * myString = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@",self.data];

    myLabel.text = myString;

the output is being displayed as ( 7, 8)

does anyone know how i might go about removing the parenthesis and comma. and also separating the values so I could display something like first: 7 second: 8

Answer 1

Example:

<dict>
<key>Feb 7, 2000</key>
<array>
    <string>7</string>
    <string>8</string>
</array>
<key>Jan 27, 2001</key>
<array>
    <string>8</string>
    <string>7</string>
</array>
</dict>

Code:

NSMutableDictionary *dict = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:path]; 

for(id key in dict) {
    NSLog(@"First:%@ Second:%@", [[dict objectForKey:key] objectAtIndex:0],  [[dict objectForKey:key] objectAtIndex:1]);
}

Output:

First:7 Second:8
First:8 Second:7

EDIT (response to comment)

First you need to determine the keys within the NSMutableDictionary.
Load the .plist file, loop through and add the keys to an NSMutableArray.

NSMutableDictionary *dict = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:path]; 
NSMutableArray *keys = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
for(id key in dict) [keys addObject:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@",key]];

Make sure the array can be accessed by the UIPickerView.
The UIPickerView should be able to retrieve the keys like this:

- (NSString *)pickerView:(UIPickerView *)pickerView titleForRow:(NSInteger)row forComponent:(NSInteger)component;
{
    return [keys objectAtIndex:row];
}

- (NSInteger)pickerView:(UIPickerView *)pickerView numberOfRowsInComponent:(NSInteger)component;
{
    return [keys count];
}

- (NSInteger)numberOfComponentsInPickerView:(UIPickerView *)pickerView;
{
    return 1;
}

Finally, update the UILabel like this:

- (void)pickerView:(UIPickerView *)pickerView didSelectRow:(NSInteger)row inComponent:(NSInteger)component
{
    theLabel.text = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"First:%@ Second:%@", 
                      [[dict objectForKey:[keys objectAtIndex:row]] objectAtIndex:0],  
                      [[dict objectForKey:[keys objectAtIndex:row]] objectAtIndex:1]];
}

The UIPickerView now contains the following rows:

Feb 7, 2000
Jan 27, 2001

When for example “Jan 27, 2001” is selected, the UILabel shows:

First:8 Second:7