Question

I’m trying to follow a Dave DeLong blog post here.
We construct a category on NSNumber to compute the factorial. It seems to work fine, but when I wrap it up into an NSExpression and try to evaluate the expression, I get

[NSCFNumber factorial:]: unrecognized selector sent to instance 0x100108d40'

But the object at that address is the NSNumber, which does recognize that selector.
I’m stumped.

#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>

@interface NSNumber (FactorialExpression)
- (NSNumber *) factorial;
@end

@implementation NSNumber (FactorialExpression)
- (NSNumber *) factorial {
  double baseValue = [self doubleValue];
  double result = tgamma(baseValue+1);
  return [NSNumber numberWithDouble:result];
}
@end

int main (int argc, const char * argv[]) {
    NSAutoreleasePool * pool = [[NSAutoreleasePool alloc] init];

    NSNumber *n = [NSNumber numberWithDouble:4.2];
    NSLog(@"%@ %@", n, [n factorial]);
    NSLog(@"%p %d", n, [n respondsToSelector:@selector(factorial)]);

    NSExpression *f = [NSExpression expressionForConstantValue:n];
    NSExpression *e = [NSExpression expressionForFunction:f
                                             selectorName:@"factorial:" 
                                                arguments:nil];
    NSLog(@"operand %@ %@", [e operand], [[e operand] class]);
    NSLog(@"operand %@", [e function]);

    id result = [e expressionValueWithObject:nil context:nil];
    //NSLog(@"%@ %@", [result description], [result class]);
    [pool drain];
    return 0;
}

2011-03-13 10:09:02.312 test[94896:903] 4.2 32.57809605033135
2011-03-13 10:09:02.314 test[94896:903] 0x100108d40 1
2011-03-13 10:09:02.315 test[94896:903] operand 4.2 NSConstantValueExpression
2011-03-13 10:09:02.316 test[94896:903] operand factorial:
2011-03-13 10:09:02.316 test[94896:903] -[NSCFNumber factorial:]: unrecognized selector sent to instance 0x100108d40

What am I not understanding about this? Thanks.

It’s embarassing. A stupid typo. Sorry guys.

Answer 1

NSExpression *e = [NSExpression expressionForFunction:f selectorName:@"factorial:" arguments:nil];

The selector name should not have a colon at the end.