Question

Is this the right way?

// convert
const void *buffer = NULL;
size_t size = 0;
dispatch_data_t new_data_file = dispatch_data_create_map(data, &buffer, &size);
if(new_data_file){ /* to avoid warning really - since dispatch_data_create_map demands we care about the return arg */}

NSData *nsdata = [[NSData alloc] initWithBytes:buffer length:size];

// use the nsdata... code removed for general purpose

// clean up
[nsdata release];
free(buffer); // warning: passing const void * to parameter of type void *

It is working fine. My main concern is memory leaks. Leaking data buffers is not fun. So is the NSData, the buffer and the dispatch_data_t new_data_file all fine?

From what I can read on http://opensource.apple.com/source/libdispatch/libdispatch-187.7/dispatch/data.c it seems the buffer is DISPATCH_DATA_DESTRUCTOR_FREE. Does that mean it is my responsibility to free the buffer?

Answer 1

For the most part, your code is correct.
+initWithBytes:length: will copy the buffer sent in so, you don’t have to worry about freeing the buffer after the data, you can safely free the data first.

According to the documentation, you do NOT free the data after you are done with it:

If you specify non-NULL values for buffer_ptr or size_ptr, the values returned in
those variables are valid only until you release the newly created dispatch data
object. You can use these values as a quick way to access the data of the new
data object.

You simply release the new_data_file variable (ARC will not do this for you).