Question

What I’d like to do is something like this:

NSArray *someArray = [[NSArray alloc] initWithObjects: C_MACRO, nil];

With the C_MACRO part being an outlying file that uses a #define to list some number of NSStrings, so when I need to change the string objects that populate the array I can conveniently do in one file. So far, it seems this is impossible. But then again, I’m a novice.

Anyone care to enlighten me?

Answer 1

No problem doing this… A macro is just text-replacement.

/* foo.h */
#define C_MACRO @"foo", @"bar"

/* bar.m */
#import "foo.h"
NSArray * someArray = [ [ NSArray alloc ] initWithObjects: C_MACRO, nil ];

Note you can use macros inside another macro. So

#define FOO_STR @"foo"
#define BAR_STR @"bar"
#define STR_LIST FOO_STR, BAR_STR

Another way is to have your strings allocated in a .m file, and declared as extern in a public header file. Handy if unique instances of the same object has to be shared.

/* foo.h */
extern NSString * const fooStr;
extern NSString * const barStr;

/* foo.m */
NSString * const fooStr = @"foo";
NSString * const BarStr = @"bar";