NSURLRequest converting NSData to an array

Question

I need to convert data received from the web via an array in a PHP script into an array that I can pull values out of. Here's my code!

-(void)connectionDidFinishLoading:(NSURLConnection *)connection{
    //NSString *payloadAsString = [NSString stringWithUTF8String:[receivedData bytes]];
    NSArray *payloadAsString = [NSKeyedUnarchiver unarchiveObjectWithData:receivedData];
    [payloadAsString finishEncoding];
    verified = [payloadAsString objectAtIndex:0];
     NSLog(@"logging");
     //NSString *no = [[NSString alloc] init stringWithCString:verified];
    NSLog(@"%@", verified);
    if([verified isEqualToString:@"admin"]){
    NSLog(@"test admin");
            [self performSelector:@selector(changeViewAdmin) withObject:nil afterDelay:0.05];
        }
        if([verified isEqualToString:@"user"]){
        NSLog(@"test user");
            [self performSelector:@selector(changeView) withObject:nil afterDelay:0.05];
        }
        if([verified isEqualToString:@"No"]){
        NSLog(@"test no");
        UIAlertView *alert = [[UIAlertView alloc] initWithTitle:@"Error"
    message:@"Invalid UserName/Password combination!"
    delegate:self
    cancelButtonTitle:@"Okay"
    otherButtonTitles:nil];
    [alert show];
    [alert release];
        }
    [payloadAsString release];
    //NSLog(@"%@", verified);
    //  INSERT GOOGLE MAPS URL REQUEST HERE
    /*if(requestType == 1){
    NSString* addressText = payloadAsString;
    // URL encode the spaces
    addressText =  [addressText stringByAddingPercentEscapesUsingEncoding: NSASCIIStringEncoding];  
    NSString* urlText = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"http://maps.google.com/maps?q=%@", addressText];
    // lets throw this text on the log so we can view the url in the event we have an issue
    [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:[NSURL URLWithString:urlText]];
    // */
    //
    //}
    [connection release];
    self.receivedData = nil;
}

Unfortunately, my console returns null and asks if I've put the -finishencoding method in. Question is, if that's correct, where would I do so?

PS: Another question, is if I'm retrieving an array of data from a database, is a PHP script the best way to go? Thank you.

Answer 1

1) Of all this code the only string relevant to your question is

NSArray *payloadAsString = [NSKeyedUnarchiver unarchiveObjectWithData:receivedData];

I really doubt that PHP script returns you data in NSKeyedUnarchiver-compatible format. I believe the only reason you don't get NSInvalidArgumentException exception from this method is that receivedData is nil (did you initialize it anywhere?). Try to make a string from what you receive like this

[[[NSString alloc] initWithData:receivedData encoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding] autorelease]

and log it. From this I hope it will be clear how to parse response.

2) Do not name NSArray instances like 'blahBlahString'. Strings and arrays are completely different.

Answer 2

NSKeyedUnarchiver can only unarchive instances which are produced by instances of the NSKeyedArchiver class.

https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Cocoa/Reference/Foundation/Classes/NSKeyedUnarchiver_Class/index.html