Core data intermediate Workshop at NSSpain 2013

Diego Freniche / @dfreniche / http://www.freniche.com

Core Data Workshop

http://www.freniche.com


Diego Freniche: programmer & teacher

Diego Freniche: programmer & teacher

• @dfreniche

• Freelance Mobile developer: iOS/Android/BB10/webOS/...

• In a former life Java Certifications Collector: SCJP 1.5, SCJP 1.6, SCWCD 1.5, SCBCD 1.3

• Some languages: BASIC, PASCAL, C, C++, Delphi, COBOL, Clipper, Visual Basic, Java, JavaScript, Objective-C

Hello, World!

Before we start...

Before we start...

• Switch OFF phones

Before we start...


• Been here is funny

Before we start...



• ¡Live the moment!¡Carpe diem!

Before we start...



• ¡Live the moment!¡Carpe diem!

• Ask me a lot. Don’t yawn

What you need (checklist)

• a Mac with OS X capable of running Xcode 4.6.1

• last Xcode 4 installed 4.6.1

• You can also use prerelease software, if you are a registered Apple developer. No support then, sorry :-D

• SimPholders installed: http://simpholders.com

• SQLLite database browser: http://sqlitebrowser.sourceforge.net

• (optional) set $HOME/Library folder visible, using (from a Terminal)

http://simpholders.com

http://simpholders.com

http://sqlitebrowser.sourceforge.net

http://sqlitebrowser.sourceforge.net

Diego Freniche / http://www.freniche.com

Idea: Creating the Core Data Stack




The Core Data Stack

Managed Object Context

Persistent Store Coordinator

Persistent Object Store

Managed Object Model




Doubts




Doubts

• Use Apple’s code?




Doubts


• Really?




Doubts


• Really?

• Use a singleton?




Doubts


• Really?


• Don’t use a singleton?




Doubts


• Really?


• Don’t use a singleton?

• Use dependency injection?




Apple’s code




Apple’s code- (void)saveContext{ NSError *error = nil; NSManagedObjectContext *managedObjectContext = self.managedObjectContext; if (managedObjectContext != nil) { if ([managedObjectContext hasChanges] && ![managedObjectContext save:&error]) { // Replace this implementation with code to handle the error appropriately. // abort() causes the application to generate a crash log and terminate. You should not use this function in a shipping application, although it may be useful during development. NSLog(@"Unresolved error %@, %@", error, [error userInfo]); abort(); } }}

#pragma mark - Core Data stack

// Returns the managed object context for the application.// If the context doesn't already exist, it is created and bound to the persistent store coordinator for the application.- (NSManagedObjectContext *)managedObjectContext{ if (_managedObjectContext != nil) { return _managedObjectContext; } NSPersistentStoreCoordinator *coordinator = [self persistentStoreCoordinator]; if (coordinator != nil) { _managedObjectContext = [[NSManagedObjectContext alloc] init]; [_managedObjectContext setPersistentStoreCoordinator:coordinator]; } return _managedObjectContext;}

// Returns the managed object model for the application.// If the model doesn't already exist, it is created from the application's model.- (NSManagedObjectModel *)managedObjectModel{ if (_managedObjectModel != nil) { return _managedObjectModel; } NSURL *modelURL = [[NSBundle mainBundle] URLForResource:@"Test" withExtension:@"momd"]; _managedObjectModel = [[NSManagedObjectModel alloc] initWithContentsOfURL:modelURL]; return _managedObjectModel;}

// Returns the persistent store coordinator for the application.// If the coordinator doesn't already exist, it is created and the application's store added to it.- (NSPersistentStoreCoordinator *)persistentStoreCoordinator{ if (_persistentStoreCoordinator != nil) { return _persistentStoreCoordinator; } NSURL *storeURL = [[self applicationDocumentsDirectory] URLByAppendingPathComponent:@"Test.sqlite"]; NSError *error = nil; _persistentStoreCoordinator = [[NSPersistentStoreCoordinator alloc] initWithManagedObjectModel:[self managedObjectModel]]; if (![_persistentStoreCoordinator addPersistentStoreWithType:NSSQLiteStoreType configuration:nil URL:storeURL options:nil error:&error]) { /* Replace this implementation with code to handle the error appropriately. abort() causes the application to generate a crash log and terminate. You should not use this function in a shipping application, although it may be useful during development. Typical reasons for an error here include: * The persistent store is not accessible; * The schema for the persistent store is incompatible with current managed object model. Check the error message to determine what the actual problem was. If the persistent store is not accessible, there is typically something wrong with the file path. Often, a file URL is pointing into the application's resources directory instead of a writeable directory. If you encounter schema incompatibility errors during development, you can reduce their frequency by: * Simply deleting the existing store: [[NSFileManager defaultManager] removeItemAtURL:storeURL error:nil] * Performing automatic lightweight migration by passing the following dictionary as the options parameter: @{NSMigratePersistentStoresAutomaticallyOption:@YES, NSInferMappingModelAutomaticallyOption:@YES} Lightweight migration will only work for a limited set of schema changes; consult "Core Data Model Versioning and Data Migration Programming Guide" for details. */ NSLog(@"Unresolved error %@, %@", error, [error userInfo]); abort(); } return _persistentStoreCoordinator;}

#pragma mark - Application's Documents directory

// Returns the URL to the application's Documents directory.- (NSURL *)applicationDocumentsDirectory{ return [[[NSFileManager defaultManager] URLsForDirectory:NSDocumentDirectory inDomains:NSUserDomainMask] lastObject];}




Apple’s code problems

• Core Data Stack inside AppDelegate?

• Really?

• Separation of concerns?

• Only one Managed Object Context




Create our own Core Data Stack





• In one “simple” method






• Singleton / not singleton?






• Singleton / not singleton?

• Use both!




Dependency injection? Or singletons FTW?

• It depends :-)




Idea: using asserts to check threads




Asserts

• Check if we are running UI code in the UI Thread

• Check if we are NOT running Core Data code in the UI Thread




Asserts

• Check if we are running UI code in the UI Thread

• Check if we are NOT running Core Data code in the UI Thread

#define DF_ASSERT_MAIN_THREAD [NSThread isMainThread]?:(NSLog(@"NOT IN MAIN THREAD"),abort())




Idea: create a common UITableView/Core data class




Idea: use an NSManagedObject subclass




Entities Design Tips





• Always add field order






• Try to create a good UML diagram at first






• Try to create a good UML diagram at first

• Have an NSString constant with every Entity’s name inside .h




Extend NSManagedObject

• Editor > Create NSManagedObject subclass...

• creates @dynamic properties

• getter / setter generated in runtime (@property in compile time)

• Core Data doesn’t know at compile time if the persistent store is going to be XML or a DB (or in-memory)





• overwrite init to call designated initializer





• overwrite init to call designated initializer

-(id)init {

NSManagedObjectContext *context = [[CoreDataStack coreDataStack] managedObjectContext];

return [self initWithEntity:[NSEntityDescription entityForName:kRETROITEM_ENTITY inManagedObjectContext:context ] insertIntoManagedObjectContext:context];

}




Validate Properties

• One for every property, if we want it

• Passing parameter by reference

• It should return YES if validation is passed




Validate Properties

• One for every property, if we want it

• Passing parameter by reference

• It should return YES if validation is passed

-(BOOL)validateName:(id *)ioValue error:(NSError * __autoreleasing *)outError;




Validator for operations

• First thing: must call [super ...]

• Useful to check business rules (using several properties)




Validator for operations

• First thing: must call [super ...]

• Useful to check business rules (using several properties)

- (BOOL)validateForDelete:(NSError **)error

- (BOOL)validateForInsert:(NSError **)error

- (BOOL)validateForUpdate:(NSError **)error




Support for KVO

• Good for Faults




Support for KVO

• Good for Faults

- (void)willAccessValueForKey:(NSString *)key




Idea: use Mogenerator




Mogenerator

created by Jonathan 'Wolf' Rentzsch




Mogenerator (quoting from the web page)





• http://rentzsch.github.io/mogenerator/



http://rentzsch.github.io/mogenerator/





• generates Objective-C code for your Core Data custom classes





http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/CoreData/cdProgrammingGuide.html






• Unlike Xcode, mogenerator manages two classes per entity: one for machines, one for humans











• Unlike Xcode, mogenerator manages two classes per entity: one for machines, one for humans

• The machine class can always be overwritten to match the data model, with humans’ work effortlessly preserved








Installing mogenerator




Using it

• it’s a script, so we can launch it from command line

• using iTerm, DTerm, etc.

• Best way: to have it inside our project

• Create a new Aggregate Target (New Target > Other > Aggregate)

• Add Build Phase > Add Run Script




Using it

• it’s a script, so we can launch it from command line

• using iTerm, DTerm, etc.

• Best way: to have it inside our project

• Create a new Aggregate Target (New Target > Other > Aggregate)

• Add Build Phase > Add Run Script

mogenerator --template-var arc=true -m RetroStuffTracker/RetroStuffTracker.xcdatamodeld/RetroStuffTracker.xcdatamodel/




Two classes

• _MyClass.*: machine generated

• *MyClass.*: human edited

• Never, ever recreate the classes again from the Core Data Model




Two classes




#import "_RetroItem.h"

@interface RetroItem : _RetroItem {}// Custom logic goes here.@end

Two classes




#import "_RetroItem.h"

@interface RetroItem : _RetroItem {}// Custom logic goes here.@end

#import "RetroItem.h"

@interface RetroItem ()

// Private interface goes here.

@end

@implementation RetroItem

// Custom logic goes here.

@end

Two classes




Idea: use Magical Record




Magical record != avoid Core Data at all costs





• Just a bunch of categories to help you write less code






• You have to know your sh*t







• CocoaPods friendly








• Ideal: use Unit testing + Mogenerator + CocoaPods + Magical Record









• My point: 7 people, 7 ideas, all great









• My point: 7 people, 7 ideas, all great

• all different



Core data intermediate Workshop at NSSpain 2013

Technology

Transcript of Core data intermediate Workshop at NSSpain 2013