EXC_BAD_ACCESS when loading NSArray from .plist

Question

I have a plist written from a NSMutableArray by [NSMutableArray writeToFile]. When trying to load that same plist with the following code:

NSArray *testArray = [NSArray arrayWithContentsOfFile:[self pathForDataFile:@"reportingSpeicher.plist"]];
NSLog(@"count = %@",[testArray count]);

I get bad access on the count or on any other operation I try on testArray. BUT:

NSLog(@"testArray = %@", testArray);

correctly returns:

testArray = (
        {
        benutzername = "t.h";
        datum = "2010-07-15";
        dauerInStunden = 1;
        phasenName = "Projektsteuerung,32";
        projektName = "projekt AG,23";
        soapSpeicher =         {
            PasswortAsMD5 = someMD5sum;
            benutzername = "t.h";
            datum = "2010-07-15";
            dauerInStunden = 1;
            phasenid = 32;
            projektid = 23;
            taetigkeit = whateveryoudid;
        };
        taetigkeit = whateveryoudid;
    } )

I'm guessing there is either some basic memory management involved or the type returned is somehow corrupted/not an NSArray. Those three lines should really be simple enough - I just can't get it to work. I'd appreciate any help!

Answer 1

You need to initialise the array first. Use NSArray *testArray = [[NSArray alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:[self pathForDataFile:@"reportingSpeicher.plist"]];.

Answer 2

Your NSLog statement is incorrect. The %@ format string is used when printing out an Objective-C object, but [testArray count] returns a plain int, and when NSLog tries to send the result a -description message to print it out, that results in a crash. You'll want to use %d instead to print out the integer value.

NSLog(@"count = %d",[testArray count]);