How do I load multiple arrays into an NSDictionary object (Objective-C; iPhone SDK)?

This method doesn't work...but when I move away from returning a dictionary object and return a single array to the table data source, it works perfectly. so the error of my ways is in how i am creating this dictionary...

Any Help?

- (NSDictionary *) returnDictionary {
self.shopNameArray = [[NSArray alloc] arrayWithObjects: @"Item 1", @"Item 2", @"Item 3", nil];
self.shopLocationArray = [[NSArray alloc] arrayWithObjects: @"Cin开发者_如何转开发cinnati, OH", @"Phoenix, AZ", @"Tuscon, AZ", nil];
self.shopImageArray = [[NSArray alloc] arrayWithObjects: @"image1", "image2", @"image3", nil];

NSMutableDictionary *theDictionary = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc] retain];

[theDictionary setObject:shopNameArray forKey:@"Shop Name"];
[theDictionary setObject:shopLocationArray forKey:@"Shop Location"];
[theDictionary setObject:shopImageArray forKey:@"Shop Image"];

return theMechanicDictionary;
}

Thanks.

Fixed block of code:

- (NSDictionary *) returnDictionary {
    self.shopNameArray = [NSArray arrayWithObjects: @"Item 1", @"Item 2", @"Item 3", nil];
    self.shopLocationArray = [NSArray arrayWithObjects: @"Cincinnati, OH", @"Phoenix, AZ", @"Tuscon, AZ", nil];
    self.shopImageArray = [NSArray arrayWithObjects: @"image1", "image2", @"image3", nil];

    NSMutableDictionary *theDictionary = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];

    [theDictionary setObject:self.shopNameArray forKey:@"Shop Name"];
    [theDictionary setObject:self.shopLocationArray forKey:@"Shop Location"];
    [theDictionary setObject:self.shopImageArray forKey:@"Shop Image"];

    return theDictionary;

}

Changes made:

1. [NSArray arrayWithObjects:… is the format for the particular class method you are trying to call.
2. [NSMutableDictionary dictionary] is the easiest way to get an autoreleased mutable dictionary. Like @Douwe suggested, you may want to init this object with a starting size of 3, but that's not necessary. It only makes a difference if you're loading a butt-ton of objects into your dictionary and you don't want it to continuously be resizing itself.
3. When adding the arrays to your dictionary, you shouldn't reference them by the name of the iVar. Since you set the arrays using properties (self.shopNameArray =) the name of the iVar will not necessarily be the same.

You need to call arrayWithObjects: on NSArray directly, not on an instance of NSArray. So use [NSArray arrayWithObjects: @"Item 1", @"Item 2", @"Item 3", nil]; instead of [[NSArray alloc] arrayWithObjects: @"Item 1", @"Item 2", @"Item 3", nil];.

Also change [[NSDictionary alloc] retain] to [NSMutableDictionary arrayWithCapacity:0], so you're returning an autoreleased NSMutableDictionary. Also, you should always call [[SomeClass alloc] init] or [[SomeClass alloc] initWith...], not [[SomeClass alloc] someMethod], that doesn't work.

It looks to me like you don't really understand what methods are supposed to be called on what exactly...

Help Still Needed!

Well, I believe my dictionary is set-up very well now, but yet I continue to stumble when accessing the values of the dictionary...my table view data source just decides to crash...here is the next set of code...in snippets.

SettingsDataObject *myDataObject = [[SettingsDataObject alloc] init];
self.myNewDictionary = [myDataObject returnDictionary];
[myDataObject release];

self.myShopNameArray = [myNewDictionary objectForKey:@"Shop Name"];
self.myShopLocationArray = [myNewDictionary objectForKey:@"Shop Location"];
self.myShopImageArray = [myNewDictionary objectForKey:@"Shop Image"];
self.mySelectedShopArray = [myNewDictionary objectForKey:@"Shop Selected"];

The above occurs first in my cellForRowAtIndexPath: method. Then once I determine if a cell exists and all that other hoopla, I then set the textlabel.text of the cell using the shop name array which is stored within the dictionary at key @"Shop Name".

Now, I am not sure if it is the above code or the below...but when get rid of both and go with a locally defined array and plug that in...everything works fine. Again, something missing here. I tried this and the second line below...error must be in the above.

cell.textLabel.text = [[myNewDictionary objectForKey:@"Shop Name"] objectAtIndex:indexPath.row]

cell.textLabel.text = [myShopNameArray objectAtIndex:indexPath.row];

Change

[[NSDictionary alloc] retain]

to

[[NSMutableDictionary alloc] retain]