Core Data Basics

Episode #11 | 22 minutes | published on April 19, 2012

Free Video

Core Data is Apple's framework for persisting data on Mac & iOS. It can be though of as an ORM, however it's probably a lot different than most ORMs you've used in the past. In this episode, we'll set up Core Data from scratch so you can see all the moving parts.

Setting up Core Data

// BeersDataModel.h
#import <CoreData/CoreData.h>

@interface BeersDataModel : NSObject

+ (id)sharedDataModel;

@property (nonatomic, readonly) NSManagedObjectContext *mainContext;
@property (nonatomic, readonly) NSPersistentStoreCoordinator *persistentStoreCoordinator;

- (NSString *)modelName;
- (NSString *)pathToModel;
- (NSString *)storeFilename;
- (NSString *)pathToLocalStore;

@end

// BeersDataModel.m
#import "BeersDataModel.h"

@interface BeersDataModel ()

@property (nonatomic, strong) NSManagedObjectModel *managedObjectModel;
- (NSString *)documentsDirectory;

@end

@implementation BeersDataModel

@synthesize managedObjectModel = _managedObjectModel;
@synthesize persistentStoreCoordinator = _persistentStoreCoordinator;
@synthesize mainContext = _mainContext;

+ (id)sharedDataModel {
    static BeersDataModel *__instance = nil;
    if (__instance == nil) {
        __instance = [[BeersDataModel alloc] init];
    }

    return __instance;
}

- (NSString *)modelName {
    return @"Beers";
}

- (NSString *)pathToModel {
    return [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:[self modelName]
                                           ofType:@"momd"];
}

- (NSString *)storeFilename {
    return [[self modelName] stringByAppendingPathExtension:@"sqlite"];
}

- (NSString *)pathToLocalStore {
    return [[self documentsDirectory] stringByAppendingPathComponent:[self storeFilename]];
}

- (NSString *)documentsDirectory {
    NSString *documentsDirectory = nil;
    NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
    documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
    return documentsDirectory;
}

- (NSManagedObjectContext *)mainContext {
    if (_mainContext == nil) {
        _mainContext = [[NSManagedObjectContext alloc] init];
        _mainContext.persistentStoreCoordinator = [self persistentStoreCoordinator];
    }

    return _mainContext;
}

- (NSManagedObjectModel *)managedObjectModel {
    if (_managedObjectModel == nil) {
        NSURL *storeURL = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:[self pathToModel]];
        _managedObjectModel = [[NSManagedObjectModel alloc] initWithContentsOfURL:storeURL];
    }

    return _managedObjectModel;
}

- (NSPersistentStoreCoordinator *)persistentStoreCoordinator {
    if (_persistentStoreCoordinator == nil) {
        NSLog(@"SQLITE STORE PATH: %@", [self pathToLocalStore]);
        NSURL *storeURL = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:[self pathToLocalStore]];
        NSPersistentStoreCoordinator *psc = [[NSPersistentStoreCoordinator alloc] 
                                             initWithManagedObjectModel:[self managedObjectModel]];
        NSDictionary *options = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:
                                 [NSNumber numberWithBool:YES], NSMigratePersistentStoresAutomaticallyOption,
                                 [NSNumber numberWithBool:YES], NSInferMappingModelAutomaticallyOption, nil];
        NSError *e = nil;
        if (![psc addPersistentStoreWithType:NSSQLiteStoreType
                               configuration:nil
                                         URL:storeURL
                                     options:options
                                       error:&e]) {
            NSDictionary *userInfo = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObject:e forKey:NSUnderlyingErrorKey];
            NSString *reason = @"Could not create persistent store.";
            NSException *exc = [NSException exceptionWithName:NSInternalInconsistencyException
                                                       reason:reason 
                                                     userInfo:userInfo];
            @throw exc;
        }

        _persistentStoreCoordinator = psc;
    }

    return _persistentStoreCoordinator;
}
@end

Generating the entities with Mogenerator

mogenerator --template-var arc=true --model Beers.xcdatamodeld/Beers.xcdatamodel

(Note in the video I had the --template-var setting after the model, and that's why the setting wasn't actually applied)

Saving Data


    NSManagedObjectContext *context = [[BeersDataModel sharedDataModel] mainContext];
    if (context) {
        NSLog(@"Context is ready!");

        Beer *beer = [Beer insertInManagedObjectContext:context];
        beer.name = @"90 Minute Imperial IPA";
        Brewery *brewery = [Brewery insertInManagedObjectContext:context];
        brewery.name = @"Dogfish Head";
        beer.brewery = brewery;

        [context save:nil];
    } else {
        NSLog(@"Context was nil :(");
    }

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Core Data Basics

Core Data Basics

Links

Setting up Core Data

Generating the entities with Mogenerator

Saving Data