com.webobjects.foundation
Class NSPropertyListSerialization

java.lang.Object
  com.webobjects.foundation.NSPropertyListSerialization

public class NSPropertyListSerialization
extends Object

This class provides static methods that convert between property lists and their string representations, which can be either strings or NSData objects. A property list is a structure that represents organized data. It can be built from a combination of NSArray, NSDictionary, String, and NSData objects.

The string representation can be in XML or the ASCII plist format. To distinguish between the two formats, the parser that converts strings to property lists finds out whether the string starts with <?xml. A discussion of the ASCII plist format, A Primer on ASCII Property Lists, is available in the Mac OS X section of the Apple Developer Connection website. A discussion of XML property lists, Property List Services, is also available in the same area of the Apple Developer Connection website.

Some methods do not support XML property list representations, specifically booleanForString and intForString.

The NSPropertyListSerialization class cannot be instantiated.

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.booleanForString(java.lang.String), NSPropertyListSerialization.intForString(java.lang.String)

Field Summary

static boolean	ForceXML Convenience for methods to convert to xml plist.
static boolean	Indents Convenience for methods to convert to plist.
static boolean	NoIndents Convenience for methods to convert to plist.

Method Summary

static NSArray	arrayForString(String value) Parses the property list representation string and returns the resulting property list as an NSArray.
static NSArray	arrayForString(String value, boolean forceXML) Parses the property list representation string and returns the resulting property list as an NSArray.
static NSArray	arrayWithPathURL(URL url) Converts a java.net.URL into a property list and returns the resulting property list as an NSArray.
static NSArray	arrayWithPathURL(URL url, boolean forceXML) Converts a java.net.URL into a property list and returns the resulting property list as an NSArray.
static boolean	booleanForString(String value) Parses a given string for boolean value according to the table below.
static NSData	dataFromPropertyList(Object plist) Deprecated. Use dataFromPropertyList(Object object, String encoding) instead.
static NSData	dataFromPropertyList(Object plist, String encoding) Converts the property list object into a string using a character encoding and returns it as an NSData object.
static NSDictionary	dictionaryForString(String value) Parses the property list representation string and returns the resulting property list as an NSDictionary.
static NSDictionary	dictionaryForString(String value, boolean forceXML) Parses the property list representation string and returns the resulting property list as an NSDictionary.
static NSDictionary	dictionaryWithPathURL(URL url) Converts a java.net.URL into a property list and returns the resulting property list as an NSDictionary.
static NSDictionary	dictionaryWithPathURL(URL url, boolean forceXML) Converts a java.net.URL into a property list and returns the resulting property list as an NSDictionary.
static int	intForString(String value) Parses a given string and returns the corresponding integer value.
static Object	propertyListFromData(NSData data) Deprecated. Use propertyListFromData(NSData data, String encoding)
static Object	propertyListFromData(NSData data, String encoding) Converts an NSData into a property list using a character encoding and returns it.
static Object	propertyListFromString(String string) Converts a string into a property list and returns it.
static Object	propertyListFromString(String string, boolean forceXML) Converts a string into a property list and returns it.
static Object	propertyListWithPathURL(URL url) Converts a java.net.URL into a property list and returns it.
static Object	propertyListWithPathURL(URL url, boolean forceXML) Converts a java.net.URL into a property list and returns it.
static String	stringFromPropertyList(Object plist) Converts a property list object into a string (old style plist) and returns it.
static String	stringFromPropertyList(Object plist, boolean indents) Converts a property list object into a string (old style plist) and returns it.
static String	xmlStringFromPropertyList(Object plist) Converts a property list object into an XML string and returns it.
static String	xmlStringFromPropertyList(Object plist, boolean indents) Converts a property list object into an XML string and returns it.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Field Detail

Indents

public static final boolean Indents

Convenience for methods to convert to plist. Returns true..

See Also:

Constant Field Values

NoIndents

public static final boolean NoIndents

Convenience for methods to convert to plist. Returns false.

See Also:

Constant Field Values

ForceXML

public static final boolean ForceXML

Convenience for methods to convert to xml plist. Returns true..

See Also:

Constant Field Values

Method Detail

stringFromPropertyList

public static String stringFromPropertyList(Object plist)

Converts a property list object into a string (old style plist) and returns it. All entries are indented.

Parameters:

plist - the property list to convert

Returns:

plist as a string

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.propertyListFromString(java.lang.String)

stringFromPropertyList

public static String stringFromPropertyList(Object plist,
                                            boolean indents)

Converts a property list object into a string (old style plist) and returns it.

Parameters:

plist - the property list to convert

indents - if true the resulting plist is indented (tabs and CR) if false no tabs anc CR are inserted in the result

Returns:

plist as a string

Since:

5.4

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.propertyListFromString(java.lang.String)

xmlStringFromPropertyList

public static String xmlStringFromPropertyList(Object plist)

Converts a property list object into an XML string and returns it. All entries are indented.

Parameters:

plist - the property list to convert

Returns:

plist as a string

Since:

5.4

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.propertyListFromString(java.lang.String)

xmlStringFromPropertyList

public static String xmlStringFromPropertyList(Object plist,
                                               boolean indents)

Converts a property list object into an XML string and returns it.

Parameters:

plist - the property list to convert

indents - if true the resulting plist is indented (tabs and CR) if false no tabs anc CR are inserted in the result

Returns:

plist as a string

Since:

5.4

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.propertyListFromString(java.lang.String)

propertyListFromString

public static Object propertyListFromString(String string)

Converts a string into a property list and returns it.

Parameters:

string - the string to convert to a property list

Returns:

string as a property list

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.stringFromPropertyList(java.lang.Object)

propertyListFromString

public static Object propertyListFromString(String string,
                                            boolean forceXML)

Converts a string into a property list and returns it.

Parameters:

string - the string to convert to a property list

forceXML - force xml decoding

Returns:

string as a property list

Since:

5.4

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.stringFromPropertyList(java.lang.Object)

propertyListWithPathURL

public static Object propertyListWithPathURL(URL url)

Converts a java.net.URL into a property list and returns it.

Parameters:

url - the java.net.URL to convert to a property list

Returns:

the content at url as a property list

Since:

5.2.2

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.stringFromPropertyList(java.lang.Object)

propertyListWithPathURL

public static Object propertyListWithPathURL(URL url,
                                             boolean forceXML)

Converts a java.net.URL into a property list and returns it.

Parameters:

url - the java.net.URL to convert to a property list

forceXML - force xml decoding

Returns:

the content at url as a property list

Since:

5.4

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.stringFromPropertyList(java.lang.Object)

dataFromPropertyList

@Deprecated
public static NSData dataFromPropertyList(Object plist)

Deprecated. Use dataFromPropertyList(Object object, String encoding) instead.

Converts the property list object into a string and returns it as an NSData object. This method uses the platform's default character encoding to convert the result string to byte.

Parameters:

plist - property list object

Returns:

object converted to an NSData

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.propertyListFromData(NSData, java.lang.String)

dataFromPropertyList

public static NSData dataFromPropertyList(Object plist,
                                          String encoding)

Converts the property list object into a string using a character encoding and returns it as an NSData object.

Parameters:

plist - the property list object to convert

encoding - encoding used to convert the characters in the result string to byte

Returns:

object converted to an NSData

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.propertyListFromData(NSData, java.lang.String)

propertyListFromData

@Deprecated
public static Object propertyListFromData(NSData data)

Deprecated. Use propertyListFromData(NSData data, String encoding)

Converts an NSData into a property list and returns it.

This method uses the platform's default character encoding to convert the bytes in data byte array to characters in a string representation.

Parameters:

data - the byte array to be converted to a property list

Returns:

data as a property list

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.dataFromPropertyList(Object, java.lang.String)

propertyListFromData

public static Object propertyListFromData(NSData data,
                                          String encoding)

Converts an NSData into a property list using a character encoding and returns it.

Parameters:

data - the byte array to be converted to a property list

encoding - encoding to use to convert the bytes in the data byte array to characters in a string representation

Returns:

data as a property list

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.dataFromPropertyList(Object, java.lang.String)

booleanForString

public static boolean booleanForString(String value)

Parses a given string for boolean value according to the table below.

String		Result
"YES"		true
"true"		true
any other value		false

The tests for "YES" and "true" are case insensitive.

Parameters:

value - the string to be parsed for boolean value

Returns:

the parsed boolean value

intForString

public static int intForString(String value)

Parses a given string and returns the corresponding integer value.

Parameters:

value - the string to be parsed for integer value

Returns:

integer value of string; 0 if it is null

arrayWithPathURL

public static NSArray arrayWithPathURL(URL url)

Converts a java.net.URL into a property list and returns the resulting property list as an NSArray.

Parameters:

url - the java.net.URL to convert to a property list

Returns:

Returns resulting property list as an NSArray

Since:

5.4

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.stringFromPropertyList(java.lang.Object)

arrayWithPathURL

public static NSArray arrayWithPathURL(URL url,
                                       boolean forceXML)

Converts a java.net.URL into a property list and returns the resulting property list as an NSArray.

Parameters:

url - the java.net.URL to convert to a property list

forceXML - force xml decoding

Returns:

Returns resulting property list as an NSArray

Since:

5.4

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.stringFromPropertyList(java.lang.Object)

arrayForString

public static NSArray arrayForString(String value)

Parses the property list representation string and returns the resulting property list as an NSArray.

Parameters:

value - input property list representation string

Returns:

Returns resulting property list as an NSArray

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.dictionaryForString(String)

arrayForString

public static NSArray arrayForString(String value,
                                     boolean forceXML)

Parses the property list representation string and returns the resulting property list as an NSArray.

Parameters:

value - input property list representation string

forceXML - force xml decoding

Returns:

Returns resulting property list as an NSArray

Since:

5.4

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.dictionaryForString(String)

dictionaryWithPathURL

public static NSDictionary dictionaryWithPathURL(URL url)

Converts a java.net.URL into a property list and returns the resulting property list as an NSDictionary.

Parameters:

url - the java.net.URL to convert to a property list

Returns:

string as an NSDictionary

Since:

5.4

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.stringFromPropertyList(java.lang.Object)

dictionaryWithPathURL

public static NSDictionary dictionaryWithPathURL(URL url,
                                                 boolean forceXML)

Converts a java.net.URL into a property list and returns the resulting property list as an NSDictionary.

Parameters:

url - the java.net.URL to convert to a property list

forceXML - force xml decoding

Returns:

string as an NSDictionary

Since:

5.4

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.stringFromPropertyList(java.lang.Object)

dictionaryForString

public static NSDictionary dictionaryForString(String value)

Parses the property list representation string and returns the resulting property list as an NSDictionary.

Parameters:

value - property list representated as a string

Returns:

string as an NSDictionary

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.arrayForString(String)

dictionaryForString

public static NSDictionary dictionaryForString(String value,
                                               boolean forceXML)

Parses the property list representation string and returns the resulting property list as an NSDictionary.

Parameters:

value - property list representated as a string

forceXML - force xml decoding

Returns:

string as an NSDictionary

Since:

5.4

See Also:

NSPropertyListSerialization.arrayForString(String)