SCEntityDefinition

@interface SCEntityDefinition : SCDataDefinition

This class functions as a means to further extend the definition of user-defined Core Data entities. Using entity definitions, classes like SCObjectCell and SCObjectSection will be able to better generate user interface elements that truly represent the properties of their bound objects.

SCEntityDefinition mainly consists of one or more property definitions of type SCPropertyDefinition. Upon creation, SCEntityDefinition will (optionally) automatically generate all the property definitions for the given entity. From there, the user will be able to customize the generated property definitions, add new definitions, or remove generated definitions.

Sample use: // Extend the definition of ‘TaskEntity’ (user defined Core Data entity) SCEntityDefinition *taskDef = [SCEntityDefinition definitionWithEntityName:@“TaskEntity” managedObjectContext:context propertyNamesString:@“Task Details:(name,description,category,dueDate);Task Status:(completed)”]; SCPropertyDefinition *namePropertyDef = [taskDef propertyDefinitionWithName:@“name”]; namePropertyDef.required = TRUE; SCPropertyDefinition *descPropertyDef = [taskDef propertyDefinitionWithName:@“description”]; descPropertyDef.type = SCPropertyTypeTextView; SCPropertyDefinition *categoryPropertyDef = [taskDef propertyDefinitionWithName:@“category”]; categoryPropertyDef.type = SCPropertyTypeSelection; NSArray *categoryItems = [NSArray arrayWithObjects:@“Home”, @“Work”, @“Other”, nil]; categoryPropertyDef.attributes = [SCSelectionAttributes attributesWithItems:categoryItems allowMultipleSelection:NO allowNoSelection:NO];

See

SCPropertyDefinition.

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Creation and Initialization


                    
                    
                    +definitionWithEntityName:autoGeneratePropertyDefinitions:

Allocates and returns an initialized SCEntityDefinition given a Core Data entity name and the option to auto generate property definitions for the given entity’s properties.

The method will also generate user friendly property titles from the names of the generated properties. These titles can be modified by the user later as part of the property definition customization.

Warning

Note: This method attempts to automatically determine the required NSManagedObjectContext by querying the current app delegate. If your app delegate does not provide an NSManagedObjectContext, or if you’d like to provide a diffrerent one, please use definitionWithEntityName:managedObjectContext:autoGeneratePropertyDefinitions: instead.

Declaration

Objective-C

+ (instancetype)definitionWithEntityName:(NSString *)entityName
         autoGeneratePropertyDefinitions:(BOOL)autoGenerate;

Parameters

`entityName`	The name of the entity for which the definition will be extended.
`autoGenerate`	If TRUE, ‘SCClassDefinition’ will automatically generate all the property definitions for the given entity’s attributes.

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                    +definitionWithEntityName:propertyNamesString:

Allocates and returns an initialized SCEntityDefinition given a Core Data entity name and a string of the property names to generate property definitions for.

The method will also generate user friendly property titles from the names of the given properties. These titles can be modified by the user later as part of the property definition customization.

Property names string syntax options: @“property1;property2;property3;…” @“group1 header:(property1, property2,…):group1 footer;group2…”

Warning

Declaration

Objective-C

+ (instancetype)definitionWithEntityName:(NSString *)entityName
                     propertyNamesString:(NSString *)propertyNamesString;

Parameters

`entityName`	The name of the entity for which the definition will be extended.
`propertyNamesString`	A string with the property names separated by semi-colons. Example string: @“firstName;lastName”. Property groups can also be defined in the string using the following format: @“Personal Details:(firstName, lastName); Address:(street, state, country)”. The group title can also be ommitted to create a group with no title. For example: @“:(firstName, lastName)”.

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                    +definitionWithEntityName:managedObjectContext:autoGeneratePropertyDefinitions:

Allocates and returns an initialized SCEntityDefinition given a Core Data entity name and the option to auto generate property definitions for the given entity’s properties.

Declaration

Objective-C

+ (instancetype)definitionWithEntityName:(NSString *)entityName
                    managedObjectContext:(NSManagedObjectContext *)context
         autoGeneratePropertyDefinitions:(BOOL)autoGenerate;

Parameters

`entityName`	The name of the entity for which the definition will be extended.
`context`	The managed object context of the entity.
`autoGenerate`	If TRUE, ‘SCClassDefinition’ will automatically generate all the property definitions for the given entity’s attributes.

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                    +definitionWithEntityName:managedObjectContext:propertyNamesString:

Allocates and returns an initialized SCEntityDefinition given a Core Data entity name and a string of the property names to generate property definitions for.

The method will also generate user friendly property titles from the names of the given properties. These titles can be modified by the user later as part of the property definition customization.

Property names string syntax options: @“property1;property2;property3;…” @“group1 header:(property1, property2,…):group1 footer;group2…”

Declaration

Objective-C

+ (instancetype)definitionWithEntityName:(NSString *)entityName
                    managedObjectContext:(NSManagedObjectContext *)context
                     propertyNamesString:(NSString *)propertyNamesString;

Parameters

`entityName`	The name of the entity for which the definition will be extended.
`context`	The managed object context of the entity.
`propertyNamesString`	A string with the property names separated by semi-colons. Example string: @“firstName;lastName”. Property groups can also be defined in the string using the following format: @“Personal Details:(firstName, lastName); Address:(street, state, country)”. The group title can also be ommitted to create a group with no title. For example: @“:(firstName, lastName)”.

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                    +definitionWithEntityName:managedObjectContext:propertyNames:

Allocates and returns an initialized SCEntityDefinition given a Core Data entity name and an array of the property names to generate property definitions for.

The method will also generate user friendly property titles from the names of the given properties. These titles can be modified by the user later as part of the property definition customization.

Declaration

Objective-C

+ (instancetype)definitionWithEntityName:(NSString *)entityName
                    managedObjectContext:(NSManagedObjectContext *)context
                           propertyNames:(NSArray *)propertyNames;

Parameters

`entityName`	The name of the entity for which the definition will be extended.
`context`	The managed object context of the entity.
`propertyNames`	An array of the names of properties to be generated. All array elements must be of type NSString.

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                    +definitionWithEntityName:managedObjectContext:propertyNames:propertyTitles:

Allocates and returns an initialized ‘SCEntityDefinition’ given a Core Data entity name, an array of the property names to generate property definitions for, and array of titles for these properties.

Declaration

Objective-C

+ (instancetype)definitionWithEntityName:(NSString *)entityName
                    managedObjectContext:(NSManagedObjectContext *)context
                           propertyNames:(NSArray *)propertyNames
                          propertyTitles:(NSArray *)propertyTitles;

Parameters

`entityName`	The name of the entity for which the definition will be extended.
`context`	The managed object context of the entity.
`propertyNames`	An array of the names of properties to be generated. All array elements must be of type NSString.
`propertyTitles`	An array of titles to the properties in propertyNames. All array elements must be of type NSString.

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+definitionWithEntityName:managedObjectContext:propertyGroups:
Allocates and returns an initialized SCEntityDefinition given a Core Data entity name and an SCPropertyGroupArray.
- - parameter: entityName The name of the entity for which the definition will be extended.
- - parameter: context The managed object context of the entity.
- - parameter: groups A collection of property groups.
Declaration
Objective-C

+ (instancetype)definitionWithEntityName:(NSString *)entityName managedObjectContext:(NSManagedObjectContext *)context propertyGroups:(SCPropertyGroupArray *)groups;
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                    -initWithEntityName:autoGeneratePropertyDefinitions:

Returns an initialized SCEntityDefinition given a Core Data entity name and the option to auto generate property definitions for the given entity’s properties.

Warning

Note: This method attempts to automatically determine the required NSManagedObjectContext by querying the current app delegate. If your app delegate does not provide an NSManagedObjectContext, or if you’d like to provide a diffrerent one, please use initWithEntityName:managedObjectContext:autoGeneratePropertyDefinitions: instead.

Declaration

Objective-C

- (instancetype)initWithEntityName:(NSString *)entityName
    autoGeneratePropertyDefinitions:(BOOL)autoGenerate;

Parameters

`entityName`	The name of the entity for which the definition will be extended.
`autoGenerate`	If TRUE, SCEntityDefinition will automatically generate all the property definitions for the given entity’s attributes.

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                    -initWithEntityName:propertyNamesString:

Returns an initialized SCEntityDefinition given a Core Data entity name and a string of the property names to generate property definitions for.

The method will also generate user friendly property titles from the names of the given properties. These titles can be modified by the user later as part of the property definition customization.

Property names string syntax options: @“property1;property2;property3;…” @“group1 header:(property1, property2,…):group1 footer;group2…”

Warning

Note: This method attempts to automatically determine the required NSManagedObjectContext by querying the current app delegate. If your app delegate does not provide an NSManagedObjectContext, or if you’d like to provide a diffrerent one, please use initWithEntityName:managedObjectContext:propertyNamesString: instead.

Declaration

Objective-C

- (instancetype)initWithEntityName:(NSString *)entityName
               propertyNamesString:(NSString *)propertyNamesString;

Parameters

`entityName`	The name of the entity for which the definition will be extended.
`propertyNamesString`	A string with the property names separated by semi-colons. Example string: @“firstName;lastName”. Property groups can also be defined in the string using the following format: @“Personal Details:(firstName, lastName); Address:(street, state, country)”. The group title can also be ommitted to create a group with no title. For example: @“:(firstName, lastName)”.

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                    -initWithEntityName:managedObjectContext:autoGeneratePropertyDefinitions:

Returns an initialized SCEntityDefinition given a Core Data entity name and the option to auto generate property definitions for the given entity’s properties.

Declaration

Objective-C

- (instancetype)initWithEntityName:(NSString *)entityName
               managedObjectContext:(NSManagedObjectContext *)context
    autoGeneratePropertyDefinitions:(BOOL)autoGenerate;

Parameters

`entityName`	The name of the entity for which the definition will be extended.
`context`	The managed object context of the entity.
`autoGenerate`	If TRUE, SCEntityDefinition will automatically generate all the property definitions for the given entity’s attributes.

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                    -initWithEntityName:managedObjectContext:propertyNamesString:

Returns an initialized SCEntityDefinition given a Core Data entity name and a string of the property names to generate property definitions for.

The method will also generate user friendly property titles from the names of the given properties. These titles can be modified by the user later as part of the property definition customization.

Property names string syntax options: @“property1;property2;property3;…” @“group1 header:(property1, property2,…):group1 footer;group2…”

Declaration

Objective-C

- (instancetype)initWithEntityName:(NSString *)entityName
              managedObjectContext:(NSManagedObjectContext *)context
               propertyNamesString:(NSString *)propertyNamesString;

Parameters

`entityName`	The name of the entity for which the definition will be extended.
`context`	The managed object context of the entity.
`propertyNamesString`	A string with the property names separated by semi-colons. Example string: @“firstName;lastName”. Property groups can also be defined in the string using the following format: @“Personal Details:(firstName, lastName); Address:(street, state, country)”. The group title can also be ommitted to create a group with no title. For example: @“:(firstName, lastName)”.

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                    -initWithEntityName:managedObjectContext:propertyNames:

Returns an initialized SCEntityDefinition given a Core Data entity name and an array of the property names to generate property definitions for.

The method will also generate user friendly property titles from the names of the given properties. These titles can be modified by the user later as part of the property definition customization.

Declaration

Objective-C

- (instancetype)initWithEntityName:(NSString *)entityName
              managedObjectContext:(NSManagedObjectContext *)context
                     propertyNames:(NSArray *)propertyNames;

Parameters

`entityName`	The name of the entity for which the definition will be extended.
`context`	The managed object context of the entity.
`propertyNames`	An array of the names of properties to be generated. All array elements must be of type NSString.

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-initWithEntityName:managedObjectContext:propertyNames:propertyTitles:
Returns an initialized SCEntityDefinition given a Core Data entity name, an array of the property names to generate property definitions for, and array of titles for these properties. *
- - parameter: entityName The name of the entity for which the definition will be extended.
- - parameter: context The managed object context of the entity.
- - parameter: propertyNames An array of the names of properties to be generated. All array elements must be of type NSString.
- - parameter: propertyTitles An array of titles to the properties in propertyNames. All array elements must be of type NSString. *
Declaration
Objective-C

- (instancetype)initWithEntityName:(NSString *)entityName managedObjectContext:(NSManagedObjectContext *)context propertyNames:(NSArray *)propertyNames propertyTitles:(NSArray *)propertyTitles;
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-initWithEntityName:managedObjectContext:propertyGroups:
Returns an initialized SCEntityDefinition given a Core Data entity name and an SCPropertyGroupArray.
- - parameter: entityName The name of the entity for which the definition will be extended.
- - parameter: context The managed object context of the entity.
- - parameter: groups A collection of property groups.
Declaration
Objective-C

- (instancetype)initWithEntityName:(NSString *)entityName managedObjectContext:(NSManagedObjectContext *)context propertyGroups:(SCPropertyGroupArray *)groups;
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Configuration

entity
The entity associated with the definition.
Declaration
Objective-C

@property (nonatomic, strong, readonly) NSEntityDescription *entity;
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managedObjectContext
The managed object context of the entity associated with the definition.
Declaration
Objective-C

@property (nonatomic, strong, readonly) NSManagedObjectContext *managedObjectContext;
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orderAttributeName
The name of the entity attribute that will be used to store the display order of its objects.

Setting this property to a valid attribute name allows for custom re-ordering of the generated user interface elements representing the Core Data objects (e.g. custom re-ordering of cells). Setting this property overrides the value set for the keyPropertyName property.

Warning
Important: This Core Data attribute must be of integer type.
Declaration
Objective-C

@property (nonatomic, copy) NSString *orderAttributeName;
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