NSComboBox source data the files ina diretory

[boyfarrell]

Hi everyone,

I want to provide the source data to NSComboBox to be the names of file in a directory. When the item in the combo box is selected I want it to read in the data (It will be 2 column data file tab delimited).

Is this easy?

Is there a better way i.e. not using NSComboBox?

I'm new to cocoa but have done the currency converter application on Apple's site.

The first think I should learn is cocoa's input output commands for reading in data files? What are these called.

 

[kainjow]

Do you mean NSPopUpButton? NSComboBox's aren't used for this type of stuff usually. You'd probably want an NSPopUpButton to store the files.

Anyways, assuming you do want a pop up button, here's a way to fill it with files from a directory:

- (void)updateFiles
{
	NSString *dir = [@"~/Desktop" stringByExpandingTildeInPath];
	NSArray *files = [[NSFileManager defaultManager] directoryContentsAtPath:dir];
	int i;
	
	[popUpButton removeAllItems];
	for (i=0; i<[files count]; i++)
	{
		[popUpButton addItemWithTitle:[files objectAtIndex:i]];
	}
}

If you do really want to use an NSComboBox, you would use addItemWithObjectValue: instead.

 

[boyfarrell]

I will give that I go thanks for the code.

When your starting out it's not immedately obvious what things are used for what processes, I never though about using NSPopUpBotton, I just grabbed the first thing that looked appropirate!

Cheers.