Has anyone got iCloud core data syncing setup on Xcode 6 and iOS 8? (hopefully this isn't a duplicate post)
Where did iCloud Core Data storage option go?
I remember Core Data had an extra storage option called Core Data storage, but now in Xcode 6 it only seems to show key-value and document storage when I enable the iCloud toggle in Xcode 6.
Background Info
- New iPad app
- Xcode 6
- Targeting minimum version iOS 7 but hoping it works for iOS 8 too? (We can set iOS 8 as minimum)
- Want to use iCloud Core Data storage instead of key-value or document storage.
- Have logged into the same Apple account in the Settings > iCloud for both Simulator and iPad device
- My provisioning profile used to code sign the app has iCloud enabled for both development and distribution (was automatically enabled by Xcode)
My Setup
So far, I don't know if I've setup Core Data iCloud correctly.
Xcode appears to have setup the iCloud containers in the iOS Developer Portal:
iCloud.com.xxxxxx.xxxxxxxx (note: I've replaced the actual strings with xxxx here)
My Xcode 6 iCloud "services" list shows no ticks next to:
- Key-value storage
- iCloud documents
- CloudKit
Which one should we be using now since it doesn't list "core data" as a storage option?
In the "Containers" directly below the "services", it shows the following options greyed out:
- Use default container (this one ticked by default)
- Specify custom containers
- iCloud.com.xxxxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxx (again, substituted the real identifiers with xxxx)
I can't choose any option, it seems to force me to "Use default container".
Finally, Xcode seems to show ticks for:
- Add the "iCloud" entitlement to your App ID
- Add the "iCloud containers" entitlement to your App ID
- Add the "iCloud" entitlemen to your entitlements file
- Link CloudKit.framework
So by Xcode's own automated process, it setup everything for me.
The Reference Code
OK, so I read around and notice a iCloud stack written here:
https://github.com/mluisbrown/iCloudCoreDataStack
I've taken the necessary code and tried to adapt to my Core Data manager singleton:
DataManager.h file
+ (id)sharedModel;
+ (ALAssetsLibrary *)sharedLibrary;
@property (nonatomic, readonly) NSManagedObjectContext *mainContext;
@property (nonatomic, readonly) NSPersistentStoreCoordinator *storeCoordinator;
- (NSString *)modelName;
- (NSString *)pathToModel;
- (NSString *)storeFilename;
- (NSString *)pathToLocalStore;
#pragma mark - Entity Fetching Methods -
-(NSArray *)fetchEntityOfType:(NSString *)entityType UsingPredicated:(NSPredicate *)predicate sortBy:(NSString *)sortKey ascendingOrder:(BOOL)ascendingOrder;
DataManager.m file
@property (nonatomic, strong) NSManagedObjectModel *managedObjectModel;
- (NSString *)documentsDirectory;
@end
@implementation MLSAlbumsDataModel
@synthesize managedObjectModel = _managedObjectModel;
@synthesize storeCoordinator = _storeCoordinator;
@synthesize mainContext = _mainContext;
+ (id)sharedModel {
static MLSAlbumsDataModel *__instance = nil;
if (__instance == nil) {
__instance = [[MLSAlbumsDataModel alloc] init];
}
return __instance;
}
+ (ALAssetsLibrary *)sharedLibrary {
static ALAssetsLibrary *__instance = nil;
if (__instance == nil) {
__instance = [[ALAssetsLibrary alloc] init];
}
return __instance;
}
- (NSString *)modelName {
return @"Albums";
}
- (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] initWithConcurrencyType:NSMainQueueConcurrencyType];
_mainContext.mergePolicy = NSMergeByPropertyObjectTrumpMergePolicy;
// setup persistent store coordinator
DLog(@"SQLITE STORE PATH: %@", [self pathToLocalStore]);
NSURL *storeURL = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:[self pathToLocalStore]];
//_mainContext.persistentStoreCoordinator = [self storeCoordinator];
_mainContext.persistentStoreCoordinator = [[NSPersistentStoreCoordinator alloc] initWithManagedObjectModel:self.managedObjectModel];
__weak NSPersistentStoreCoordinator *psc = self.mainContext.persistentStoreCoordinator;
// iCloud notification subscriptions
NSNotificationCenter *dc = [NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter];
[dc addObserver:self
selector:@selector(storesWillChange:)
name:NSPersistentStoreCoordinatorStoresWillChangeNotification
object:psc];
[dc addObserver:self
selector:@selector(storesDidChange:)
name:NSPersistentStoreCoordinatorStoresDidChangeNotification
object:psc];
[dc addObserver:self
selector:@selector(persistentStoreDidImportUbiquitousContentChanges:)
name:NSPersistentStoreDidImportUbiquitousContentChangesNotification
object:psc];
NSError* error;
// the only difference in this call that makes the store an iCloud enabled store
// is the NSPersistentStoreUbiquitousContentNameKey in options. I use "iCloudStore"
// but you can use what you like. For a non-iCloud enabled store, I pass "nil" for options.
// Note that the store URL is the same regardless of whether you're using iCloud or not.
// If you create a non-iCloud enabled store, it will be created in the App's Documents directory.
// An iCloud enabled store will be created below a directory called CoreDataUbiquitySupport
// in your App's Documents directory
[self.mainContext.persistentStoreCoordinator addPersistentStoreWithType:NSSQLiteStoreType
configuration:nil
URL:storeURL
options:@{ NSPersistentStoreUbiquitousContentNameKey : @"iCloudStore" }
error:&error];
if (error) {
NSLog(@"error: %@", error);
}
_storeCoordinator = self.mainContext.persistentStoreCoordinator;
}
return _mainContext;
}
- (NSManagedObjectModel *)managedObjectModel {
if(_managedObjectModel == nil) {
NSURL *storeURL = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:[self pathToModel]];
_managedObjectModel = [[NSManagedObjectModel alloc] initWithContentsOfURL:storeURL];
}
return _managedObjectModel;
}
- (NSPersistentStoreCoordinator *)storeCoordinator {
if (_storeCoordinator == nil) {
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Code moved to managed object context code above
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/*
DLog(@"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 *error = nil;
if (![psc addPersistentStoreWithType:NSSQLiteStoreType configuration:nil URL:storeURL options:options error:&error]) {
NSDictionary *userInfo = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObject:error forKey:NSUnderlyingErrorKey];
NSString *reason = @"Could not create persistent store";
NSException *exc = [NSException exceptionWithName:NSInternalInconsistencyException reason:reason userInfo:userInfo];
@throw exc;
}
_storeCoordinator = psc;
*/
}
return _storeCoordinator;
}
#pragma mark - iCloud Related Methods -
// Subscribe to NSPersistentStoreDidImportUbiquitousContentChangesNotification
- (void)persistentStoreDidImportUbiquitousContentChanges:(NSNotification*)note
{
NSLog(@"%s", __PRETTY_FUNCTION__);
NSLog(@"%@", note.userInfo.description);
NSManagedObjectContext *moc = self.mainContext;
[moc performBlock:^{
[moc mergeChangesFromContextDidSaveNotification:note];
DLog(@"NSPersistentStoreDidImportUbiquitousContentChangesNotification executed");
/*
// you may want to post a notification here so that which ever part of your app
// needs to can react appropriately to what was merged.
// An exmaple of how to iterate over what was merged follows, although I wouldn't
// recommend doing it here. Better handle it in a delegate or use notifications.
// Note that the notification contains NSManagedObjectIDs
// and not NSManagedObjects.
NSDictionary *changes = note.userInfo;
NSMutableSet *allChanges = [NSMutableSet new];
[allChanges unionSet:changes[NSInsertedObjectsKey]];
[allChanges unionSet:changes[NSUpdatedObjectsKey]];
[allChanges unionSet:changes[NSDeletedObjectsKey]];
for (NSManagedObjectID *objID in allChanges) {
// do whatever you need to with the NSManagedObjectID
// you can retrieve the object from with [moc objectWithID:objID]
}
*/
}];
}
// Subscribe to NSPersistentStoreCoordinatorStoresWillChangeNotification
// most likely to be called if the user enables / disables iCloud
// (either globally, or just for your app) or if the user changes
// iCloud accounts.
- (void)storesWillChange:(NSNotification *)note {
NSManagedObjectContext *moc = self.mainContext;
[moc performBlockAndWait:^{
NSError *error = nil;
if ([moc hasChanges]) {
[moc save:&error];
}
[moc reset];
}];
// now reset your UI to be prepared for a totally different
// set of data (eg, popToRootViewControllerAnimated:)
// but don't load any new data yet.
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] postNotificationName:@"notifCoreDataStoreWillChange" object:nil];
DLog(@"storeWillChange notification fire");
}
// Subscribe to NSPersistentStoreCoordinatorStoresDidChangeNotification
- (void)storesDidChange:(NSNotification *)note
{
// here is when you can refresh your UI and
// load new data from the new store
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] postNotificationName:@"notifCoreDataStoreDidChange" object:nil];
DLog(@"storeDidChange notification fire");
}
#pragma mark - Entity Fetching Methods -
-(NSArray *)fetchEntityOfType:(NSString *)entityType UsingPredicated:(NSPredicate *)predicate sortBy:(NSString *)sortKey ascendingOrder:(BOOL)ascendingOrder
{
NSEntityDescription *entityDescription = [NSEntityDescription entityForName:entityType inManagedObjectContext:[[MLSAlbumsDataModel sharedModel] mainContext]];
NSSortDescriptor *sortDescriptor = nil;
if(sortKey)
{
sortDescriptor = [[NSSortDescriptor alloc] initWithKey:sortKey ascending:ascendingOrder];
}
else
{
sortDescriptor = [[NSSortDescriptor alloc] initWithKey:@"updatedAt" ascending:ascendingOrder];
}
NSFetchRequest *request = [[NSFetchRequest alloc] init];
request.entity = entityDescription;
if(predicate)
{
request.predicate = predicate;
}
request.sortDescriptors = @[sortDescriptor];
NSError *error = nil;
NSArray *results = [[[MLSAlbumsDataModel sharedModel] mainContext] executeFetchRequest:request error:&error];
if(results == nil)
{
DLog(@"Error getting entity of type '%@' using predicate '%@', sortKey '%@' ascendingOrder %d", entityType, predicate, sortKey, ascendingOrder);
}
return results;
}
My Observations
I tried to run the app on the iPad Simulator (I believe it is the iOS 8 simulator) and on iPad device running iOS 7.x
I created an album with a user entered name on the simulator, but I am not seeing the iPad device showing the newly created album. I also tried reversing the roles, iPad device create, iOS simulator no results either.
I do see my log messages:
storeDidChange notification fire
SQLITE STORE PATH: /Users/xxxxxxx/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/3DC17576-92E9-4EAF-B77A-41340AE28F92/data/Containers/Data/Application/E51085CE-3772-4DF1-A503-1C243497091A/Documents/Albums.sqlite
If I minimise the app in the simulator and open it again (without pressing the Stop button in Xcode), I see these message:
-[PFUbiquitySwitchboardEntryMetadata setUseLocalStorage:](808): CoreData: Ubiquity: nobody~sim301AE3E8-16B2-5A08-917D-7B55D1879BE4:iCloudStore
Using local storage: 1
I read that "Using local storage: 0" is what it should ideally be? and that 1 means local device data store rather than iCloud data store.
When I create an album, save it, stop the simulator, then start the app again, my albums disappears, but immediately after I create a new album, all the previous album reappear magically again. It's a bit odd. If I don't use iCloud and revert my code to previous setup, I can create and see my album fine, regardless of whether I minimise my app or not, or restart app, but then I don't have iCloud sync which I need.
Have I made any mistakes anywhere?
Sorry for the long post but has anyone got iCloud working for iOS 8 and Xcode 6 ?
I could really use some help.
Extra Questions
1) Does iOS 8 require the use of this container identifier ? (which Xcode 6 generated for me):
com.apple.developer.icloud-container-identifiers
That's not what the iOS 7 one looks like right? iOS 7 one is more like:
com.apple.developer.ubiquity-container-identifiers
2) Do I need an iCloud Drive account before it works?
Super confused @_@
