parse XML data into NSDictionary

If you want to parse XML data into NSDictionary without using XML parser and its delegate method. You can use the XMLReader class in iOS to parse the XML into the NSDictionary. Here is the method of XMLReader class by which you can parse the XML into the NSDictionary.And also you can see the XML string.

theXML =[NSString stringWithFormat:@"<prestashop xmlns=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\">"
                            "<address>"
                            "<id_customer>%@</id_customer>"
                            "<active>1</active>"
                             "<id>%@</id>"
                            "<company>Webkul</company>"
                            "<id_country>%@</id_country>"
                            "<firstname>%@</firstname>"
                            "<lastname>%@</lastname>"
                            "<address1>%@</address1>"
                            "<address2>%@</address2>"
                            "<city>%@</city>"
                            "<postcode>%@</postcode>"
                            "<phone_mobile>%@</phone_mobile>"
                            "<phone>%@</phone>"
                            "<alias>%@</alias>"
                            "<other>%@</other>"
                            "</address>"
                            "</prestashop>"@"20",@"56",@"ram",...........];

theXML =[NSString stringWithFormat:@"<prestashop xmlns=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\">"

"<address>"

"<id_customer>%@</id_customer>"

"<active>1</active>"

"<id>%@</id>"

"<company>Webkul</company>"

"<id_country>%@</id_country>"

"<firstname>%@</firstname>"

"<lastname>%@</lastname>"

"<address1>%@</address1>"

"<address2>%@</address2>"

"<city>%@</city>"

"<postcode>%@</postcode>"

"<phone_mobile>%@</phone_mobile>"

"<phone>%@</phone>"

"<alias>%@</alias>"

"<other>%@</other>"

"</address>"

"</prestashop>"@"20",@"56",@"ram",...........];

xmlDictionary = [XMLReader dictionaryForXMLString:theXML error:nil];

1	xmlDictionary = [XMLReader dictionaryForXMLString:theXML error:nil];

XMLReader.h

//
//  XMLReader.h
//
//  Created by Troy Brant on 9/18/10.
//  Updated by Antoine Marcadet on 9/23/11.
//  Updated by Divan Visagie on 2012-08-26
//

#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>

enum {
    XMLReaderOptionsProcessNamespaces           = 1 << 0, // Specifies whether the receiver reports the namespace and the qualified name of an element.
    XMLReaderOptionsReportNamespacePrefixes     = 1 << 1, // Specifies whether the receiver reports the scope of namespace declarations.
    XMLReaderOptionsResolveExternalEntities     = 1 << 2, // Specifies whether the receiver reports declarations of external entities.
};
typedef NSUInteger XMLReaderOptions;

@interface XMLReader : NSObject <NSXMLParserDelegate>

+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLData:(NSData *)data error:(NSError **)errorPointer;
+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLString:(NSString *)string error:(NSError **)errorPointer;
+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLData:(NSData *)data options:(XMLReaderOptions)options error:(NSError **)errorPointer;
+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLString:(NSString *)string options:(XMLReaderOptions)options error:(NSError **)errorPointer;

@end

// XMLReader.h

// Created by Troy Brant on 9/18/10.

// Updated by Antoine Marcadet on 9/23/11.

// Updated by Divan Visagie on 2012-08-26

#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>

enum {

XMLReaderOptionsProcessNamespaces = 1 << 0, // Specifies whether the receiver reports the namespace and the qualified name of an element.

XMLReaderOptionsReportNamespacePrefixes = 1 << 1, // Specifies whether the receiver reports the scope of namespace declarations.

XMLReaderOptionsResolveExternalEntities = 1 << 2, // Specifies whether the receiver reports declarations of external entities.

};

typedef NSUInteger XMLReaderOptions;

@interface XMLReader : NSObject <NSXMLParserDelegate>

+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLData:(NSData *)data error:(NSError **)errorPointer;

+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLString:(NSString *)string error:(NSError **)errorPointer;

+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLData:(NSData *)data options:(XMLReaderOptions)options error:(NSError **)errorPointer;

+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLString:(NSString *)string options:(XMLReaderOptions)options error:(NSError **)errorPointer;

@end

XMLReader.m

//
//  XMLReader.m
//
//  Created by Troy Brant on 9/18/10.
//  Updated by Antoine Marcadet on 9/23/11.
//  Updated by Divan Visagie on 2012-08-26
//

#import "XMLReader.h"

#if !defined(__has_feature) || !__has_feature(objc_arc)
#error "XMLReader requires ARC support."
#endif

NSString *const kXMLReaderTextNodeKey		= @"text";
NSString *const kXMLReaderAttributePrefix	= @"@";

@interface XMLReader ()

@property (nonatomic, strong) NSMutableArray *dictionaryStack;
@property (nonatomic, strong) NSMutableString *textInProgress;
@property (nonatomic, strong) NSError *errorPointer;

@end


@implementation XMLReader

#pragma mark - Public methods

+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLData:(NSData *)data error:(NSError **)error
{
    XMLReader *reader = [[XMLReader alloc] initWithError:error];
    NSDictionary *rootDictionary = [reader objectWithData:data options:0];
    return rootDictionary;
}

+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLString:(NSString *)string error:(NSError **)error
{
    NSData *data = [string dataUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];
    return [XMLReader dictionaryForXMLData:data error:error];
}

+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLData:(NSData *)data options:(XMLReaderOptions)options error:(NSError **)error
{
    XMLReader *reader = [[XMLReader alloc] initWithError:error];
    NSDictionary *rootDictionary = [reader objectWithData:data options:options];
    return rootDictionary;
}

+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLString:(NSString *)string options:(XMLReaderOptions)options error:(NSError **)error
{
    NSData *data = [string dataUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];
    return [XMLReader dictionaryForXMLData:data options:options error:error];
}


#pragma mark - Parsing

- (id)initWithError:(NSError **)error
{
    self = [super init];
    if (self)
    {
//        self.errorPointer = *error;
    }
    return self;
}

- (NSDictionary *)objectWithData:(NSData *)data options:(XMLReaderOptions)options
{
    // Clear out any old data
    self.dictionaryStack = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
    self.textInProgress = [[NSMutableString alloc] init];
    
    // Initialize the stack with a fresh dictionary
    [self.dictionaryStack addObject:[NSMutableDictionary dictionary]];
    
    // Parse the XML
    NSXMLParser *parser = [[NSXMLParser alloc] initWithData:data];
    
    [parser setShouldProcessNamespaces:(options & XMLReaderOptionsProcessNamespaces)];
    [parser setShouldReportNamespacePrefixes:(options & XMLReaderOptionsReportNamespacePrefixes)];
    [parser setShouldResolveExternalEntities:(options & XMLReaderOptionsResolveExternalEntities)];
    
    parser.delegate = self;
    BOOL success = [parser parse];
    
    // Return the stack's root dictionary on success
    if (success)
    {
        NSDictionary *resultDict = [self.dictionaryStack objectAtIndex:0];
        return resultDict;
    }
    
    return nil;
}


#pragma mark -  NSXMLParserDelegate methods

- (void)parser:(NSXMLParser *)parser didStartElement:(NSString *)elementName namespaceURI:(NSString *)namespaceURI qualifiedName:(NSString *)qName attributes:(NSDictionary *)attributeDict
{
    // Get the dictionary for the current level in the stack
    NSMutableDictionary *parentDict = [self.dictionaryStack lastObject];
    
    // Create the child dictionary for the new element, and initilaize it with the attributes
    NSMutableDictionary *childDict = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];
    [childDict addEntriesFromDictionary:attributeDict];
    
    // If there's already an item for this key, it means we need to create an array
    id existingValue = [parentDict objectForKey:elementName];
    if (existingValue)
    {
        NSMutableArray *array = nil;
        if ([existingValue isKindOfClass:[NSMutableArray class]])
        {
            // The array exists, so use it
            array = (NSMutableArray *) existingValue;
        }
        else
        {
            // Create an array if it doesn't exist
            array = [NSMutableArray array];
            [array addObject:existingValue];
            
            // Replace the child dictionary with an array of children dictionaries
            [parentDict setObject:array forKey:elementName];
        }
        
        // Add the new child dictionary to the array
        [array addObject:childDict];
    }
    else
    {
        // No existing value, so update the dictionary
        [parentDict setObject:childDict forKey:elementName];
    }
    
    // Update the stack
    [self.dictionaryStack addObject:childDict];
}

- (void)parser:(NSXMLParser *)parser didEndElement:(NSString *)elementName namespaceURI:(NSString *)namespaceURI qualifiedName:(NSString *)qName
{
    // Update the parent dict with text info
    NSMutableDictionary *dictInProgress = [self.dictionaryStack lastObject];
    
    // Set the text property
    if ([self.textInProgress length] > 0)
    {
        // trim after concatenating
        NSString *trimmedString = [self.textInProgress stringByTrimmingCharactersInSet:[NSCharacterSet whitespaceAndNewlineCharacterSet]];
        [dictInProgress setObject:[trimmedString mutableCopy] forKey:kXMLReaderTextNodeKey];
        
        // Reset the text
        self.textInProgress = [[NSMutableString alloc] init];
    }
    
    // Pop the current dict
    [self.dictionaryStack removeLastObject];
}

- (void)parser:(NSXMLParser *)parser foundCharacters:(NSString *)string
{
    // Build the text value
    [self.textInProgress appendString:string];
}

- (void)parser:(NSXMLParser *)parser parseErrorOccurred:(NSError *)parseError
{
    // Set the error pointer to the parser's error object
    self.errorPointer = parseError;
}

@end

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// XMLReader.m

// Created by Troy Brant on 9/18/10.

// Updated by Antoine Marcadet on 9/23/11.

// Updated by Divan Visagie on 2012-08-26

#import "XMLReader.h"

#if !defined(__has_feature) || !__has_feature(objc_arc)

#error "XMLReader requires ARC support."

#endif

NSString *const kXMLReaderTextNodeKey = @"text";

NSString *const kXMLReaderAttributePrefix = @"@";

@interface XMLReader ()

@property (nonatomic, strong) NSMutableArray *dictionaryStack;

@property (nonatomic, strong) NSMutableString *textInProgress;

@property (nonatomic, strong) NSError *errorPointer;

@end

@implementation XMLReader

#pragma mark - Public methods

+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLData:(NSData *)data error:(NSError **)error

{

XMLReader *reader = [[XMLReader alloc] initWithError:error];

NSDictionary *rootDictionary = [reader objectWithData:data options:0];

return rootDictionary;

}

+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLString:(NSString *)string error:(NSError **)error

{

NSData *data = [string dataUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];

return [XMLReader dictionaryForXMLData:data error:error];

}

+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLData:(NSData *)data options:(XMLReaderOptions)options error:(NSError **)error

{

XMLReader *reader = [[XMLReader alloc] initWithError:error];

NSDictionary *rootDictionary = [reader objectWithData:data options:options];

return rootDictionary;

}

+ (NSDictionary *)dictionaryForXMLString:(NSString *)string options:(XMLReaderOptions)options error:(NSError **)error

{

NSData *data = [string dataUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];

return [XMLReader dictionaryForXMLData:data options:options error:error];

}

#pragma mark - Parsing

- (id)initWithError:(NSError **)error

{

self = [super init];

if (self)

{

// self.errorPointer = *error;

}

return self;

}

- (NSDictionary *)objectWithData:(NSData *)data options:(XMLReaderOptions)options

{

// Clear out any old data

self.dictionaryStack = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];

self.textInProgress = [[NSMutableString alloc] init];

// Initialize the stack with a fresh dictionary

[self.dictionaryStack addObject:[NSMutableDictionary dictionary]];

// Parse the XML

NSXMLParser *parser = [[NSXMLParser alloc] initWithData:data];

[parser setShouldProcessNamespaces:(options & XMLReaderOptionsProcessNamespaces)];

[parser setShouldReportNamespacePrefixes:(options & XMLReaderOptionsReportNamespacePrefixes)];

[parser setShouldResolveExternalEntities:(options & XMLReaderOptionsResolveExternalEntities)];

parser.delegate = self;

BOOL success = [parser parse];

// Return the stack's root dictionary on success

if (success)

{

NSDictionary *resultDict = [self.dictionaryStack objectAtIndex:0];

return resultDict;

}

return nil;

}

#pragma mark - NSXMLParserDelegate methods

- (void)parser:(NSXMLParser *)parser didStartElement:(NSString *)elementName namespaceURI:(NSString *)namespaceURI qualifiedName:(NSString *)qName attributes:(NSDictionary *)attributeDict

{

// Get the dictionary for the current level in the stack

NSMutableDictionary *parentDict = [self.dictionaryStack lastObject];

// Create the child dictionary for the new element, and initilaize it with the attributes

NSMutableDictionary *childDict = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];

[childDict addEntriesFromDictionary:attributeDict];

// If there's already an item for this key, it means we need to create an array

id existingValue = [parentDict objectForKey:elementName];

if (existingValue)

{

NSMutableArray *array = nil;

if ([existingValue isKindOfClass:[NSMutableArray class]])

{

// The array exists, so use it

array = (NSMutableArray *) existingValue;

}

else

{

// Create an array if it doesn't exist

array = [NSMutableArray array];

[array addObject:existingValue];

// Replace the child dictionary with an array of children dictionaries

[parentDict setObject:array forKey:elementName];

}

// Add the new child dictionary to the array

[array addObject:childDict];

}

else

{

// No existing value, so update the dictionary

[parentDict setObject:childDict forKey:elementName];

}

// Update the stack

[self.dictionaryStack addObject:childDict];

}

- (void)parser:(NSXMLParser *)parser didEndElement:(NSString *)elementName namespaceURI:(NSString *)namespaceURI qualifiedName:(NSString *)qName

{

// Update the parent dict with text info

NSMutableDictionary *dictInProgress = [self.dictionaryStack lastObject];

// Set the text property

if ([self.textInProgress length] > 0)

{

// trim after concatenating

NSString *trimmedString = [self.textInProgress stringByTrimmingCharactersInSet:[NSCharacterSet whitespaceAndNewlineCharacterSet]];

[dictInProgress setObject:[trimmedString mutableCopy] forKey:kXMLReaderTextNodeKey];

// Reset the text

self.textInProgress = [[NSMutableString alloc] init];

}

// Pop the current dict

[self.dictionaryStack removeLastObject];

}

- (void)parser:(NSXMLParser *)parser foundCharacters:(NSString *)string

{

// Build the text value

[self.textInProgress appendString:string];

}

- (void)parser:(NSXMLParser *)parser parseErrorOccurred:(NSError *)parseError

{

// Set the error pointer to the parser's error object

self.errorPointer = parseError;

}

@end

bhavuk chawla 14 December 2016

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