"syntax error before '@' token" on NSDictionary in command-line utility

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"syntax error before '@' token" on NSDictionary in command-line utility

Hi - I'm playing around with building a command-line utility in XCode. However, when I attempt to initialize an NSDictionary I get the following error:

"syntax error before '@' token".

Here's the code:

#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>

int main (int argc, const char * argv[]) {
NSAutoreleasePool * pool = [[NSAutoreleasePool alloc] init];

NSDictionary *dict = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:@”red”, @”color1”, nil];

[pool drain];
return 0;
}

The NSDictionary code is identical to example code provided in the XCode docs, and to other code snippets I've found on the web. So, I'm pretty confident that it's not a code problem...

Maybe it's my setup in XCode??
XCode version: 3.1.4
SDK: Mac OSX 10.5 (SDK Base)
Active Configuration: Debug
Under "Targets" > "Link Binary With Libraries" > Foundation.framework > Headers (includes NSDictionary.h)

I downloaded the iPhone SDK (I'm learning iPhone development). Could it be that I can't compile to Mac OSX with a command-line utility with just the iPhone SDK?

Any other ideas?

Thanks in advance!

Mac OS X (10.5)

Posted on Mar 2, 2010 10:34 AM

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Answer 1

K T

Level 7

23,877 points

Mar 2, 2010 10:39 AM in response to golddigger1

Hello gd1 & welcome to the forums

+>Could it be that I can't compile to Mac OSX with a command-line utility with just the iPhone SDK?+

What happens when you use Xcode's GUI instead....

I'm pretty sure the results should be the same (fail), but you should perhaps eliminate the obvious on your own as part of learning, if you haven't already.

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Answer 2

etresoft

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Mar 2, 2010 11:31 AM in response to golddigger1

Which command-line template did you use to create your project?

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Answer 3

golddigger1 Author

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Mar 2, 2010 4:19 PM in response to K T

Using the GUI only. (Only compiling for a command-line utility)

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Answer 4

golddigger1 Author

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Mar 2, 2010 4:21 PM in response to etresoft

I am using the "WhatATool" project file that is included in one of the getting started tutorials.

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Answer 5

etresoft

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Mar 2, 2010 4:40 PM in response to golddigger1

That is something from the Stanford class, isn't it? What template in Xcode did you use? There is nothing wrong with your code. It looks like it isn't a ".m" file or something.

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Answer 6

xnav

Level 5

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Mar 2, 2010 4:53 PM in response to golddigger1

Did the WhatATool tutorial include a .xcodeproj file that was created under an older version of XCode (ie older than 3.1.4)? If so, that's the root of your problem and the only way out is to recreate the project from scratch under 3.1.4, or install the older XCode that matches the provided .xcodeproj.

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Answer 7

golddigger1 Author

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Mar 3, 2010 12:31 AM in response to etresoft

Hey, good guess! Yes, I am following the Stanford CS193P curriculum...But, to clarify my previous statement - I didn't actually get the xproj file - I created it myself. The template I used when creating the project was "Command Line Utility" > "Foundation Tool".

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Answer 8

golddigger1 Author

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Mar 3, 2010 12:32 AM in response to xnav

Also, I am using XCode v3.1.4.

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Answer 9

etresoft

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Mar 3, 2010 6:26 AM in response to golddigger1

golddigger1 wrote:
Hey, good guess! Yes, I am following the Stanford CS193P curriculum...But, to clarify my previous statement - I didn't actually get the xproj file - I created it myself. The template I used when creating the project was "Command Line Utility" > "Foundation Tool".

What else are you doing after creating the project? If I create a new project from the Foundation Tool, select your text above, and paste it into the "main.m" file, it works perfectly. What are you doing?

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Answer 10

golddigger1 Author

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Mar 3, 2010 4:56 PM in response to etresoft

Tried opening a brand new project from scratch. (File > New Project) At this point you're presented with the "Choose a template for your new project" dialogue box". I select "Command Line Utility" from the Mac OS X list. Also I select the "Foundation Tool" icon to the right, in the dialogue box. Let's say I call my project "Test". After hitting ok, the Test project is created. I then edit "Test.m" by inserting the single line of code

NSDictionary *dict = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:@”red”, @”color1”, nil];

And hit Build > Build & Run.

That's it.

Think I will try upgrading XCode. Maybe there is something wrong with the install or the libraries...

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Answer 11

Mar 3, 2010 7:30 PM in response to golddigger1

I know this is obvious, but are you wrapping the code in braces?

Sorry, when I posted the same code, it left out the braces as well.
So I guess that is not the issue.

Message was edited by: Craig.Williams

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Answer 12

golddigger1 Author

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Mar 4, 2010 8:57 AM in response to Craig.Williams

Not sure what you mean here... do you mean is the NSDictionary statement enclosed in square brackets, or is main() enclosed in curly brackets? Maybe you can provide a code-snippet to clarify...

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Answer 13

Mar 4, 2010 9:10 AM in response to golddigger1

NSDictionary *dict = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:@”red”, @”color1”, nil];

Yes, the NSDictionary enclosed in square brackets. In the previous posts, that statement has a line through it. I just noticed that code must be wrapped like this -

code here

.

So, I am assuming that you are already doing this and that you do not have curly style quotes, like you sometimes get when copying from a website and that you have terminated the line with a semi-colon. Those two can cause errors.

If that is the case. You may want to post the entire code from main.m file.

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Answer 14

golddigger1 Author

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Mar 4, 2010 9:28 AM in response to Craig.Williams

Right. Yes, the NSDictionary statement is enclosed in square brackets. Here's the complete .m file:


#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
int main (int argc, const char * argv[]) {
 NSAutoreleasePool * pool = [[NSAutoreleasePool alloc] init];
 NSDictionary *dict = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:@”red”, @”color1”, nil]; 
 
 // insert code here...
 NSLog(@"Hello, World!");
 [pool drain];
 return 0;
}

By the way, downloaded and reinstalled iPhone SDK 3.1.2 and Xcode 3.1.4 that comes with it. Still getting the same error...

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Answer 15

Mar 4, 2010 9:58 AM in response to golddigger1

The quotes you are using around red and color1 are curly quotes. See the difference between the highlighting of mine and yours? Mine are red and yours are black. Fix that and it should work fine.


#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
 
int main (int argc, const char * argv[]) {
 NSAutoreleasePool * pool = [[NSAutoreleasePool alloc] init];
 
 NSDictionary *dict = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:@"red", @"color1", nil]; 
 
 // insert code here...
 NSLog(@"Hello, World!");
 [pool drain];
 return 0;
}

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