exception in Mac OS X 10.4

[abb]

Hi,

I've found the only problem with Sparkle in Mac OS X 10.4 -- an exception is raised when the main app is started. The exception is caused by [NSString boolValue] selector usage. Is it possible to use another code there? Or is Sparkle completely incompatible with 10.4? As far as I can see, it is working OK but this exception, which does not stops the app though.

Thanks.

[Andy Matuschak (andymatuschak)]

You’re using 1.5b6, right? If so, I’m fairly certain we caught all the instances of this selector’s usage since then.

[abb (openworld)]

I'm sorry, but isn't this the reason?

from SUHost.m:

- (id)objectForInfoDictionaryKey:(NSString *)key
{
    return [bundle objectForInfoDictionaryKey:key];
}

- (BOOL)boolForInfoDictionaryKey:(NSString *)key
{
 return [[self objectForInfoDictionaryKey:key] boolValue];
}

You never check what type is returned. And exception occurs if this type is NSString. As I believe, a small fix like to check if returned value is NSString and if yes, to compare it explicitly with @"true" value could solve the issue.

Thanks.

[Andy Matuschak (andymatuschak)]

Oh, but wait, that would only be an issue if you stored a boolean value in a string key in your Info.plist. Which is not a legit thing to do anyway.

[abb (openworld)]

I don't know how boolean values are stored there, as I never modified it directly, but always used plist editor for that. Visually it's very dificult to detect if this is a boolean or a string value, because they look identically.

The fact is that I'm getting an exception. Could you modify your code and compile it into a framework, so I could test it with my projects?

Thanks.

[Andy Matuschak (andymatuschak)]

A boolean value has a checkbox for its value.

You can inspect and change the types in your Info.plist readily by choosing View > Property List Type > None.

Or, you can choose the row in question and go to Edit > Value Type > Boolean.

[abb (openworld)]

> A boolean value has a checkbox for its value.

Your description tells me to add few items into the info.plist. I've added them. I'm new in XCode, so I didn't know how to specify the value type. Therefore I just wrote "true" for boolean values like "SUEnableAutomaticChecks". I believe this is the reason.

One way or another but I don't understand why not to change the code to fix such possible problem. Your code allows to set boolean values as strings in 10.5+, so why not to extend this ability to 10.4?

Thanks.

[Andy Matuschak (andymatuschak)]

"Therefore I just wrote "true" for boolean values like "SUEnableAutomaticChecks". I believe this is the reason.”

Yes, that’s why it’s broken.

"Your code allows to set boolean values as strings in 10.5+, so why not to extend this ability to 10.4?”

That’s by accident, not by design. NSString just happened to add a “boolValue” method with 10.5+, which makes this work through the magic of duck typing. I don’t really want to hack in a workaround to make Sparkle support invalid inputs, especially since the inputs are entirely under developer control.

You’re right, though, that I didn’t explicitly specify the types of the keys in the documentation; that’s been fixed.

[abb (openworld)]

OK, let's close this discussin.

Thanks.