Search through NSArray for string

Question

I would like to search through my NSArray for a certain string.

Example:

NSArray has the objects: \"dog\", \"cat\", \"fat dog\", \"thing\", \"another thing\"

Answer 1

If the strings inside the array are known to be distinct, you can use sets. NSSet is faster then NSArray on large inputs:

NSArray * inputArray = [NSMutableArray arrayWithObjects:@"one", @"two", @"one again", nil];

NSMutableSet * matches = [NSMutableSet setWithArray:inputArray];
[matches filterUsingPredicate:[NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:@"SELF contains[c] 'one'"]];

NSMutableSet * notmatches = [NSMutableSet setWithArray:inputArray];
[notmatches  minusSet:matches];