create binary plist

gistfile1.m

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

    NSString *err = nil;
    NSData *plist;
    NSDictionary *dict;
    char *payload = "This is the payload";
    
    dict = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:
        @"Hello world", @"greeting",
        [NSData dataWithBytes:payload length:strlen(payload)], @"payload",
        [NSNumber numberWithInt:10], @"result",
        nil ];
    
    
    
    // get a binary file representation - creates an additional NSData in memory object
    plist = [NSPropertyListSerialization dataFromPropertyList:dict
            format:NSPropertyListBinaryFormat_v1_0
            errorDescription:&err];
    if(plist == nil) {
        NSLog(@"NSPropertyListSerialization error: %@", err);
        return -1;
    }

    // get a binary file representation - no additional memory footprint
    // NOTE: documentation does not state it, but NSOutputStream creates the file if it does not yet exist
    NSOutputStream *str = [NSOutputStream outputStreamToFileAtPath:@"/tmp/binary.plist" append:NO];
    if(str == nil) {
        NSLog(@"cannot create output stream");
        return -1;
    }
    

    [str open];
    CFIndex idx = CFPropertyListWriteToStream(dict, (CFWriteStreamRef)str, kCFPropertyListBinaryFormat_v1_0, (CFStringRef *)&err);
    if(idx == 0) {
        NSLog(@"CFPropertyListWriteToStream error: %x %@", err, err);
        return -1;
    }
    [str close];


    [pool drain];
    return 0;
}