iOS 7 Programming Cookbook

18.5. Deleting Data from Core Data

Problem

You want to delete a managed object (a row in a table) from a managed object context (your database).

Solution

Use the deleteObject: instance method of NSManagedObjectContext:

- (BOOL)            application:(UIApplication *)application
  didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions{

    [self createNewPersonWithFirstName:@"Anthony"
                              lastName:@"Robbins"
                                   age:51];

    [self createNewPersonWithFirstName:@"Richard"
                              lastName:@"Branson"
                                   age:61];

    /* Create the fetch request first */
    NSFetchRequest *fetchRequest = [[NSFetchRequest alloc]
                                    initWithEntityName:@"Person"];

    NSError *requestError = nil;

    /* And execute the fetch request on the context */
    NSArray *persons =
    [self.managedObjectContext executeFetchRequest:fetchRequest
                                             error:&requestError];

    /* Make sure we get the array */
    if ([persons count] > 0){

        /* Delete the last person in the array */
        Person *lastPerson = [persons lastObject];

        [self.managedObjectContext deleteObject:lastPerson];

        NSError *savingError = nil;
        if ([self.managedObjectContext save:&savingError]){
            NSLog(@"Successfully deleted the last person in the array.");
        } else {
            NSLog(@"Failed to delete the last person in the array.");
        }

    } else {
        NSLog(@"Could not find any Person entities in the context.");
    }

    self.window = [[UIWindow alloc] initWithFrame:
                   [[UIScreen mainScreen] bounds]];

    self.window.backgroundColor = [UIColor whiteColor];
    [self.window makeKeyAndVisible];
    return YES;
}

Note

In this example code, we are using the createNewPersonWithFirstName:lastName:age: ...