Retaining array in subclass - xcode

Question

Updated:
I have subclassed UIImageView to make some images movable through touch gestures. In the view controller I have an array holding the initial position of each imageview. My problem is that this array returns null whenever it is called on from the subclass. The idea is to check if the image is in its original position or if it has already been moved before, I have stripped the code to just NSLog what's going on but the problem remains and is driving me nuts.
ViewController.h
NSMutableArray *originalPositions;
#property (nonatomic, retain) NSMutableArray *originalPositions;
-(void)testLogging;
ViewController.m
#synthesize originalPositions;
- (void)viewDidLoad {
originalPositions = [[NSMutableArray alloc]init];
}
-(void)drawImages {
for (int i = 0; i < imagesArray.count; i++) {
CGRect frame = CGRectMake(65 * i, 10, 60, 60);
draggableView *dragImage = [[draggableView alloc] initWithFrame:frame];
NSString* imgName = [imagesArray objectAtIndex:i];
[dragImage setImage:[UIImage imageNamed:imgName]];
[dragImage setUserInteractionEnabled:YES];
[self.view addSubview:dragImage];
NSString *originalPositionAsString = NSStringFromCGPoint(dragImage.center);
[originalPositions addObject:originalPositionAsString];
}
}
-(void)testLogging {
NSLog(#"Logging array: %#", originalPositions);
}
-(IBAction)btnClicked {
[self testLogging];
}
When called from the IBAction (or any other way) in the class, the 'testLogging'-method NSLogs the array correctly but if I call the same method from the subclass, it NSLogs null:
Subclass.m
- (void)touchesBegan:(NSSet*)touches withEvent:(UIEvent*)event {
ViewController *viewController = [[ViewController alloc] init];
[viewController testLogging];
}

Answer 1

self.originalPositions = [[NSMutableArray alloc]init];
This already is a memory leak, when you call self.originalPositions = bla then 'bla' will be retained. Thus meaning that the retain count is upped. This means that your mutable array will have a retain count of 2 and that it will leak once your UIImageView is gone.
As for the rest, I wouldn't know what is wrong with your code. My first guess would be that you didn't call populatePositionsArray yet, you should call this whenever your view is created / shown so you are sure the array is populated when touchesBegan is called.
Alternatively you could include an 'if' statement in the touchesBegan that checks whether the array exists and otherwise call the populatePositionsArray to populate it before continueing.

Answer 2

I solved it by writing the array to a plist file after populating it. Not very elegant but working.
Thanks for the help though guys.