iphone - How to Properly Access a Class NSMutableDictionary Instance Variable -

so i've been reading on coding best practices, , importance of using setters/getters access , change instance variables of custom classes, rather making variables public , accessing them directly.

but how translate accessing values inside mutable dictionary instance variable?

specifically, have custom class. class has number of instance variables, 1 of nsmutabledictionary. "non array" instance variables (bools, etc), understand how "properly" access them: use dot notation , setter/getter methods.

but nsmutabledictionary variable, setter/getter accesses entire dictionary, right? so, controller, how set/get values inside class dictionary?

actually, question applies code of class implementation:

take convenience init method, example:

- (id) initwithid:(int)id {     if (self = [super init]) {         [self initprocedure];         [mydata setobject:[nsnumber numberwithint:id] forkey:@"id"];         }     return self; } 

i'm accessing instance variable "mydata" directly, rather using setter/getter methods. know "allowed", understand it's not best way. how use setter/getters values within dictionary?

and then, going started, how do outside class implementation, controller, example?

for simple class instance variables, it's myclassinstance.aclassvariable = somevalue

but if want modify inside "mydata"?

do [myclassinstance.mydata setobject:... forkey:...] (i know that's not correct, i'm trying make question/confusion clear.

i suppose can create custom class methods call within controller instead, [myclassinstance editmydatawithobject:... forkey:...]

but seems bulky, , still brings around question of implementation within class itself, , how use setter/getter technique access dictionary's member variables instead of directly modifying dictionary itself.

sorry length, hope question clear. thanks!

you can define dynamic properties access dictionary based variables:

@interface myclass : nsobject {     nsmutabledictionary *mydata; }  @property (nonatomic, retain) nsnumber myproperty;  @end  @implementation myclass @dynamic myproperty;  - (nsnumber) myproperty {     return [mydata objectforkey: @"myproperty"]:  }  - (void) setmyproperty(nsnumber *value) {     [mydata setobject: value forkey: @"myproperty"]:  } @end 

for each variable being held in dictionary can expose content dynamic property not exposing dictionary itself. outside if feel class had dot-syntax capable properties.