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35 .Nd property container object library
43 library provides an abstract interface for creating and manipulating
45 Property lists have object types for boolean values, opaque data, numbers,
47 Structure is provided by the array and dictionary collection types.
49 Property lists can be passed across protection boundaries by translating
50 them to an external representation.
51 This external representation is an XML document whose format is described
53 .Bd -literal -offset indent
54 http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd
57 Property container objects are reference counted.
58 When an object is created, its reference count is set to 1.
59 Any code that keeps a reference to an object, including the collection
61 .Pq arrays and dictionaries ,
65 .Pq increment its reference count .
66 When that reference is dropped, the object must be
68 .Pq reference count decremented .
69 When an object's reference count drops to 0, it is automatically freed.
71 The rules for managing reference counts are very simple:
74 If you create an object and do not explicitly maintain a reference to it,
77 If you get a reference to an object from other code and wish to maintain
78 a reference to it, you must retain the object.
79 You are responsible for
80 releasing the object once you drop that reference.
82 You must never release an object unless you create it or retain it.
85 Object collections may be iterated by creating a special iterator object.
86 Iterator objects are special; they may not be retained, and they are
87 released using an iterator-specific release function.
92 .Xr prop_dictionary 3 ,
93 .Xr prop_dictionary_util 3 ,
96 .Xr prop_send_ioctl 3 ,
97 .Xr prop_send_syscall 3 ,
102 property container object library first appeared in
108 object type, and thus will not parse
110 elements from an Apple XML property list.
115 object type differs from the Apple XML property list format in the following
119 The external representation is in base 16, not base 10.
121 is able to parse base 8, base 10, and base 16
125 Internally, integers are always stored as unsigned numbers
127 Therefore, the external representation will never be negative.
129 Because floating point numbers are not supported,
131 elements from an Apple XML property list will not be parsed.
134 In order to facilitate use of
136 in kernel, standalone, and user space environments, the
138 parser is not a real XML parser.
139 It is hard-coded to parse only the property list external representation.