Property List Module

Property List Module - plist

Read Property List File (plist.read)

Declaration

tab = plist.read(file_path)

Parameters and Return Values

• file_path string
• tab
  • associative table, returns nil if reading fails

Example

plist.read

local plfilename = "/var/mobile/Library/Caches/com.apple.mobile.installation.plist"  -- Set the property list file path
local tmp2 = plist.read(plfilename)                 -- Read the property list file content and return a Lua table
sys.alert(tmp2['Metadata']['ProductBuildVersion'])  -- Display the value of the ProductBuildVersion key

Write Property List File (plist.write)

Declaration

success = plist.write(file_path, tab)

Parameters and Return Values

• file_path string
• tab associative table
• success boolean

Limitations

• Be careful not to pass in tables with reference loops, as this will cause the script to hang or crash.
• Not all Lua values can be serialized into property list data, such as userdata, functions, or tables containing userdata or functions. These values will be ignored during serialization.
• Modifying property list files will change their owner to root. If you need to modify the property list of a user app, you must correct its ownership.

Example

local plfilename = "/var/mobile/Library/Caches/com.apple.mobile.installation.plist"  -- Set the property list file path
local tmp2 = plist.read(plfilename)                -- Read the property list file content and return a Lua table
tmp2["Metadata"]["ProductBuildVersion"] = "havonz" -- Modify the ProductBuildVersion key value in the table to "havonz"
plist.write(plfilename, tmp2)                      -- Write the modified table back to the property list file
--
local posix = require("posix")                     -- Import the posix module
posix.chmod(plfilename, "rw-r--r--")               -- Correct the file permissions of the property list file to 0644
--
local unistd = require("posix.unistd")             -- Import the posix.unistd module
unistd.chown(plfilename, 501, 501)                 -- Correct the owner of the property list file to 501

Load Property List Data as Lua Table (plist.load)

Declaration

tab = plist.load(property_list_data)

Parameters and Return Values

• property_list_data string
• tab
  • associative table, returns nil if loading fails

Example 1

plist.load

local jtmp = plist.load([[
{
  arr = (
    46,
    99,
    7,
  );
  dict = {
    a = 55;
    b = 65;
    c = 9;
  };
}
]])
sys.alert(jtmp.arr[1])  -- Output 46
sys.alert(jtmp.dict.c)  -- Output 9

Example 2

plist.load

local xtmp = plist.load([[
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
  <key>arr</key>
  <array>
    <string>46</string>
    <string>99</string>
    <string>7</string>
  </array>
  <key>dict</key>
  <dict>
    <key>a</key>
    <string>55</string>
    <key>b</key>
    <string>65</string>
    <key>c</key>
    <string>9</string>
  </dict>
</dict>
</plist>
]])
sys.alert(xtmp.arr[1])  -- Output 46
sys.alert(xtmp.dict.c)  -- Output 9

Dump Lua Table to Property List Data (plist.dump)

Declaration

property_list_data = plist.dump(tab[, format])

Parameters and Return Values

• tab associative table
• format
  • string, optional, can only be binary or XML, defaults to XML
• property_list_data
  • string, returns nil if conversion fails

Limitations

• Be careful not to pass in tables with reference loops, as this will cause the script to hang or crash.
• Not all Lua values can be serialized into property list data, such as userdata, functions, or tables containing userdata or functions. These values will be ignored during serialization.

Example

plist.dump

local tab = {
  arr = {
    46,
    99,
    7,
  };
  dict = {
    a = 55;
    b = 65;
    c = 9;
  };
}
--
local xplist = plist.dump(tab)
sys.alert(xplist)  -- Output property list data in XML format
--
local bplist = plist.dump(tab, "binary")
sys.alert(bplist)  -- Binary format property list data, will appear garbled when printed