Objective-C: accessing instance variables declared as @private

Question

An external framework I'm using in my application defines `theClass` whose internal structure is opaque. Its instance variables are not meant to be accessed directly. ``` @class TheClassPrivateVars; @interface TheClass : NSObject { @private TheClassPrivateVars *_theClassPriv; } @end ``` The framework public interface is not as complete as it should be and (at my I own risk) I want to read one of the private variables of `myClass`. Fortunately the framework is supplied with complete source code so I have access to the definition of `TheClassPrivateVars`: ``` @interface TheClassPrivateVars : NSObject { int thePrivateInstanceVar; // I want to read this! // // other properties here... // } @end ``` I've made a header file with the above code and included it just in the source file where the "abusive access" have to happen. ``` theValue = instanceOfTheClass->_theClassPriv->thePrivateInstanceVar; ``` Unfortunately `_theClassPriv` is declared as `@private`. Is there any way I can get around…

Accepted Answer

```
TheClassPrivateVars* private = [instanceOfTheClass valueForKey:@"_theClassPriv"];
```

EDIT: or using key path:

```
theValue = [[instanceOfTheClass valueForKeyPath:"_theClassPriv.thePrivateProperty"] integerValue];
```

Objective-C: accessing instance variables declared as @private

Solution

Problem