Create NSString by repeating another string a given number of times

Question

This should be easy, but I'm having a hard time finding the easiest solution.

I need an NSString that is equal to another string concatenated with itself a given number of times.

For a better explanation, consider the following python example:

>> original = "abc" "abc" >> times = 2 2 >> result = original * times "abcabc" 

Any hints?

---

EDIT:

I was going to post a solution similar to the one by Mike McMaster's answer, after looking at this implementation from the OmniFrameworks:

// returns a string consisting of 'aLenght' spaces + (NSString *)spacesOfLength:(unsigned int)aLength; { static NSMutableString *spaces = nil; static NSLock *spacesLock; static unsigned int spacesLength;  if (!spaces) { spaces = [@"                " mutableCopy]; spacesLength = [spaces length];     spacesLock = [[NSLock alloc] init]; } if (spacesLength < aLength) {     [spacesLock lock];     while (spacesLength < aLength) {         [spaces appendString:spaces];         spacesLength += spacesLength;     }     [spacesLock unlock]; } return [spaces substringToIndex:aLength]; } 

Code reproduced from the file:

Frameworks/OmniFoundation/OpenStepExtensions.subproj/NSString-OFExtensions.m 

on the OpenExtensions framework from the Omni Frameworks by The Omni Group.

Answer 1

There is a method called stringByPaddingToLength:withString:startingAtIndex::

[@"" stringByPaddingToLength:100 withString: @"abc" startingAtIndex:0] 

Note that if you want 3 abc's, than use 9 (3 * [@"abc" length]) or create category like this:

@interface NSString (Repeat)  - (NSString *)repeatTimes:(NSUInteger)times;  @end  @implementation NSString (Repeat)  - (NSString *)repeatTimes:(NSUInteger)times {   return [@"" stringByPaddingToLength:times * [self length] withString:self startingAtIndex:0]; }  @end 

Answer 2

NSString *original = @"abc"; int times = 2;  // Capacity does not limit the length, it's just an initial capacity NSMutableString *result = [NSMutableString stringWithCapacity:[original length] * times];   int i; for (i = 0; i < times; i++)     [result appendString:original];  NSLog(@"result: %@", result); // prints "abcabc"