This is a Foundation Framework function used to convert the name of a method into the actual selector, which you can then use to test if a certain object has that method which you want to call (using the NSObject method respondsToSelector).

Prototype:

SEL NSSelectorFromString(NSString *aSelectorName)

Apple Docs: http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/ObjectiveC/3objc_language_overview/chapter_3_section_6.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001424/TPXREF128 (scroll to NSSelectorFromString)

The pages seems to have moved. Is it the new address? http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/ObjectiveC/LanguageOverview/chapter_4_section_6.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001424-BAJHIAGB

A simple example:

SEL method;

method = NSSelectorFromString(@”setObject:”);

Here we are assuming we have an object that has the method setObject:, note that the colons “:” must be included at the end of the string if and only if the method takes an argument. If it doesn’t, leave off the colon.

---

Use NSStringFromSelector to go the other way.