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# init(contentsOfFile:)

Initializes a newly allocated dictionary using the keys and values found in a file at a given path.

```
convenience init?(contentsOfFile path: String)
```

## Parameters

`path`

A full or relative pathname. The file identified by `path` must contain a string representation of a property list whose root object is a dictionary.

## Return Value

An initialized dictionary—which might be different than the original receiver—that contains the dictionary at `path`, or `nil` if there is a file error or if the contents of the file are an invalid representation of a dictionary.

## Discussion

The dictionary representation in the file identified by `path` must contain only property list objects (`NSString`, `NSData`, `NSDate`, `NSNumber`, `NSArray`, or `NSDictionary` objects). For more details, see [Property List Programming Guide](https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/PropertyLists/Introduction/Introduction.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/10000048i). The objects contained by this dictionary are immutable, even if the dictionary is mutable.

## See Also

[`+ (NSDictionary<id,id> *) dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:(NSString *) path;`](/documentation/Foundation/NSDictionary/dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:)

Creates a dictionary using the keys and values found in a file specified by a given path.


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