---
title: "decodeTopLevelObjectForKey:error:"
framework: foundation
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Method
path: "foundation/nscoder/decodetoplevelobjectforkey:error:"
---

# decodeTopLevelObjectForKey:error:

Decodes the previously-encoded object associated by a key, populating an error if decoding fails.

## Declaration

```occ
- (id) decodeTopLevelObjectForKey:(NSString *) key error:(NSError **) error;
```

## Parameters

- `key`: The key that identifies the object to decode.
- `error`: An doc://com.apple.foundation/documentation/Foundation/NSError reference. On return, if this value is not nil, it represents an error encountered while decoding.

## Return Value

Return Value The decoded object, or nil if decoding fails.

## See Also

### Decoding Top-Level Objects

- [decodeTopLevelObjectOfClass:forKey:error:](foundation/nscoder/decodetoplevelobjectofclass:forkey:error:.md)
- [decodeTopLevelObjectOfClasses:forKey:error:](foundation/nscoder/decodetoplevelobjectofclasses:forkey:error:.md)
- [decodeTopLevelObjectAndReturnError:](foundation/nscoder/decodetoplevelobjectandreturnerror:.md)