---
title: SCPreferencesPath
framework: systemconfiguration
role: collectionGroup
role_heading: API Collection
path: systemconfiguration/scpreferencespath
---

# SCPreferencesPath

## Overview

Overview The SCPreferencesPath programming interface allows an application to load and store XML configuration data in a controlled manner and provide the necessary notifications to other applications that need to be aware of configuration changes. The functions in this programming interface view the data as a collection of dictionaries of key-value pairs and an associated path name. The root path (”/”) identifies the top-level dictionary. Additional path components specify the keys for subdictionaries. For example, the following dictionary can be accessed via two paths. The root path (”/”) returns a dictionary with all keys and values. The path “/path1” returns only the dictionary with the “key3” and “key4” properties. <dict>    <key>key1</key>    <string>val1</string>    <key>key2</key>    <string>val2</string>    <key>path1</key>    <dict>       <key>key3</key>       <string>val3</string>       <key>key4</key>       <string>val4</string>    </dict> </dict> Each dictionary can also include the kSCResvLink (”__LINK__”) key. The value associated with this key is interpreted as a link to another path. If this key is present, a call to the SCPreferencesPathGetValue(_:_:) function returns the dictionary specified by the link.

## Topics

### Creating a New Path

- [SCPreferencesPathCreateUniqueChild(_:_:)](systemconfiguration/scpreferencespathcreateuniquechild(_:_:).md)

### Associating Information with a Path

- [SCPreferencesPathSetValue(_:_:_:)](systemconfiguration/scpreferencespathsetvalue(_:_:_:).md)
- [SCPreferencesPathSetLink(_:_:_:)](systemconfiguration/scpreferencespathsetlink(_:_:_:).md)

### Getting or Removing Information Associated with a Path

- [SCPreferencesPathGetValue(_:_:)](systemconfiguration/scpreferencespathgetvalue(_:_:).md)
- [SCPreferencesPathGetLink(_:_:)](systemconfiguration/scpreferencespathgetlink(_:_:).md)
- [SCPreferencesPathRemoveValue(_:_:)](systemconfiguration/scpreferencespathremovevalue(_:_:).md)

## See Also

### Reference

- [SCDynamicStore](systemconfiguration/scdynamicstore-gb2.md)
- [SCDynamicStoreCopySpecific](systemconfiguration/scdynamicstorecopyspecific.md)
- [SCDynamicStoreKey](systemconfiguration/scdynamicstorekey.md)
- [SCNetwork](systemconfiguration/scnetwork.md)
- [SCNetworkConfiguration](systemconfiguration/scnetworkconfiguration.md)
- [SCNetworkConnection](systemconfiguration/scnetworkconnection-g7e.md)
- [SCNetworkReachability](systemconfiguration/scnetworkreachability-g7d.md)
- [SCPreferences](systemconfiguration/scpreferences-ft8.md)
- [SCPreferencesSetSpecific](systemconfiguration/scpreferencessetspecific.md)
- [SCSchemaDefinitions](systemconfiguration/scschemadefinitions.md)
- [System Configuration](systemconfiguration/system-configuration.md)
- [SystemConfiguration Enumerations](systemconfiguration/systemconfiguration-enumerations.md)
- [SystemConfiguration Constants](systemconfiguration/systemconfiguration-constants.md)
- [SystemConfiguration Functions](systemconfiguration/systemconfiguration-functions.md)
- [SystemConfiguration Data Types](systemconfiguration/systemconfiguration-data-types.md)