You can't have a mapping that creates a managed object but doesn't save it into the context. You are free to edit the returned objects and then re-save from the success block if you want to.
If that isn't an option for some reason, you can create a mapping to a custom object or a dictionary and then convert to a managed object and save yourself.
If you choose to use a dictionary you can easily update your managed object with the KVC method setValuesForKeysWithDictionary:
.
From your comment below, take a step back and think a little:
- Do I need to gather all of this data in 1 go (can I use multiple response descriptors)?
- Have I got my unique identifiers setup so RestKit can automatically update for me?
- Does everything need to go into Core Data?
While I don't know about your unique identifiers (you should have them setup), you can use 2 or 3 response descriptors to map this content. RestKit can automatically handle new and updated objects direct into the context. For your deletions, map these to a custom object or an NSMutableArray
, then delete the objects from the success block.