Adopting CollectionType (Collection) in Swift - swift

Question

I'm writing a graphics library to display data in a graph. Since most of the projects I do tend to have a large learning component in them, I decided to create a generically typed struct to manage my data set DataSet<T: Plottable> (note here that Plottable is also Comparable).
In trying to conform to MutableCollectionType, I've run across an error. I'd like to use the default implementation of sort(), but the compiler is giving the following error when trying to use the sorting function.
Ambiguous reference to member 'sort()'
Here's a code example:
var data = DataSet<Int>(elements: [1,2,3,4])
data.sort() //Ambiguous reference to member 'sort()'
The compiler suggests two candidates, but will not actually display them to me. Note that the compiler error goes away if I explicitly implement sort() on my struct.
But the bigger question remains for me. What am I not seeing that I expect the default implementation to be providing? Or am I running across a bug in Swift 3 (this rarely is the case... usually I have overlooked something).
Here's the balance of the struct:
struct DataSet<T: Plottable>: MutableCollection, BidirectionalCollection {
typealias Element = T
typealias Iterator = DataSetIterator<T>
typealias Index = Int
/**
The list of elements in the data set. Private.
*/
private var elements: [Element] = []
/**
Initalize the data set with an array of data.
*/
init(elements data: [T] = []) {
self.elements = data
}
//MARK: Sequence Protocol
func makeIterator() -> DataSetIterator<T> {
return DataSetIterator(self)
}
//MARK: Collection Protocol
subscript(_ index:DataSet<T>.Index) -> DataSet<T>.Iterator.Element {
set {
elements[index] = newValue
}
get {
return elements[index]
}
}
subscript(_ inRange:Range<DataSet<T>.Index>) -> DataSet<T> {
set {
elements.replaceSubrange(inRange, with: newValue)
}
get {
return DataSet<T>(elements: Array(elements[inRange]))
}
}
//required index for MutableCollection and BidirectionalCollection
var endIndex: Int {
return elements.count
}
var startIndex: Int {
return 0
}
func index(after i: Int) -> Int {
return i+1
}
func index(before i: Int) -> Int {
return i-1
}
mutating func append(_ newElement: T) {
elements.append(newElement)
}
// /**
// Sorts the elements of the DataSet from lowest value to highest value.
// Commented because I'd like to use the default implementation.
// - note: This is equivalent to calling `sort(by: { $0 < $1 })`
// */
// mutating func sort() {
// self.sort(by: { $0 < $1 })
// }
//
// /**
// Sorts the elements of the DataSet by an abritrary block.
// */
// mutating func sort(by areInIncreasingOrder: #noescape (T, T) -> Bool) {
// self.elements = self.elements.sorted(by: areInIncreasingOrder)
// }
/**
Returns a `DataSet<T>` with the elements sorted by a provided block.
This is the default implementation `sort()` modified to return `DataSet<T>` rather than `Array<T>`.
- returns: A sorted `DataSet<T>` by the provided block.
*/
func sorted(by areInIncreasingOrder: #noescape (T, T) -> Bool) -> DataSet<T> {
return DataSet<T>(elements: self.elements.sorted(by: areInIncreasingOrder))
}
func sorted() -> DataSet<T> {
return self.sorted(by: { $0 < $1 })
}
}

Answer 1

Your DataSet is a BidirectionalCollection. The sort() you're trying to use requires a RandomAccessCollection. The most important thing you need to add is an Indicies typealias.
typealias Indices = Array<Element>.Indices
Here's my version of your type:
protocol Plottable: Comparable {}
extension Int: Plottable {}
struct DataSet<Element: Plottable>: MutableCollection, RandomAccessCollection {
private var elements: [Element] = []
typealias Indices = Array<Element>.Indices
init(elements data: [Element] = []) {
self.elements = data
}
var startIndex: Int {
return elements.startIndex
}
var endIndex: Int {
return elements.endIndex
}
func index(after i: Int) -> Int {
return elements.index(after: i)
}
func index(before i: Int) -> Int {
return elements.index(before: i)
}
subscript(position: Int) -> Element {
get {
return elements[position]
}
set {
elements[position] = newValue
}
}
subscript(bounds: Range<Int>) -> DataSet<Element> {
get {
return DataSet(elements: Array(elements[bounds]))
}
set {
elements[bounds] = ArraySlice(newValue.elements)
}
}
}
var data = DataSet(elements: [4,2,3,1])
data.sort()
print(data.elements) // [1,2,3,4]
You don't actually need an Iterator if you don't want one. Swift will give you Sequence automatically if you implement Collection.