I am currently using the following (clumsy) pieces of code for determining if a (non-empty) Swift dictionary contains a given key and for obtaining one (any) value from the same dictionary.
How can one put this more elegantly in Swift?
// excerpt from method that determines if dict contains key
if let _ = dict[key] {
return true
}
else {
return false
}
// excerpt from method that obtains first value from dict
for (_, value) in dict {
return value
}
You don't need any special code to do this, because it is what a dictionary already does. When you fetch dict[key] you know whether the dictionary contains the key, because the Optional that you get back is not nil (and it contains the value).
So, if you just want to answer the question whether the dictionary contains the key, ask:
let keyExists = dict[key] != nil
If you want the value and you know the dictionary contains the key, say:
let val = dict[key]!
But if, as usually happens, you don't know it contains the key - you want to fetch it and use it, but only if it exists - then use something like if let:
if let val = dict[key] {
// now val is not nil and the Optional has been unwrapped, so use it
}
Why not simply check for dict.keys.contains(key)?
Checking for dict[key] != nil will not work in cases where the value is nil.
As with a dictionary [String: String?] for example.
The accepted answer let keyExists = dict[key] != nil will not work if the Dictionary contains the key but has a value of nil.
If you want to be sure the Dictionary does not contain the key at all use this (tested in Swift 4).
if dict.keys.contains(key) {
// contains key
} else {
// does not contain key
}
Looks like you got what you need from #matt, but if you want a quick way to get a value for a key, or just the first value if that key doesn’t exist:
extension Dictionary {
func keyedOrFirstValue(key: Key) -> Value? {
// if key not found, replace the nil with
// the first element of the values collection
return self[key] ?? first(self.values)
// note, this is still an optional (because the
// dictionary could be empty)
}
}
let d = ["one":"red", "two":"blue"]
d.keyedOrFirstValue("one") // {Some "red"}
d.keyedOrFirstValue("two") // {Some "blue"}
d.keyedOrFirstValue("three") // {Some "red”}
Note, no guarantees what you'll actually get as the first value, it just happens in this case to return “red”.
My solution for a cache implementation that stores optional NSAttributedString:
public static var attributedMessageTextCache = [String: NSAttributedString?]()
if attributedMessageTextCache.index(forKey: "key") != nil
{
if let attributedMessageText = TextChatCache.attributedMessageTextCache["key"]
{
return attributedMessageText
}
return nil
}
TextChatCache.attributedMessageTextCache["key"] = .some(.none)
return nil
If you want to return the value of the key you can use this extension
extension Dictionary {
func containsKey(_ key: Key) -> Value? {
if let index = index(forKey: key){
return self.values[index]
}
return nil
}
}
if dictionayTemp["quantity"] != nil
{
//write your code
}
If you are dealing with dictionary that may contain nil value for a key then you can check existence of key by:
dictionay.index(forKey: item.key) != nil
For getting first value in dictionary:
dictionay.first?.value // optional since dictionary might be empty
Related
So for example i have the following code:
var meals: [String: Meal] = ["Breakfast": Meal(food: ["Bagel", "Orange Juice", "Egg Whites"], calories: 530)]
func logging (mealTime: String) -> Meal? {
if let a = meals[mealTime] {
return a
} else {
return nil
}
}
Do i need to state a "return nil" if my return value is already an optional? Because the solution to this exercise was just this:
func logging(mealTime: String) -> Meal? {
return meals[mealTime]
}
And if I do not have to add the return nil, why is that?
Thanks in advance!
Just to clarify:
Parameter:
mealTime: String
This string could be a key in your dictionary.
Function (how it works): this function wants to check if this key exists and if it is so, it returns the value (that is a Meal object).
What did you do?
if let a = meals[mealTime] {
return a
} else {
return nil
}
You are checking (if let) if there is a value with that string key and you are assigning that value to your constant (a). Eventually you return that value. If no value has that key in your array then you return nil.
What is the right answer about?
Because this function returns an Optional Meal, you can skip checking if it exists, that's why the right answer is just:
func logging(mealTime: String) -> Meal? {
return meals[mealTime]
}
This function returns nil if there is not value with that key and returns the value if it has that key.
I'm saving lists in a dictionary. These lists need to be updated. But when searching for an item, I need [] operator. When I save the result to a variable, a copy is used. This can not be used, to change the list itself:
item = dicMyList[key]
if item != nil {
// add it to existing list
dicMyList[key]!.list.append(filename)
// item?.list.append(filename)
}
I know, that I need the uncommented code above, but this accesses and searches again in dictionary. How can I save the result, without searching again? (like the commented line)
I want to speed up the code.
In case you needn't verify whether the inner list was actually existing or not prior to adding element fileName, you could use a more compact solution making use of the nil coalescing operator.
// example setup
var dicMyList = [1: ["foo.sig", "bar.cc"]] // [Int: [String]] dict
var key = 1
var fileName = "baz.h"
// "append" (copy-in/copy-out) 'fileName' to inner array associated
// with 'key'; constructing a new key-value pair in case none exist
dicMyList[key] = (dicMyList[key] ?? []) + [fileName]
print(dicMyList) // [1: ["foo.sig", "bar.cc", "baz.h"]]
// same method used for non-existant key
key = 2
fileName = "bax.swift"
dicMyList[key] = (dicMyList[key] ?? []) + [fileName]
print(dicMyList) // [2: ["bax.swift"], 1: ["foo.sig", "bar.cc", "baz.h"]]
Dictionaries and arrays are value types. So if you change an entry you'll need to save it back into the dictionary.
if var list = dicMyList[key] {
list.append(filename)
dicMyList[key] = list
} else {
dicMyList[key] = [filename]
}
It's a little bit late, but you can do something like this:
extension Optional where Wrapped == Array<String> {
mutating func append(_ element: String) {
if self == nil {
self = [element]
}
else {
self!.append(element)
}
}
}
var dictionary = [String: [String]]()
dictionary["Hola"].append("Chau")
You can try this in the Playground and then adapt to your needs.
So here I have a basic setup
var preferenceSpecification = [String : String?]()
preferenceSpecification["Key"] = "Some Key"
preferenceSpecification["Some Key"] = nil
preferenceSpecification["DefaultValue"] = "Some DefaultValue"
print(preferenceSpecification)
var defaultsToRegister = [String : String]()
if let key = preferenceSpecification["Key"], let defaultValueKey = preferenceSpecification["DefaultValue"] {
defaultsToRegister[key] = preferenceSpecification[defaultValueKey]!
}
But the error points out where it demands that I force unwrap this, to be like this:
defaultsToRegister[key!] = preferenceSpecification[defaultValueKey!]!
Which doesn't make sense, because keyValue and defaultValue already are unwrapped
When you extract a value from a dictionary like this using subscript
[String: String?]
you need to manage 2 levels of optional. The first one because the subscript returns an optional. The second one because the value of you dictionary is an optional String.
So when you write
if let value = preferenceSpecification["someKey"] {
}
you get value defined as an optional String.
Here's the code to fix that
if let
optionalKey = preferenceSpecification["Key"],
key = optionalKey,
optionalDefaultValueKey = preferenceSpecification["DefaultValue"],
defaultValueKey = optionalDefaultValueKey,
value = preferenceSpecification[defaultValueKey] {
defaultsToRegister[key] = value
}
Suggestions
You should avoid force unwrapping as much as possible. Instead you managed to put 3 ! on a single line!
You should also try to use better name for your constants and variables.
You could also define an extension which helps get rid of the double optional situation.
extension Dictionary where Value == Optional<String> {
func flattened(_ key: Key) -> Value {
if let value = self[key] {
return value
}
return nil
}
}
Usage: preferenceSpecification.flattened("someKey")
Just simple task. I've got a dictionary var types = [Int : String]() which inits like an empty and after some user actions it fills with data. According to emptiness or some specific data in this dictionary I enable/disable a button in UI.
Check for emptiness is easy, but how to check if dictionary contains certain value?
Compiler suggested me a placeholder with predicate:
types.contains(predicate: ((Int, String)) throws -> Bool>)
Since you only want to check for existance of a given value, you can apply the contains method for the values properties of your dictionary (given native Swift dictionary), e.g.
var types: [Int : String] = [1: "foo", 2: "bar"]
print(types.values.contains("foo")) // true
As mentioned in #njuri: answer, making use of the values property of the dictionary can seemingly yield an overhead (I have not verified this myself) w.r.t. just checking the contains predicate directly against the value entry in the key-value tuple of each Dictionary element. Since Swift is fast, this shouldn't be an issue, however, unless you're working with a huge dictionary. Anyway, if you'd like to avoid using the values property, you could have a look at the alternatives given in the forementioned answer, or, use another alternative (Dictionary extension) as follows:
extension Dictionary where Value: Equatable {
func containsValue(value : Value) -> Bool {
return self.contains { $0.1 == value }
}
}
types.containsValue("foo") // true
types.containsValue("baz") // false
I wrote a function which is using contains method on dictionary.
Your specific case:
let dic : [Int : String] = [1 : "a", 2 : "b"]
func dictionary(dict : [Int : String], containsValue value : String)->Bool{
let contains = dict.contains { (_,v) -> Bool in
return v == value
}
return contains
}
let c = dictionary(dic, containsValue: "c") // false
let a = dictionary(dic, containsValue: "a") // true
Generic:
extension Dictionary{
func containsValue<T : Equatable>(value : T)->Bool{
let contains = self.contains { (k, v) -> Bool in
if let v = v as? T where v == value{
return true
}
return false
}
return contains
}
}
I've tested this function against dictionary.values.contains() and it is roughly two times faster.
If you want to check if already contains a value this would be the way:
if !yourDictionary.values.contains("Zero") {
yourDictionary[newItemKey] = newItemValue; //addNewItem
}
else {
print("this value already exists");
}
And this one if you want to check if the key exists:
You get the item to add to your dictionary.
Check if the item's key already exists
If it doesn't, append the item or enable the button.
//1
let newItemKey = 0
let newItemValue = "Zero"
//2
let keyExists = yourDictionary[newItemKey] != nil
//3
if !keyExists {
yourDictionary[newItemKey] = newItemValue; //addNewItem
}
else {
print("This key already exists");
}
The dictionary getter returns an optional value.
let dictionary = ["ben": "says hi"]
let containsAlpha = dictionary["alpha"] != nil
let containsBen = dictionary["ben"] != nil
How can I check if a key exists in a dictionary? My dictionary is of type [Type:Type?].
I can't simply check dictionary[key] == nil, as that could result from the value being nil.
Any ideas?
Actually your test dictionary[key] == nil can be used to check
if a key exists in a dictionary. It will not yield true if the value
is set to nil:
let dict : [String : Int?] = ["a" : 1, "b" : nil]
dict["a"] == nil // false, dict["a"] is .some(.some(1))
dict["b"] == nil // false !!, dict["b"] is .some(.none)
dict["c"] == nil // true, dict["c"] is .none
To distinguish between "key is not present in dict" and "value for key is nil" you
can do a nested optional assignment:
if let val = dict["key"] {
if let x = val {
print(x)
} else {
print("value is nil")
}
} else {
print("key is not present in dict")
}
I believe the Dictionary type's indexForKey(key: Key) is what you're looking for. It returns the index for a given key, but more importantly for your proposes, it returns nil if it can't find the specified key in the dictionary.
if dictionary.indexForKey("someKey") != nil {
// the key exists in the dictionary
}
Swift 3 syntax....
if dictionary.index(forKey: "someKey") == nil {
print("the key 'someKey' is NOT in the dictionary")
}
You can always do:
let arrayOfKeys = dictionary.allKeys
if arrayOfKeys.containsObject(yourKey) {
}
else {
}
However I really dislike the idea of creating an NSDictionary which can contain optionals.
Try this:
let value = dict[key] != nil
Hope it work for you. Thanks
As suggested here and above, the best solution is to use Dictionary.index(forKey:) which returns Dictionary<Key, Value>.Index?. Regardless of whether your value is an optional type, this returns an optional index, which if nil, definitively tells you whether the key exists in the dictionary or not. This is much more efficient than using Dictionary.contains(where:) which is documented to have "complexity O(n), where n is the length of the sequence."
So, a much better way to write .containsKey() would be:
extension Dictionary {
func contains(key: Key) -> Bool {
self.index(forKey: key) != nil
}
}
I've been advised that dict.keys.contains() is actually O(1), so feel free to use it if you prefer.
I handled it this way in Swift 4:
extension Dictionary {
func contains(key: Key) -> Bool {
let value = self.contains { (k,_) -> Bool in key == k }
return value
}
}
This uses Dictionary.contains(where: (key: Hashable, value: Value) throws -> Bool). By encapsulating it as an extension I have a good shot at updating the implementation to something better without modifying my code. I'm avoiding creating data, which index(forKey:Key) does. I'm hoping it's more efficient than accessing keys since that must create the whole array before searching it.