How to use optional chaining while searching through a dictionary in swift? - swift

Question

I want to safely search through values in a swift Dictionary using if lets and making sure it is type safe as I get deeper and deeper into the dictionary. The dictionary contains dictionaries that contains NSArray that contains more dictionary.
At first attempt my code looks like this:
if let kkbox = ticket["KKBOX"] as? Dictionary<String, AnyObject> {
if let kkboxDlUrlDict = kkbox["kkbox_dl_url_list"] as? Dictionary<String, AnyObject> {
if let kkboxDlUrlArray = kkboxDlUrlDict["kkbox_dl_url"] as? NSArray {
for dict in kkboxDlUrlArray {
if let name = dict["name"] as? String {
if name == mediaType.rawValue {
urlStr = dict["url"] as String
}
}
}
} else { return nil }
} else { return nil }
} else { return nil }
How do I shorten it to perhaps one or 2 line?
I realised I can chain it if it is 2 layers. This works:
if let kkboxDlUrlArray = ticket["KKBOX"]?["kkbox_dl_url_list"] as? NSArray {
}
But any chain longer than that, will not compile.
Is there a way to chain through a dictionary more than once?
Thank you

Answer 1

You can chain, but with proper downcast at each step:
if let kkboxDlUrlArray = ((((ticket["KKBOX"] as? Dictionary<String, AnyObject>)?["kkbox_dl_url_list"]) as? Dictionary<String, AnyObject>)?["kkbox_dl_url"]) as? NSArray {
for dict in kkboxDlUrlArray {
println(dict)
}
}
That doesn't look good though - it's one line, but not readable.
Personally, without using any fancy functional way to do it, I would make the chain more explicit with just one optional binding:
let kkbox = ticket["KKBOX"] as? Dictionary<String, AnyObject>
let kkboxDlUrlDict = kkbox?["kkbox_dl_url_list"] as? Dictionary<String, AnyObject>
if let kkboxDlUrlArray = kkboxDlUrlDict?["kkbox_dl_url"] as? NSArray {
for dict in kkboxDlUrlArray {
println(dict)
}
}
In my opinion much easier to read, and with no unneeded indentation

Answer 2

Alternatively, you could use this extension, which mimics the original valueForKeyPath method that used to exist in NSDictionary but got axed for whatever reason:
Swift 4.1
extension Dictionary where Key: ExpressibleByStringLiteral {
func valueFor(keyPath: String) -> Any? {
var keys = keyPath.components(separatedBy: ".")
var val : Any = self
while keys.count > 0 {
if let key = keys[0] as? Key {
keys.remove(at: 0)
if let dic = val as? Dictionary<Key, Value> {
if let leaf = dic[key] {
val = leaf
} else {
return nil
}
} else {
return nil
}
} else {
return nil
}
}
return val
}
Your code would then read:
if let array = ticket.valueFor("KKBOX.kkbox_dl_url_list.kkbox_dl_url") as? [] {
// do something with array
}

Answer 3

Seems like swift 1.2 has added this feature.
"More powerful optional unwrapping with if let — The if let construct can now unwrap multiple optionals at once, as well as include intervening boolean conditions. This lets you express conditional control flow without unnecessary nesting."
https://developer.apple.com/swift/blog/