Upload Empty Strings to Firebase Realtime Database - ios

Question

I'm trying to upload a child nod to a reference to my Firebase Realtime Database, however I'm running into an issue. I'm trying to have my secondDateAndTimes and thirdDateAndTimes upload as empty strings if they are not filled out, but my handleConfirm() will only work if the two are filled out. What do I need to do so the child node uploads even if the two UILabels are empty/not showing? Thank you!
JobRequest Model
struct JobRequest {
let uid: String
let fullname: String
let username: String
let address: String
let firstDateAndTimes: String
let secondDateAndTimes: String
let thirdDateAndTimes: String
let timeConstraints: String
let jobDescription: String
init(dictionary: [String : Any]) {
self.uid = dictionary["uid"] as? String ?? ""
self.fullname = dictionary["fullname"] as? String ?? ""
self.username = dictionary["username"] as? String ?? ""
self.address = dictionary["address"] as? String ?? ""
self.firstDateAndTimes = dictionary["firstDateAndTimes"] as? String ?? ""
self.secondDateAndTimes = dictionary["secondDateAndTimes"] as? String ?? ""
self.thirdDateAndTimes = dictionary["thirdDateAndTimes"] as? String ?? ""
self.timeConstraints = dictionary["timeConstraints"] as? String ?? ""
self.jobDescription = dictionary["jobDescription"] as? String ?? ""
}
}
API Service
struct JobDetailCredentials {
var uid: String
var fullname: String
var username: String
var address: String
var firstDateAndTimes: String
var secondDateAndTimes: String
var thirdDateAndTimes: String
var timeConstraints: String
var jobDescription: String
}
// MARK: - CustomerService
struct CustomerService {
static func uploadCustomerAndJobRequest(jobDetails: JobDetailCredentials, completion: #escaping(DatabaseCompletion)) {
guard let uid = Auth.auth().currentUser?.uid else { return }
let values = ["uid" : jobDetails.uid,
"fullname" : jobDetails.fullname,
"username" : jobDetails.username,
"address" : jobDetails.address,
"firstDateAndTimes" : jobDetails.firstDateAndTimes,
"secondDateAndTimes" : jobDetails.secondDateAndTimes,
"thirdDateAndTimes" : jobDetails.thirdDateAndTimes,
"timeConstraints" : jobDetails.timeConstraints,
"jobDescription" : jobDetails.jobDescription] as [String : Any]
REF_CUSTOMERS.child(uid).child("job-request-details").childByAutoId().updateChildValues(values, withCompletionBlock: completion)
}
}
RequestJobConfirmationController
lazy var secondDateAndTimeDetailsLabel: UILabel = {
let label = UILabel()
label.textColor = .black
label.textAlignment = .center
label.font = UIFont(name: "AvenirNext-MediumItalic", size: 14)
label.numberOfLines = 0
return label
}()
lazy var thirdDateAndTimeDetailsLabel: UILabel = {
let label = UILabel()
label.textColor = .black
label.textAlignment = .center
label.font = UIFont(name: "AvenirNext-MediumItalic", size: 14)
label.numberOfLines = 0
return label
}()
#objc func handleConfirm() {
guard let uid = Auth.auth().currentUser?.uid ,
let fullname = fullnameDetailsLabel.text ,
let username = customer?.username ,
let address = addressDetailsLabel.text ,
let firstDateAndTimes = firstDateAndTimeDetailsLabel.text ,
let secondDateAndTimes = secondDateAndTimeDetailsLabel.text ,
let thirdDateAndTimes = thirdDateAndTimeDetailsLabel.text ,
let timeConstraints = timeConstraintsDetailsLabel.text ,
let jobDescription = jobDescriptionDetailsLabel.text else { return }
let jobDetails = JobDetailCredentials(uid: uid, fullname: fullname, username: username, address: address,
firstDateAndTimes: firstDateAndTimes, secondDateAndTimes: secondDateAndTimes,
thirdDateAndTimes: thirdDateAndTimes, timeConstraints: timeConstraints,
jobDescription: jobDescription)
CustomerService.uploadCustomerAndJobRequest(jobDetails: jobDetails) { error, ref in
if let _ = error {
self.simpleAlert(title: "Error", msg: "Unable to upload job details, please try again later.")
return
}
let controller = FindEmployeeJobRequestController()
controller.modalPresentationStyle = .fullScreen
self.present(controller, animated: true, completion: nil)
}
}

Answer 1

Instead of putting your secondDateAndTimes and thirdDateAndTimes inside the guard, which will guarantee that the function returns if they're nil, move them outside of that guard and optionally bind them:
guard let uid = Auth.auth().currentUser?.uid ,
let fullname = fullnameDetailsLabel.text ,
let username = customer?.username ,
let address = addressDetailsLabel.text ,
let firstDateAndTimes = firstDateAndTimeDetailsLabel.text ,
let timeConstraints = timeConstraintsDetailsLabel.text ,
let jobDescription = jobDescriptionDetailsLabel.text else { return }
let secondDateAndTimes = secondDateAndTimeDetailsLabel.text ?? "",
let thirdDateAndTimes = thirdDateAndTimeDetailsLabel.text ?? "",
//...

Answer 2

I figured what my problem was, I wasn't setting empty strings as the texts for my UILabels.
RequestJobConfirmationController
lazy var secondDateAndTimeDetailsLabel: UILabel = {
let label = UILabel()
label.text = ""
label.textColor = .black
label.textAlignment = .center
label.font = UIFont(name: "AvenirNext-MediumItalic", size: 14)
label.numberOfLines = 0
return label
}()
lazy var thirdDateAndTimeDetailsLabel: UILabel = {
let label = UILabel()
label.text = ""
label.textColor = .black
label.textAlignment = .center
label.font = UIFont(name: "AvenirNext-MediumItalic", size: 14)
label.numberOfLines = 0
return label
}()