Swift 5- Firebase- Putting users into sections with data loaded from firebase - ios

Question

I have a tableview that has a list of users in a directory that are loaded in from a firebase directory. My question is how can i put them into sections similarly to that of the contact app in the iPhone. I want each user to be displayed by their name under the appropriate sections.
here is the code I have:
my main view controller:
import UIKit
import Foundation
import Firebase
import FirebaseDatabase
class ViewController: UIViewController {
//MARK: - variables for the textfield search
#IBOutlet var field: UITextField!
var filteredTable = [String]()
//MARK: - Variables for the tableview data from Firebase
var table = [FacStaffInfo]()
var ref: DatabaseReference!
#IBOutlet weak var Tableview: UITableView!
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
//MARK: - setting the delegate for the test field for filter
field.delegate = self
//MARK: - This is all the functionality for the loading from Firebase to the TableView
ref = Database.database().reference().child("users")
ref.observe(DataEventType.value, with: {(snapshot) in
if snapshot.childrenCount > 0 {
self.table.removeAll()
for user in snapshot.children.allObjects as! [DataSnapshot] {
let object = user.value as? [String: AnyObject]
let title = object?["title"]
let name = object?["name"]
let email = object?["email"]
let phone = object?["phone"]
let office = object?["office"]
let bio = object?["bio"]
let user = FacStaffInfo(title: title as! String, name: name as! String, email: email as! String, phone: phone as! Int, office: office as! String, bio: bio as! String)
self.table.append(user)
self.Tableview.reloadData()
}
}
})
}
}
//MARK: - add the tableview functions
extension ViewController: UITableViewDataSource, UITableViewDelegate {
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
//MARK: - adding functionality for textfield search
if !filteredTable.isEmpty {
return table.count
}
//MARK: - just returning the array from the database, keep if remove textfield crap
return table.count
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "userCell") as! TableViewCell
let user: FacStaffInfo
user = table[indexPath.row]
cell.titleLabel?.text = user.title
cell.nameLabel?.text = user.name
cell.emailLabel?.text = user.email
cell.phoneLabel?.text = String(user.phone)
cell.officeLabel?.text = user.office
cell.bioLabel?.text = user.bio
//MARK: - testing using arrays to filter tableview data
// if !filteredTable.isEmpty {
// cell.textLabel?.text = filteredTable[indexPath.row]
// }
// else {
// cell.textLabel?.text = table.
// }
//
//
//
//
//
return cell
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, didSelectRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) {
performSegue(withIdentifier: "showDetail", sender: self)
}
override func prepare(for segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: Any?) {
if segue.identifier == "showDetail" {
if let indexPath = Tableview.indexPathForSelectedRow {
let destinationController = segue.destination as! InfoViewController
destinationController.FacStaffData = table[indexPath.row]
}
}
}
}
This is my data model
import Foundation
import Firebase
import FirebaseDatabase
class FacStaffInfo {
var title: String
var name: String
var email: String
var phone: Int
var office: String
var bio: String
init(title: String, name: String, email: String, phone: Int, office: String, bio: String) {
self.title = title;
self.name = name;
self.email = email;
self.phone = phone;
self.office = office;
self.bio = bio
}
}
This is my table view cell
import UIKit
import Firebase
import FirebaseDatabase
class TableViewCell: UITableViewCell {
#IBOutlet weak var titleLabel: UILabel!
#IBOutlet weak var nameLabel: UILabel!
#IBOutlet weak var emailLabel: UILabel!
#IBOutlet weak var phoneLabel: UILabel!
#IBOutlet weak var officeLabel: UILabel!
#IBOutlet weak var bioLabel: UILabel!
override func awakeFromNib() {
super.awakeFromNib()
// Initialization code
}
override func setSelected(_ selected: Bool, animated: Bool) {
super.setSelected(selected, animated: animated)
// Configure the view for the selected state
}
}

Answer 1

Swift 5
Declare your class as follows:
class ViewController: UIViewController
{
// MARK: Outlets
#IBOutlet weak var Tableview: UITableView!
#IBOutlet weak var field: UITextField!
// MARK: Properties
var sectionNames: [String] = []
var users: [String: [FacStaffInfo]] = [:]
var ref: DatabaseReference!
// MARK: View Controller Life Cycle
override func viewDidLoad()
{
super.viewDidLoad()
getUsersFromFirebaseDB()
}
deinit
{
ref.removeAllObservers()
}
// MARK: Private Methods
private func usersFetched(_ usersData: [FacStaffInfo])
{
for user in usersData
{
guard let userNameFirstChar = user.name.first?.uppercased() else { continue }
if var usersForKey = users["\(userNameFirstChar)"]
{
usersForKey.append(user)
users["\(userNameFirstChar)"] = usersForKey
}
else
{
// no users are stored in dictionary for key userNameFirstChar
users["\(userNameFirstChar)"] = [user]
}
}
// sort dictionary keys and set it in sectionNames
sectionNames = users.map { $0.key }.sorted()
}
private func getUsersFromFirebaseDB()
{
ref = Database.database().reference().child("users")
ref.observe(DataEventType.value, with: { [weak self] (snapshot) in
guard snapshot.childrenCount > 0 else { return }
var users: [FacStaffInfo] = []
for user in snapshot.children.allObjects as! [DataSnapshot]
{
let object = user.value as? [String: AnyObject]
let title = object?["title"]
let name = object?["name"]
let email = object?["email"]
let phone = object?["phone"]
let office = object?["office"]
let bio = object?["bio"]
let user = FacStaffInfo(title: title as! String, name: name as! String, email: email as! String, phone: phone as! Int, office: office as! String, bio: bio as! String)
users.append(user)
}
self?.usersFetched(users)
self?.Tableview.reloadData()
})
}
// MARK: Navigation
override func prepare(for segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: Any?)
{
if segue.identifier == "showDetail"
{
if let indexPath = Tableview.indexPathForSelectedRow
{
let destinationController = segue.destination as! InfoViewController
let char = sectionNames[indexPath.section]
let user = users[char]![indexPath.row]
destinationController.FacStaffData = user
}
}
}
}
Also, add the following extension:
extension ViewController: UITableViewDataSource, UITableViewDelegate
{
func numberOfSections(in tableView: UITableView) -> Int
{
sectionNames.count
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, titleForHeaderInSection section: Int) -> String?
{
sectionNames[section]
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int
{
let char = sectionNames[section]
return users[char]!.count
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell
{
let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "userCell") as! TableViewCell
let char = sectionNames[indexPath.section]
let user = users[char]![indexPath.row]
cell.nameLabel?.text = user.name
return cell
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, didSelectRowAt indexPath: IndexPath)
{
performSegue(withIdentifier: "showDetail", sender: self)
tableView.deselectRow(at: indexPath, animated: true)
}
}
Output