Trouble converting JSON Ints to Strings (Swift 5) - ios

Question

New to Swift and coding in general. Trying to put an array of JSON objects into a tableView. Having trouble converting my Ints to Strings in the tableView delegate method's detailTextView.text. Getting an error "Initializer 'init(_:)' requires that 'Int?' conform to 'LosslessStringConvertible.'" Try to use that, but it's a rabbit hole of errors from there. Been browsing SO most of the day but no luck.
class AllCountriesVC: UITableViewController {
struct CovidData: Codable {
let country: String
let cases: Int?
let todayCases: Int?
let deaths: Int?
let todayDeaths: Int?
let recovered: Int?
let active: Int?
let critical: Int?
let totalTests: Int?
}
var data = [CovidData]()
override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
load()
self.tableView.reloadData()
}
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
}
func load() {
if let url = URL(string: "https://coronavirus-19-api.herokuapp.com/countries/") {
let jsonData = try! Data(contentsOf: url)
self.data = try! JSONDecoder().decode([CovidData].self, from: jsonData)
self.tableView.reloadData()
}
}
override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
return data.count ?? 1
}
override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "Cell", for: indexPath)
let countryData = data[indexPath.row]
cell.textLabel?.text = countryData.country
cell.detailTextLabel?.text = String(countryData.cases)
//this is where it fails with error "Initializer 'init(_:)' requires that 'Int?' conform to 'LosslessStringConvertible'"
return cell
}
}

Answer 1

From looking at the data, the only property that has null data is recovered, so you change the rest of the properties to non-optionals. This will make things a lot easier for you.
I would also recommend that you use do/try/catch rather than try!.
class AllCountriesVC: UITableViewController {
struct CovidData: Codable {
let country: String
let cases: Int
let todayCases: Int
let deaths: Int
let todayDeaths: Int
let recovered: Int?
let active: Int
let critical: Int
let totalTests: Int
}
var data = [CovidData]()
override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
load()
}
func load() {
if let url = URL(string: "https://coronavirus-19-api.herokuapp.com/countries/") {
do {
let jsonData = try Data(contentsOf: url)
self.data = try JSONDecoder().decode([CovidData].self, from: jsonData)
self.tableView.reloadData()
}
catch {
print(error)
}
}
}
override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
return data.count ?? 1
}
override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "Cell", for: indexPath)
let countryData = data[indexPath.row]
cell.textLabel?.text = countryData.country
cell.detailTextLabel?.text = String(countryData.cases)
return cell
}
}
If you did want to use an optional, say recovered then you can use the nil coalescing operator - ??
String(countryData.recovered ?? 0)