dictionary for tableView datasource - ios

Question

I am trying to use a dictionary for a tableView datasource, I am getting an object back from the database that contains a key and an array of values, so a [String: [String]]
var requestedList = [String]()
var keyArr = [String]()
var requestedDictionary = [String: [String]]()
let tQuery = PFQuery(className: "MyClass")
tQuery.whereKey("username", equalTo: PFUser.current()?.username as Any)
tQuery.selectKeys(["descContent", "header"])
do {
let returnedObjects = try tQuery.findObjects()
for object in returnedObjects {
let header = object["header"] as! String
keyArr.append(header)
if let arr = object["descContent"] as! [String]? {
requestedDictionary[header] = arr
requestedList += arr
}
}
} catch {
}
I can't seem to correspond the values correctly to the rows of the tableView however, I was suggested to use an array to store the values which is what I have done with the keyArr. My problem is how do I access the contents of the keys and the corresponding values in the datasource methods?? This is what I have so far but I haven't been able to link the keys and values accordingly
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
return requestedList.count
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "RequestViewCell", for: indexPath) as! RequestViewCell
cell.descLbl.text = "Your ticket has been requested by \(requestedList[indexPath.row])"
cell.refLbl.text = "for: \(keyArr[indexPath.row])"
cell.leftBtn.tag = (indexPath.section * 100) + indexPath.row
cell.leftBtn.addTarget(self, action: #selector(leftClick(sender:)), for: .touchUpInside)
cell.rightBtn.tag = (indexPath.section * 100) + indexPath.row
cell.rightBtn.addTarget(self, action: #selector(rightClick(sender:)), for: .touchUpInside)
return cell
}

Answer 1

You can turn dictionary into tableView representable data this way.
let requestedDictionary:[String: [String]] = [
"Key-1":["Value-1","Value-2","Value-3","Value-4"],
"Key-A":["Value-X","Value-Y","Value-Z"],
"Key-a":["Value-x","Value-y"],
]
lazy var data:[(key:String,values:[String])] = requestedDictionary.compactMap({(key:$0,values:$1)})
func numberOfSections(in tableView: UITableView) -> Int {
data.count
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
return data[section].values.count
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
let cell = UITableViewCell()
cell.textLabel?.text = data[indexPath.section].values[indexPath.row]
return cell
}
func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, titleForHeaderInSection section: Int) -> String? {
return data[section].key
}
Hope it helps.