Call a method with dynamic class name in swift - ios

Question

How can we call class functions with a dynamic class name?
Assume the following example where I have two class with methods with same signature
class Foo{
class func doSomething()
}
class Foobar {
class func doSomething()
}
class ActualWork{
//call following method with a variable type so that it accepts dynamic class name
func callDynamicClassMethod(x: dynamicClass)
x.doSomething()
}
How can this be implemented so that x accepts values at run time
Edit: Sorry, I missed to mention that I was looking for any other ways other than protocol oriented approach. This is more of an exploratory question to explore if there is a more direct approach/pods/libraries to achieve this.

Answer 1

I liked this question, because it made me to think a lit'bit outside of the box.
I'll answer it, by dividing it into a few parts.
First
call class functions
Class function is basically a Type methods, which can be achieved using the static word inside the class context.
Taking that into account, you can get a simple solution, using protocol and passing the class reference (conforming to that protocol) like this:
protocol Aaa{
static func doSomething();
}
class Foo : Aaa{
static func doSomething() {
print("Foo doing something");
}
}
class FooBar : Aaa{
static func doSomething() {
print("FooBar doing something");
}
}
class ActualWork{
//Using class (static) method
func callDynamicClassMethod <T: Aaa> (x: T.Type) {
x.doSomething();
}
}
//This is how you can use it
func usage(){
let aw = ActualWork();
aw.callDynamicClassMethod(x: Foo.self);
aw.callDynamicClassMethod(x: Foo.self);
}
Second
In case you don't really need the method on the class context, you may consider using instance methods. In that case the solution would be even simpler, like this:
protocol Bbb{
func doSomething();
}
class Bar : Bbb{
func doSomething() {
print("Bar instance doing something");
}
}
class BarBar : Bbb{
func doSomething() {
print("BarBar instance doing something");
}
}
class ActualWork{
//Using instance (non-static) method
func callDynamicInstanceMethod <T: Bbb> (x: T){
x.doSomething();
}
}
//This is how you can use it
func usage(){
let aw = ActualWork();
aw.callDynamicInstanceMethod(x: Bar());
aw.callDynamicInstanceMethod(x: BarBar());
}
Third
If you need to use the class func syntax, as OP originally did:
class func doSomething()
You CANNOT simply use a protocol. Because protocol is not a class...
So compiler won't allow it.
But it's still possible, you can achieve that by using
Selector with NSObject.perform method
like this:
class ActualWork : NSObject{
func callDynamicClassMethod<T: NSObject>(x: T.Type, methodName: String){
x.perform(Selector(methodName));
}
}
class Ccc : NSObject{
#objc class func doSomething(){
print("Ccc class Doing something ");
}
}
class Ddd : NSObject{
#objc class func doSomething(){
print("Ccc class Doing something ");
}
#objc class func doOther(){
print("Ccc class Doing something ");
}
}
//This is how you can use it
func usage() {
let aw = ActualWork();
aw.callDynamicClassMethod(x: Ccc.self, methodName: "doSomething");
aw.callDynamicClassMethod(x: Ddd.self, methodName: "doSomething");
aw.callDynamicClassMethod(x: Ddd.self, methodName: "doOther");
}

Answer 2

Generics and Protocol oriented programming will do the job:
protocol Doable {
static func doSomething()
}
class Foo: Doable {
static func doSomething() {
debugPrint("Foo")
}
}
class Foobar: Doable {
static func doSomething() {
debugPrint("Foobar")
}
}
class ActualWork {
func callDynamicClassMethod<T: Doable>(x: T.Type) {
x.doSomething()
}
}
let work = ActualWork()
work.callDynamicClassMethod(x: Foo.self)
work.callDynamicClassMethod(x: Foobar.self)

Answer 3

you can achieve this with help of Protocol
protocol common {
static func doSomething()
}
class Foo : common{
static func doSomething() {
print("Foo")
}
}
class Foobar : common {
static func doSomething() {
print("Foobar")
}
}
class ActualWork{
//call following method with a variable type so that it accepts dynamic class name
func callDynamicClassMethod(x: common.Type) {
x.doSomething()
}
}
let fooObj : common = Foo()
let Foobarobj : common = Foobar()
let workObk = ActualWork()
workObk.callDynamicClassMethod(x:Foo.self)
workObk.callDynamicClassMethod(x:Foobar.self)

Answer 4

I think, there are three solutions. I shared an sample below.
Use "protocol" that has "doSomething()" function requirements.
Create a function which gets function definition as a parameter.
Use reflection. you can use EVReflection that is good Api for reflection.
sample code:
protocol FooProtocol {
static func doSomething()
}
class Foo: FooProtocol {
class func doSomething() {
print("Foo:doSomething")
}
}
class Foobar: FooProtocol {
class func doSomething() {
print("Foobar:doSomething")
}
}
class ActualWork {
func callDynamicClassMethod<T: FooProtocol>(x: T.Type) {
x.doSomething()
}
func callDynamicClassMethod(x: #autoclosure () -> Void) {
x()
}
func callDynamicClassMethod(x: () -> Void) {
x()
}
}
ActualWork().callDynamicClassMethod(x: Foo.self)
ActualWork().callDynamicClassMethod(x: Foobar.self)
print("\n")
ActualWork().callDynamicClassMethod(x: Foo.doSomething())
ActualWork().callDynamicClassMethod(x: Foobar.doSomething())
print("\n")
ActualWork().callDynamicClassMethod(x: Foo.doSomething)
ActualWork().callDynamicClassMethod(x: Foobar.doSomething)

Answer 5

Looks like you are searching for duck typing, and this is harder to achieve in a statically typed language (with some exceptions, listed in the linked Wikipedia page).
This is because dynamically calling a method requires knowledge about the layout of the target object, thus either inheritance of the class declaring the method, or conformance to a protocol that requires that method.
Starting with Swift 4.2, and the introduction of dynamic member lookup, there is another approach to solve your problem, however it also involves some ceremony:
// This needs to be used as base of all classes that you want to pass
// as arguments
#dynamicMemberLookup
class BaseDynamicClass {
subscript(dynamicMember member: String) -> () -> Void {
return { /* empty closure do nothing */ }
}
}
// subclasses can choose to respond to member queries any way they like
class Foo: BaseDynamicClass {
override subscript(dynamicMember member: String) -> () -> Void {
if member == "doSomething" { return doSomething }
return super[dynamicMember: member]
}
func doSomething() {
print("Dynamic from Foo")
}
}
class Bar: BaseDynamicClass {
override subscript(dynamicMember member: String) -> () -> Void {
if member == "doSomething" { return doSomething }
return super[dynamicMember: member]
}
func doSomething() {
print("Dynamic from Bar")
}
}
func test(receiver: BaseDynamicClass) {
receiver.doSomething()
}
test(receiver: Bar()) // Dynamic from Bar
To conclude, in the current Swift version there is no way to have both the argument and the method dynamic, some common ground needs to be set.