Making a Swift Array conform to a Protocol - ios

Question

Let's say that certain items can appear in a Feed, so long as they implement the necessary properties defined by the Feedable protocol. Let's also say that the Photo object is feed-worthy:
extension Photo: Feedable { }
Is it possible to say that an Array of these photos might also be Feedable?
extension [Photo] : Feedable
Or do I always need some kind of wrapper object, such as a PhotoAlbum, to conform to Feedable?
Edit
To re-iterate, I was curious whether I can make only arrays of Photo objects Feedable. Not making Array of any content type Feedable, not making an array of Feedables itself Feedable (both of which are offered as solutions below if that's what you need).
In other words, a solution (which I doubt exists) would allow me to define a variable of type Feedable with the following outcomes:
var feedable: Feedable
//photo is feedable, so this is fine
feedable = Photo() //ok
//arrays of photos are feedable
let photo1 = Photo()
let photo2 = Photo()
feedable = [photo1, photo2]
//arrays of other things are not
feedable = ["no", "dice"] //nope
//even if the contents of an array are themselves Feedable, that's not sufficient. E.g. Video is Feedable, but Array of Videos is not.
let video1 = Video()
let video2 = Video()
feeble = video1 //fine
feedable = [video1, video2] //nope
Perhaps this gist (which doesn't compile of course) shows the intention more clearly.

Answer 1

You can achieve your goal in this way:
Swift 4:
protocol Feedable {
func foo()
}
extension String: Feedable {
func foo() {
}
}
extension Array: Feedable where Element: Feedable {
func foo() {
}
}
// or in more generic way to support Array, Set and other collection types
extension Collection: Feedable where Element: Feedable {
func foo() {
}
}

Answer 2

If there was an array of Photo and Video,what would you like to be?
1.Every element performs like what they are.
extension Array where Element : Feedable {
func foo() {
if Element.self == Photo.self {
} else {
}
}
}
2.The whole array performs as 'Video'.
extension Array where Element : Photo {
func foo() {
}
}

Answer 3

I think this is currently not possible. In my project I have the same issue with a ModelProducer.
protocol M: ModelType {}
protocol ModelProducerType {
associatedtype M: ModelType
var model: M? { get }
func produce()
}
struct Test: ModelType {}
class TestProducer: ModelProducerType {
var model: Test?
func produce() {
model = Test()
}
}
I use ModelType as a ghost protocol. The problem is I cannot make a model producer that produces multiple ModelTypes, because of the same reason you discovered. The solution in this case was the following:
protocol M: ModelType {}
protocol ModelProducerType {
associatedtype M: ModelType
var model: [M] { get }
func produce()
}
struct Test: ModelType {}
class TestProducer: ModelProducerType {
var model: [Test] = []
func produce() {
model = [Test()]
}
}
This is more flexible from the start. I get rid of the optional variable and single model producers just have one item in the array. Maybe you can use a similar approach.

Answer 4

You can make an array to conform a protocol like this:
typealias PhotoArray = [Photo]
extension PhotoArray: Feedable {}

Answer 5

I didn't try in playground but maybe you can simply make an Array of Feedable:
var myPhotosArray = [Feedable]()
Then everything implementing the Feedable protocol would be allowed in the Array. If you want only a photo array, You can still subclass your Photo object to make a FeedablePhoto object.
Try this in Playground instead of downvoting without even testing.
Seriously 3 downvotes without any reasons and explanations...
import UIKit
protocol Tree: class {
func grow()
}
class BigTree: Tree {
internal func grow() {
print("Big tree growing")
}
}
class SmallTree: Tree {
internal func grow() {
print("Small tree growing")
}
}
class Car {
//not a tree
}
var manyTrees = [Tree]()
manyTrees.append(BigTree())
manyTrees.append(SmallTree())
manyTrees.append(Car()) //This makes an error "Car doesn't conform to expected type 'Tree'"