Optional wrapper around API key swift - ios

Question

I'm attempting to test a server response using an API key taken from a .plist file. When I print out the key from the from the request header, it has an optional wrapper: Optional([App-Token: apikey1234567])). I'm not getting a response, which I think is because the key is being passed in this form. A little new to Swift. How can I pass this so it isn't optional? Relevant code below:
var key: String!
let baseURL: String = ("https://apiurl.com/").stringByAddingPercentEscapesUsingEncoding(NSUTF8StringEncoding)!
override init() {
path = NSBundle.mainBundle().pathForResource("APIkey", ofType: "plist")
dict = NSDictionary(contentsOfFile: path!)
key = dict!.objectForKey("APIkey") as! String
super.init()
}
func updateJSON() {
var session = NSURLSession.sharedSession()
var request = NSMutableURLRequest(URL: NSURL(string: baseURL)!)
request.HTTPMethod = "GET"
request.setValue(key, forHTTPHeaderField:"App-Token")
// This prints out the 'Optional([App-Token: apikey1234567]))'
println("\(request.allHTTPHeaderFields))")
var dataTask = session.dataTaskWithRequest(request, completionHandler: { (data, response, error) -> Void in
var error: NSError?
if (error != nil) {
println("\(error)")
} else {
self.jsonObject = NSJSONSerialization.JSONObjectWithData(data, options: nil, error: &error) as? NSDictionary
println("\(self.jsonObject)")
}
})
dataTask.resume()
}
UPDATE: I was getting nil because jsonObject was being cast as an NSDictionary. When I changed its type to AnyObject the response came back.

Answer 1

The functions valueForHTTPHeaderField and allHTTPHeaderFields - return optionals, it doesn't mean the key you put in is optional. from Swift NSURLRequest file:
func valueForHTTPHeaderField(field: String) -> String?
var allHTTPHeaderFields: [String : String]?
Check value of key by adding print after setting it in init:
var key: String!
let baseURL: String = ("https://apiurl.com/").stringByAddingPercentEscapesUsingEncoding(NSUTF8StringEncoding)!
override init() {
path = NSBundle.mainBundle().pathForResource("APIkey", ofType: "plist")
dict = NSDictionary(contentsOfFile: path!)
key = dict!.objectForKey("APIkey") as! String
println("On init Key = \(key)") // Check key value here is it optional?
super.init()
}
Also: dataTaskWithRequest returns optional so at least optional chain:
dataTask?.resume()
You also have an new error:NSError created in completion of task when it already returns an error, it appears you mean to create this error for JSON parse? best to name it different to avoid any ambiguity. Some var can be let because never mutated -session, request, dataTask.
func updateJSON() {
let session = NSURLSession.sharedSession()
let request = NSMutableURLRequest(URL: NSURL(string: baseURL)!)
request.HTTPMethod = "GET"
request.setValue(key, forHTTPHeaderField:"App-Token")
// This prints out the 'Optional([App-Token: apikey1234567]))'
println("\(request.allHTTPHeaderFields))")
let dataTask = session.dataTaskWithRequest(request, completionHandler: { (data, response, error) -> Void in
if (error != nil) {
println("\(error)")
} else {
var jsonError: NSError?
self.jsonObject = NSJSONSerialization.JSONObjectWithData(data, options: nil, error: & jsonError) as? NSDictionary
println("\(self.jsonObject)")
}
})
dataTask?.resume()
}
(NB: I only have machine with xcode 7 and swift 2 installed at this moment, but i don't think any of these things have changed since Swift 1.2)