Swift class add "#objc" for why - ios

Here's a link to a Swift tutorial.
I read the protocol section,i know if protocol is marked with the #objc:
#objc protocol CounterDataSource {
optional func incrementForCount(count: Int) -> Int
optional var fixedIncrement: Int { get }
}
this mean this protocol in order to specify optional requirements and can be adopted only by classes
but tutorial didn't say why the class need to marked with the #objc too??
#objc class Counter {
var count = 0
var dataSource: CounterDataSource?
func increment() {
if let amount = dataSource?.incrementForCount?(count) {
count += amount
} else if let amount = dataSource?.fixedIncrement? {
count += amount
}
}
}
if i remove #objc from class , compiler didn't show error message too
so what different between add #objc to class or not?

Deprecation
It is no longer possible in latest Swift releases to use #objc w/o NSObject so this answer is deprecated.
Original
#objc is prefixed to classes to allow them to be used in ObjC. If you're dealing purely in Swift, it is unnecessary.
Also, if your class inherits from an ObjC class, the prefix is unnecessary.

For example #selector is owned by Obj-c,
In swift, we'll use #selector in .addTarget or in .target of an object. There we should prefix #objc for targeting method.
Example:
#objc func dummy(_ sender: UIButton) {
print("xxx")
}
above method will be using in a UIButton's target like
dummyButton.addTarget(self, action: #selector(self. dummy(_:)), for: .touchUpInside)
this is why we are using #objc as prefix in swift.

Related

Non-'#objc' method does not satisfy requirement of '#objc' protocol [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
Non-'#objc' method does not satisfy optional requirement of '#objc' protocol
(3 answers)
Closed 1 year ago.
I've put the following into a Playground to try and understand this and I just don't:
import Foundation
#objc protocol Sample {
var value: Int { get set }
func increase()
func decrese()
}
extension Sample {
func increase() {
value += 1
}
func decrease() {
value -= 1
}
}
class Test: Sample {
var value: Int = 0
}
The error appears next to the class declaration for Test saying:
Non-'#objc' method 'increase()' does not satisfy requirement of '#objc' protocol 'Sample'
If I re-declare increase() and decrease() in the class then the warning is silenced. Or also if I remove the declarations from the protocol. Could someone please explain?
EDIT
I do need an Objective-C class to conform to this protocol as well, hence the #objc at the start.
The problem is that you’re defining these methods in a protocol extension. This is used to define a “default implementation” for a protocol (i.e. if a type doesn’t implement the method, the protocol’s implementation will be called).
But Objective-C doesn’t have the concept of default implementations for protocols. So it doesn’t makes sense to declare the protocol as #objc and have default implementations within the Swift protocol extension. An Objective-C class conforming to this protocol would never be able to enjoy these Swift default implementations.
The below code works with empty protocol methods' implementation in the Protocol extension class
import Foundation
protocol Sample {
var value: Int { get set }
func increase()
func decrease()
}
extension Sample {
func increase() { }
func decrease() { }
}
class Test: Sample {
var value: Int = 0
}
or if you want some default implementation of Sample protocol methods in the extension then use
import Foundation
protocol Sample {
var value: Int { get set }
func increase()
mutating func decrease()
}
extension Sample {
func increase() {
print("do anything")
}
mutating func decrease() {
value -= 1
}
}
class Test: Sample {
var value: Int = 0
}
mutating is added before the protocol method decrease() because it modifies the Protocol variable value.
If the Protocol extension doesn't modify any of the Protocol variable (e.g. increase()), then there is no need of mutating keyword

Override of instance method form extension depends on deprecated inference of '#objc'

I am trying to convert my code (written in Swift 3) to Swift 4, for that I am adding #objc where needed. Xcode has done quite a good job to automatically fix them but I am struggling with a few (all using the same 2 methods), where Xcode can't help, it just puts #objc somewhere in my code.
I am overriding a method called navbarRightButtonAction(button:) like this in my ViewController class.
class ViewController: PBViewController {
override func navbarRightButtonAction(button: PBAdaptiveButton) {
...
}
}
This is where I get the warning saying:
Override of instance method 'navbarRightButtonAction(button:)' from extension of PBViewController depends on deprecated inference of '#objc'
Then I thought the problem us be in the PBViewController class which looks like this:
extension PBViewController: PBNavigationBarDelegate {
func navbarRightButtonAction(button: PBAdaptiveButton) {
print("Override this method")
}
}
So I added #objc func navbarRightButtonAction(button: PBAdaptiveButton) but it didn't help.
Then I looked into the PBNavigationBarDelegate protocol
protocol PBNavigationBarDelegate {
func navbarRightButtonAction(button:PBAdaptiveButton)
}
I added #objc protocol PBNavigationBarDelegate but it didn't help either.
I have no other idea what to do to fix the deprecation warning.
Put #objc or #nonobjc in front of the extension:
#objc extension PBViewController: PBNavigationBarDelegate
Take a look at Limiting #objc Inference, SE-0160 at Swift Evolution for more details. It contains the following example regarding extensions:
Enabling/disabling #objc inference within an extension
There might be certain regions of code for which all of (or none of) the entry points should be exposed to Objective-C. Allow either #objc or #nonobjc to be specified on an extension. The #objc or #nonobjc will apply to any member of that extension that does not have its own #objc or #nonobjc annotation. For example:
class SwiftClass { }
#objc extension SwiftClass {
func foo() { } // implicitly #objc
func bar() -> (Int, Int) // error: tuple type (Int, Int) not
// expressible in #objc. add #nonobjc or move this method to fix the issue
}
#objcMembers
class MyClass : NSObject {
func wibble() { } // implicitly #objc
}
#nonobjc extension MyClass {
func wobble() { } // not #objc, despite #objcMembers
}

Declarations from extensions cannot be overridden yet in Swift 4

I have recently migrated my code to Swift 4. There is an issue that I am facing with extensions, i.e.:
Declarations from extensions cannot be overridden yet
I have already read multiple posts regrading this issue. But none of them entertains the scenario described below:
class BaseCell: UITableViewCell
{
//Some code here...
}
extension BaseCell
{
func isValid() -> String?
{
//Some code here...
}
}
class SampleCell: BaseCell
{
//Some code here...
override func isValid() -> String? //ERROR..!!!
{
//Some code here...
}
}
According to Apple,
Extensions can add new functionality to a type, but they cannot override existing functionality.
But in the above scenario, I am not overriding the method isValid() in extension. It is overridden in the SampleCell class definition itself. Still, it is giving the error.
But in the above scenario, I am not overriding the method isValid() in an extension.
isValid gets declared in an extension.
The error pretty much says that if a function is declared this way, it cannot be overridden.
The statement is valid for both from an extension and in an extension.
You can override declarations from extensions as long as you #objc the protocol. In Swift 4.2:
class BaseClass {}
class SubclassOfBaseClass: BaseClass {}
#objc protocol IsValidable {
func isValid() -> Bool
}
extension BaseClass: IsValidable {
func isValid() -> Bool { return false }
}
extension SubclassOfBaseClass {
override func isValid() -> Bool { return !super.isValid() }
}
BaseClass().isValid() // -> false
SubclassOfBaseClass().isValid() // -> true
In Swift 3, you were able to override the function of extension if extension was of a class that is getting derived from Objective-C (http://blog.flaviocaetano.com/post/this-is-how-to-override-extension-methods/), but I guess its not possible now in Swift 4. You can ofcourse do something like this:
protocol Validity {
func isValid() -> String?
}
class BaseCell: UITableViewCell, Validity {
}
extension Validity
{
func isValid() -> String? {
return "false"
}
}
class SampleCell: BaseCell {
func isValid() -> String? {
return "true"
}
}
let base = BaseCell()
base.isValid() // prints false
let sample = SampleCell()
sample.isValid() // prints true
I think this is self-explanatory.
declarations FROM extensions cannot be overridden yet
You are trying to override the function func isValid() -> String? which was declared within an extension of BaseCell, not the BaseCell class itself.
It is clearly saying that you can't override something that was declared inside an extension.
Hope it is helpful.
I too had a huge legacy of Swift 3 code that used this old trick to achieve what I wanted, so when I moved to Swift 4 and started getting these errors, I was somewhat distressed. Fear not, there is a solution.
This error has to do with the way Swift 4 compiles classes and the new way it treats Objective-C classes and functions. Under Swift 3, if a class is derived from NSObject, then all the variables and functions in that class would use Objective-C's dynamic naming and lookup conventions. This approach inhibited Swift's ability to optimise the code and improve code performance and size.
To overcome these penalties, in Swift 4, only variables and functions explicitly tagged with #objc get the Objective-C treatment, everything else uses standard Swift conventions: hence the error.
Armed with this knowledge, the solution to your problem is to tag the functions in the extension you wish to be overridden as #objc, then in the child classes, override the function, but remember to include the #objc tag so your code will get called at runtime.
WARNING The is a little gotcha here: if you forget to include the #objc in the override, the compiler will not complain, but your code lacks the dynamic lookup, so never gets called at runtime.
So your code should look a bit like this:
class BaseCell: UITableViewCell {
//Some code here...
}
extension BaseCell {
#objc func isValid() -> String? {
//Some code here...
}
}
class SampleCell: BaseCell {
//Some code here...
#objc override func isValid() -> String? {
//Some code here...
}
}
It is invalid in Swift, however not in Objective-C. So, if your method signature allows it (no objc forbidden constructs), you can declare it #objc func myMethod() and override it freely in Swift.

Swift 3 protocol extension using selector error

I have what I thought to be a very simple protocol extension for my UIViewControllers providing the capability to dismiss a keyboard through a tap gesture. Here's my code:
#objc protocol KeyboardDismissing {
func on(tap: UITapGestureRecognizer)
}
extension KeyboardDismissing where Self: UIViewController {
func addDismissalGesture() {
let tap = UITapGestureRecognizer(target: self, action: #selector(Self.on(tap:)))
view.addGestureRecognizer(tap)
}
func on(tap: UITapGestureRecognizer) {
dismissKeyboard()
}
func dismissKeyboard() {
view.endEditing(true)
}
}
The problem is that the above code throws a compile error on this line:
let tap = UITapGestureRecognizer(target: self, action: #selector(Self.on(tap:)))
With the error message:
Argument of '#selector' refers to instance method 'on(tap:)' that is not exposed to Objective-C
with the suggestion to "fix it" by adding #objc before func on(tap: UITapGestureRecognizer)
Ok fine, I add the tag:
#objc func on(tap: UITapGestureRecognizer) {
dismissKeyboard()
}
But then, it throws a different compile error on this newly added #objc tag with the error message:
#objc can only be used with members of classes, #objc protocols, and concrete extensions of classes
with the suggestion to "fix it" by removing the exact same tag I was just told to add.
I originally thought adding #objc before my protocol definition would solve any #selector problems but apparently that's not the case, and these cyclical error messages/suggestions aren't helping in the slightest. I've gone down a wild goose chase of adding/removing #objc tags everywhere, marking methods as optional, putting methods in the protocol's definition, etc.
It also doesn't matter what I put in the protocol definition Leaving the extension the same, the following example does not work nor does any combination of the declared methods in the protocol's definition:
#objc protocol KeyboardDismissing {
func on(tap: UITapGestureRecognizer)
}
This tricks me into thinking it works by compiling as a stand alone protocol, but the second I try to add it to a view controller:
class ViewController: UIViewController, KeyboardDismissing {}
it spits back the original error.
Can someone explain what I'm doing wrong and how I can compile this?
Note:
I've looked at this question but it is for Swift 2.2 not Swift 3 nor does the answer compile as soon as you create a view controller class that inherits from the protocol defined in the example.
I've also looked at this question but the answer uses NotificationCenter which is not what I'm after.
If there are any other seemingly duplicate questions, please let me know.
Matt's answer is correct. However, I would just add that, if you are dealing with #selector to use from a NotificationCenter notification, you could try to avoid #selector by using the closure version.
Example:
Instead of writing:
extension KeyboardHandler where Self: UIViewController {
func startObservingKeyboardChanges() {
NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(
self,
selector: #selector(keyboardWillShow(_:)),
// !!!!!
// compile error: cannot be included in a Swift protocol
name: .UIKeyboardWillShow,
object: nil
)
}
func keyboardWillShow(_ notification: Notification) {
// do stuff
}
}
you could write:
extension KeyboardHandler where Self: UIViewController {
func startObservingKeyboardChanges() {
// NotificationCenter observers
NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(forName: .UIKeyboardWillShow, object: nil, queue: nil) { [weak self] notification in
self?.keyboardWillShow(notification)
}
}
func keyboardWillShow(_ notification: Notification) {
// do stuff
}
}
This is a Swift protocol extension. Swift protocol extensions are invisible to Objective-C, no matter what; it knows nothing of them. But #selector is about Objective-C seeing and calling your function. That is not going to happen because your on(tap:) function is defined only in the protocol extension. Thus the compiler rightly stops you.
This question is one of a large class of questions where people think they are going to be clever with protocol extensions in dealing with Cocoa by trying to inject Objective-C-callable functionality (selector, delegate method, whatever) into a class via a protocol extension. It's an appealing notion but it's just not going to work.
As Matt said, you can't implement #objc methods in a protocol. Frédéric's answer covers Notifications, but what can you do about standard Selectors?
Let's say you have a protocol & extension, like so
protocol KeyboardHandler {
func setupToolbar()
}
extension KeyboardHandler {
func setupToolbar() {
let toolbar = UIToolbar()
let doneButton = UIBarButtonItem(title: "Done",
style: .done,
target: self,
action: #selector(self.donePressed))
}
#objc func donePressed() {
self.endEditing(true)
}
}
This will generate an error, as we know. What we can do, is take advantage of callbacks.
protocol KeyboardHandler {
func setupToolbar(callback: (_ doneButton: UIBarButtonItem) -> Void))
}
extension KeyboardHandler {
func setupToolbar(callback: (_ doneButton: UIBarButtonItem) -> Void)) {
let toolbar = UIToolbar()
let doneButton = UIBarButtonItem(title: "Done",
style: .done,
target: self,
action: nil
callback(doneButton)
}
}
Then, add an extension for the class you want to implement your protocol
extension ViewController: KeyboardHandler {
func addToolbar(textField: UITextField) {
addToolbar(textField: textField) { doneButton in
doneButton.action = #selector(self.donePressed)
}
}
#objc func donePressed() {
self.view.endEditing(true)
}
}
Instead of setting the action on creation, set it just after creation in the callback.
This way, you still get your desired functionality and can call the function in your class (ex. ViewController) without even seeing the callbacks!
I have made another attempt, from another point of view. I use in many of my developments, a protocol to handle the style of UINavigationBar in a global way, from each of the UIViewController contained in it.
One of the biggest problems of doing this is the standard behavior to return to the previous UIViewController (pop) and dismiss a UIViewController shown in a modal way. Let's look at some code:
public protocol NavigationControllerCustomizable {
}
extension NavigationControllerCustomizable where Self: UIViewController {
public func setCustomBackButton(on navigationItem: UINavigationItem) {
let backButton = UIButton()
backButton.setImage(UIImage(named: "navigationBackIcon"), for: .normal)
backButton.tintColor = navigationController?.navigationBar.tintColor
backButton.addTarget(self, action: #selector(defaultPop), for: .touchUpInside)
let barButton = UIBarButtonItem(customView: backButton)
navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = barButton
}
}
This is a very simplified (and slightly modified) version of the original protocol, although it will be worth explaining the example.
As you can see, a #selector is being set within a protocol extension. As we know, protocol extensions are not exposed to Objective-C and therefore this will generate an error.
My solution is to wrap the methods that handle the standard behaviors of all my UIViewController (pop and dismiss) in another protocol and extend UIViewController to it. Viewing this in code:
public protocol NavigationControllerDefaultNavigable {
func defaultDismiss()
func defaultPop()
}
extension UIViewController: NavigationControllerDefaultNavigable {
public func defaultDismiss() {
dismiss(animated: true, completion: nil)
}
public func defaultPop() {
navigationController?.popViewController(animated: true)
}
}
With this workaround, all UIViewController implementing the NavigationControllerCustomizable will immediately have the methods defined in NavigationControllerDefaultNavigable, with their default implementation, and therefore be accessible from Objective-C to create expressions of type #selector, without any type of error.
I hope this explanation can help someone.
Here's my idea: avoid mixing swift protocol & objc protocol.
#Frédéric Adda answer have the downside that you are responsible to unregister your observer, because it uses the block based way of adding an observer. In iOS 9 and later, the 'normal' way of adding an observer, will hold a weak reference to the observer and therefore the developer doesn't have to unregister the observer.
The following way will use the 'normal' way of adding an observer through protocol extensions. It uses a bridging class that will hold the selector.
Pro's:
You do not have the manually remove the observer
Typesafe way of using the NotificationCenter
Con's:
You have to call register manually. Do this once after self is fully initialized.
Code:
/// Not really the user info from the notification center, but this is what we want 99% of the cases anyway.
public typealias NotificationCenterUserInfo = [String: Any]
/// The generic object that will be used for sending and retrieving objects through the notification center.
public protocol NotificationCenterUserInfoMapper {
static func mapFrom(userInfo: NotificationCenterUserInfo) -> Self
func map() -> NotificationCenterUserInfo
}
/// The object that will be used to listen for notification center incoming posts.
public protocol NotificationCenterObserver: class {
/// The generic object for sending and retrieving objects through the notification center.
associatedtype T: NotificationCenterUserInfoMapper
/// For type safety, only one notification name is allowed.
/// Best way is to implement this as a let constant.
static var notificationName: Notification.Name { get }
/// The selector executor that will be used as a bridge for Objc - C compability.
var selectorExecutor: NotificationCenterSelectorExecutor! { get set }
/// Required implementing method when the notification did send a message.
func retrieved(observer: T)
}
public extension NotificationCenterObserver {
/// This has to be called exactly once. Best practise: right after 'self' is fully initialized.
func register() {
assert(selectorExecutor == nil, "You called twice the register method. This is illegal.")
selectorExecutor = NotificationCenterSelectorExecutor(execute: retrieved)
NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(selectorExecutor, selector: #selector(selectorExecutor.hit), name: Self.notificationName, object: nil)
}
/// Retrieved non type safe information from the notification center.
/// Making a type safe object from the user info.
func retrieved(userInfo: NotificationCenterUserInfo) {
retrieved(observer: T.mapFrom(userInfo: userInfo))
}
/// Post the observer to the notification center.
func post(observer: T) {
NotificationCenter.default.post(name: Self.notificationName, object: nil, userInfo: observer.map())
}
}
/// Bridge for using Objc - C methods inside a protocol extension.
public class NotificationCenterSelectorExecutor {
/// The method that will be called when the notification center did send a message.
private let execute: ((_ userInfo: NotificationCenterUserInfo) -> ())
public init(execute: #escaping ((_ userInfo: NotificationCenterUserInfo) -> ())) {
self.execute = execute
}
/// The notification did send a message. Forwarding to the protocol method again.
#objc fileprivate func hit(_ notification: Notification) {
execute(notification.userInfo! as! NotificationCenterUserInfo)
}
}
From my GitHub (you can't use the code through Cocoapods): https://github.com/Jasperav/JVGenericNotificationCenter
Here is a similar use-case, you can call a method through a selector without using #objc as in swift by using the dynamic keyword. By doing so, you are instructing the compiler to use dynamic dispatch implicitly.
import UIKit
protocol Refreshable: class {
dynamic func refreshTableData()
var tableView: UITableView! {get set}
}
extension Refreshable where Self: UIViewController {
func addRefreshControl() {
tableView.insertSubview(refreshControl, at: 0)
}
var refreshControl: UIRefreshControl {
get {
let tmpAddress = String(format: "%p", unsafeBitCast(self, to: Int.self))
if let control = _refreshControl[tmpAddress] as? UIRefreshControl {
return control
} else {
let control = UIRefreshControl()
control.addTarget(self, action: Selector(("refreshTableData")), for: .valueChanged)
_refreshControl[tmpAddress] = control
return control
}
}
}
}
fileprivate var _refreshControl = [String: AnyObject]()
class ViewController: UIViewController: Refreshable {
#IBOutlet weak var tableView: UITableView! {
didSet {
addRefreshControl()
}
}
func refreshTableData() {
// Perform some stuff
}
}

How to use #objc protocol with optional and extensions at the same time?

This code does not compile and might sound stupid as it is, but i'll explain why it's so important!
#objc protocol p {
optional func f1()
func f2()
}
extension p {
func f1() { }
func f2() { }
}
class foo: p {
}
Compiler says Type c does not conform to protocol 'p' and that's maybe because you can not use #objc optional and extensions at the same time (and does not make sence in this scenario either). But consider the following example:
I want to set a selector on a non-optional method defined in protocol in my extension (main reason i used #objc):
func f1() { } -> func f1() { ... #selector(Self.f2) ... }
And i also want my f2() function to have default behaviour. If i mark f2() as optional, it can not be used in #selector because compiler does not know if this method actually exists in the case of need. Sure there're lots of nasty workarounds like global methods, sending Selectors to methods as input and etc, but is there a clean way to achieve it?
This is the practical issue
#objc
protocol Refreshable {
weak var refreshControl: UIRefreshControl? { get set }
optional func setupRefreshControl()
func refresh()
}
#objc
protocol ContentLoader {
func load(reset: Bool)
}
extension Refreshable where Self: ContentLoader {
func refresh() {
delay(0.75) { [weak self] in
self?.load(true)
}
}
}
extension Refreshable where Self: UICollectionViewController {
func setupRefreshControl() {
let newRefreshControl = UIRefreshControl()
newRefreshControl.tintColor = UIColor.grayColor()
newRefreshControl.addTarget(self, action: #selector(Self.refresh), forControlEvents: .ValueChanged)
collectionView?.addSubview(newRefreshControl)
refreshControl = newRefreshControl
}
}
Now if a ViewController implements Refreshable and ContentLoader, it does not find the default refresh function, but it does find setupRefreshControl. So i figured let's mark refresh as optional too, but by doing that, you can not send it to selector any more.
I even tried this:
func refresh() -> optional func refresh()
and
let str = "refresh"
let sel = Selector(str)
It silents the compiler yes, but does not work either... rises unrecognized selector sent to instance....
I think this is not possible in swift (because of the way it bridges to #objc protocols). But this is a work around(using Obj-c associated objects) to solve the unrecognized selector sent to instance... problem.
fileprivate class AssociatedObject: NSObject {
var closure: (() -> ())? = nil
func trigger() {
closure?()
}
}
// Keys should be global variables, do not use, static variables inside classes or structs.
private var associatedObjectKey = "storedObject"
protocol CustomProtocol: class {
func setup()
}
extension CustomProtocol where Self: NSObject {
fileprivate var associatedObject: AssociatedObject? {
get {
return objc_getAssociatedObject(self, &associatedObjectKey) as? AssociatedObject
}
set {
objc_setAssociatedObject(self, &associatedObjectKey, newValue, .OBJC_ASSOCIATION_RETAIN)
}
}
func setup() {
let object = AssociatedObject()
object.closure = { [weak self] in // Do not forget to use weak in order to avoid retain-cycle
self?.functionToCallIndirectlyWithSelector()
}
let selector = #selector(object.trigger)
// Uncomment next line to test it's functionality
object.perform(selector)
// Here, you must add selector to the target which needs to call the selector, for example:
// refreshControl.addTarget(object, action: selector, forControlEvents: .valueChanged)
self.associatedObject = object
}
func functionToCallIndirectlyWithSelector() {
print("Function got called indirectly.")
}
}
class CustomClass: NSObject, CustomProtocol {}
let instance = CustomClass()
instance.setup()
I added Self: NSObject constraint to be able to test it's functionality in playground, I'm not sure if it's necessary or not.

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