Custom sequence for Swift Dictionary - ios

Question

I have a container class that has an underlying dictionary. I have implemented subscripts for this class to access member of the underlying dictionary. Now, I am trying to create a sequence on this class so that I could iterate over all the elements of the underlying dictionary by using 'for-in' loop on the class instance itself. I have been looking to find some examples for Sequences for Swift Dictionary but could not find anything that explains the stuff well. I have seen some custom sequence examples for Swift Array but none for the Swift Dictionary. I would really appreciate if anyone could explain how I can achieve that. Following is the code for the class (no sequence code yet as I am not sure where to begin)
import Foundation
class STCQuestionList : GeneratorType, SequenceType {
private var questionDict: [String : STCQuestion] = [ : ];
subscript(key : String?) -> STCQuestion? {
get {
if (key != nil) {
return self.questionDict[key!];
}
return nil;
}
set(newValue) {
if (key != nil) {
self.questionDict[key!] = newValue;
}
}
}
func generate() -> GeneratorType {
}
func next() -> (String, STCQuestion)? {
if (self.questionDict.isEmpty) {
return .None
}
}
}

Answer 1

If I'm understanding correctly, how about just forwarding on the generate?
func generate() -> DictionaryGenerator<String, STCQuestion> {
return questionDict.generate()
}
(You don't need to implement GeneratorType, just SequenceType should do. It's generate() itself that returns a GeneratorType, and that's what has to implement next(), which the existing generate() implementation in Dictionary already does for you.)
Full worked example based on your code:
// Playground - noun: a place where people can play
import Foundation
class STCQuestion {
let foo: String
init(_ foo: String) {
self.foo = foo
}
}
class STCQuestionList : SequenceType {
private var questionDict: [String : STCQuestion] = [ : ];
subscript(key : String?) -> STCQuestion? {
get {
if key != nil {
return self.questionDict[key!];
}
return nil;
}
set(newValue) {
if key != nil {
self.questionDict[key!] = newValue;
}
}
}
func generate() -> DictionaryGenerator<String, STCQuestion> {
return questionDict.generate()
}
}
var list = STCQuestionList()
list["test"] = STCQuestion("blah")
list["another"] = STCQuestion("wibble")
list["third"] = STCQuestion("doodah")
for (key, value) in list {
println("Key: \(key) Foo: \(value.foo)")
}
// Output:
// Key: test Foo: blah
// Key: another Foo: wibble
// Key: third Foo: doodah

Answer 2

(Note: I re-thought this -- original answer via the edited page...)
Swift has a generic GeneratorOf type that you can use to create a generator. You just provide a closure that returns the next value in the initializer:
class STCQuestionList : SequenceType {
private var questionDict: [String : STCQuestion] = [ : ];
subscript(key : String?) -> STCQuestion? {
get {
if (key != nil) {
return self.questionDict[key!];
}
return nil;
}
set(newValue) {
if (key != nil) {
self.questionDict[key!] = newValue;
}
}
}
/// Creates a generator for each (key, value)
func generate() -> GeneratorOf<(String, STCQuestion)> {
var index = 0
return GeneratorOf<(String, STCQuestion)> {
if index < self.questionDict.keys.array.count {
let key = self.questionDict.keys.array[index++]
return (key, self.questionDict[key]!)
} else {
return nil
}
}
}
}

Answer 3

If you don't care about the order, can't you just call the same methods of dictionary or make your class a subclass of a dictionary? For example:
func generate() -> GeneratorType {
return self.questionDict.generate()
}
func next() -> (String, STCQuestion)? {
return self.questionDict.next()
}