Nested NSArray filtering - ios

Question

I have the need to obtain the maximum value of a property of a collection of custom objects of the same class. The objects are stored in a NSArray, and the property happens to be another NSArray of numbers.
Let me explain in detail:
NSArray *samples; // of CMData, 4000 elements
CMData is a class that models a sample, for a specific moment in time, of a set of different channels that can have different values.
#interface CMData : NSObject
#property (nonatomic) NSUInteger timeStamp;
#property (nonatomic, strong) NSArray *analogChannelData; // of NSNumber, 128 elements
#end
(I have stripped other properties of the class not relevant to the question)
So for example, sample[1970] could be:
sample.timeStamp = 970800
sample.analogChannelData = <NSArray>
[
[0] = #(153.27)
[1] = #(345.35)
[2] = #(701.02)
...
[127] = #(-234.45)
]
Where each element [i] in the analogChannelData represents the value of that specific channel i for the timeStamp 970800
Now I want to obtain the maximum value for all the 4000 samples for channel 31. I use the following code:
NSUInteger channelIndex = 31;
NSMutableArray *values = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init]; // of NSNumber
// iterate the array of samples and for each one obtain the value for a
// specific channel and store the value in a new array
for (CMData *sample in samples) {
[values addObject:sample.analogChannelData[channelIndex]];
}
// the maximum
NSNumber *maxValue = [values valueForKeyPath:#"#max.self"];
I want to replace this programming structure by a filter through an NSPredcicate or use valueForKeyPath: to obtain the maximum of the data I need.
Anyone knows how to do this without a for loop? Just using NSPredicates and/or valueForKeyPath?
Thank you very much in advance for your help.
Update 1
Finally I benckmarked the for-loop version against the keyPath version (see accepted answer) and it runs much faster so it is better to go with a for loop.
Recalling some lessons from my algorithms classes, I implemented an even faster version that doesn't need an array to store the values. I just iterate over the selected channel and just choose the maximum in each iteration. This is by far the fastest version.
So:
version 1: for loop (see code above)
version 2: version with custom property (see selected answer from Marcus, update 2)
version 3: new code
Code for version 3:
NSUInteger channelIndex = 31;
NSNumber *maxValue = #(-INFINITY);
for (CMTData *sample in samples) {
NSNumber *value = sample.analogChannelData[channelIndex];
if (value) { // I allow the possibility of NSNull values in the NSArray
if ([value compare:maxValue] == NSOrderedDescending)
maxValue = value;
}
}
// the maximum is in maxValue at the end of the loop
Performance:
After 20.000 iterations in iOS simulator:
Version 1: 12.2722 sec.
Version 2: 21.0149 sec.
Version 3: 5.6501 sec.
The decision is clear. I'll use the third version.
Update 2
After some more research, it is clear to me now that KVC does not work for infividual elements in the inner array. See the following links: KVC with NSArrays of NSArrays and Collection Accessor Patterns for To-Many Properties
Anyway because I wanted to compute the maximum of the elements it is better to iterate the array than use some tricks to make KVC work.

Answer 1

You can solve this with using Key Value Coding and the collection operators.
NSNumber *result = [sample valueForKeyPath:#"#max.analogDataChannel"];
Update 1
As Arcanfel mentioned, you can join the arrays together:
NSNumber *result = [samples valueForKeyPath:#"#max.#unionOfArrays.#analogChannelData"];
I would suggest reading the documentation that we both linked to. There are some very powerful features in there.
Update 2
Further to HRD's answer, he has your solution, you need to combine his changes with KVC.
Add a propert to your CMData object for currentChannel. Then you can call
[samples setValue:#(channelIndex) forKey:#"currentChannel"];
Which will set it in every instance in the array. Then call:
[samples valueForKeyPath:#"#max.analogDataForCurrentChannel"];
Then you are done.

Answer 2

I have not tested out the code yet, but I think this is exactly what you are looking for:
[samples valueForKeyPath:#"#max.(#unionOfArrays.analogChannelData)"];
I guess you can also use #distinctUnionOfArray to remove duplicate values.
Here is the link to Apple Documentation that covers collection operators.
Hope this is helpful!
Cheers!

Answer 3

A suggestion for further exploration only
Offhand it is not clear you can do this as-is with a single KVC operator. What you might consider is adding two properties to your class: currentChannel, which sets/gets the current channel; and analogChannelDataForCurrentChannel, which is equivalent to analogChannelData[currentChannel]. Then you can:
samples.currentChannel = channelIndex;
... [samples valueForKeyPath:"#max.analogChannelDataForCurrentChannel"];
with any appropriate locking between the two calls if thread-safety is required (so one thread does not set currentChannel, then a second, and then the first do the KVC operator with the second's channel...).
HTH