NSMutableArray insert object at last index - ios

I am trying to copy the objects content of a NSDictionary to a NSMutableArray, and I am using the following code :
// Use when fetching binary data
NSData *responseData = [request responseData];
// View the data returned - should be ready for parsing.
resultsDictionary = [responseData objectFromJSONData];
NSLog(#"ResultsDictionary:%#", resultsDictionary);
self.OnlineObjects = [[[NSMutableArray alloc] init] autorelease];
for (NSDictionary * dataDict in resultsDictionary) {
[OnlineObjects insertObject:dataDict atIndex:0];
}
NSLog(#"OnlineObjects:%#", OnlineObjects);
This is working as i am getting all objects from the Dictionary, but the objects order have been revers, first object is now last ...
How can tell the insertObject to add the object at the last index ?
Thanks

You can use the addObject: method instead.
To get rid of the hash order problem get allKeys, sort the array and then use the elements as keys to get the objects in proper order.
Verbose example (for integer keys):
NSArray *indices = [[resultsDictionary allKeys] sortedArrayUsingComparator:^(id obj1, id obj2) {
if ( [obj1 intValue] > [obj2 intValue] ) {
return (NSComparisonResult)NSOrderedDescending;
}
if ( [obj1 intValue] < [obj2 intValue] ) {
return (NSComparisonResult)NSOrderedAscending;
}
return (NSComparisonResult)NSOrderedSame;
}];
for (int i = 0; i < [indices count]; i++) {
NSDictionary *obj = [resultsDictionary objectForKey:[indices objectAtIndex:i]];
[OnlineObjects addObject:obj];
}

The order of the elements in a NSDictionary is undefined, you don't know in which order they will be retrieved from the dictionary. The only way to do have the array sorted is to sort it once all the values from the dictionary are transferred to the array.

Two things you should know:
NSDictionary is a key-value container, which does not guarantee the order of the objects. You have no way to ensure that the order of inserting will be mantained when reading by using this data structure. Check other strategies if order is important for you, but do not rely on NSDictionary for this.
You have a couple of methods to extract the info of the keys and data: allKeys and allValues. Use them instead of creating your own.

Related

ordering array with another array

I have the following categoryNames array.
And now, I have categoryTempElements and it has cName property. I need to know how to order categoryTempElements with a order of categoryNames.
UPDATE: I have added sortOrder property to Category object and tried the following but order does not change.
for (Category* a in categoryTempElements) {
int index = (int)[categoryNames indexOfObject:a.cName];
a.sortOrder = index;
}
NSSortDescriptor *sortDescriptor = [[NSSortDescriptor alloc] initWithKey:#"sortOrder" ascending:YES];
NSArray *sortDescriptors = [NSArray arrayWithObject:sortDescriptor];
NSArray *sortedArray = [categoryTempElements sortedArrayUsingDescriptors:sortDescriptors];
Another way could be without using sortedArrayUsingComparator, using two for-loops. Declare a new Mutable array called sortedCategoryElements and compare the categoryNames in categoryTempElements, If matches add it to a new array sortedCategoryElements:
NSMutableArray *sortedCategoryElements = [NSMutableArray new];
for (NSString *name in categoryNames) {
for (Category *category in categoryTempElements) {
if (name == category.cName) {
[sortedCategoryElements addObject:category];
break;
}
}
}
I tried with your set of data, it worked for me.
Hope it helps!
You need first convert your categoryNames array into dictionary with NSString key and NSNumber int value, the value will be the order in the array
//this is example code, this will be your first array (reference value array)
NSArray * array = #[#"prueba",#"prueba2",#"prueba3"];
//first you need convert this array in NSDictionary
NSMutableDictionary * arrayDict = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];
int counter = 0;
for (NSString * value in array) {
if(arrayDict[value] == nil)
{
arrayDict[value] = [NSNumber numberWithInt:counter];
}
counter++;
}
After that then you can get the value and order with sortedArrayUsingComparator method, something like this
//this is an example of your second array categoryTempElements
NSArray * arrayOfObjs = #[[testObject testObjectWithName:#"prueba3"],[testObject testObjectWithName:#"prueba"],[testObject testObjectWithName:#"prueba2"]];
NSArray * sorted = [arrayOfObjs sortedArrayUsingComparator:^NSComparisonResult(testObject * _Nonnull obj1, testObject * _Nonnull obj2) {
if([((NSNumber*)arrayDict[obj1.cName]) intValue] < [((NSNumber*)arrayDict[obj2.cName]) intValue]){
return NSOrderedAscending;
}
if([((NSNumber*)arrayDict[obj1.cName]) intValue] > [((NSNumber*)arrayDict[obj2.cName]) intValue]){
return NSOrderedDescending;
}
return NSOrderedSame;
}];
for (testObject * obj in sorted) {
NSLog(#"%#",obj.cName);
}
And voila in sorted you will have your array of object sorted by your first array NSString order
Hope this helps
Create a dictionary with cName as the key and the Category object as the value. Then iterate over the categoryNames array, and build another array by using each item in categoryNames as the key. The resulting array should be sorted in the same order as categoryNames.
NSArray has a method sortedArrayUsingComparator: which sorts an array using the ordering implemented by the block you pass. This block, of type NSComparator, is passed references to two elements of your array and you must return the order of those two elements.
And now, I have categoryTempElements and it has cName property.
So your block will be passed two categoryTempElements, you need to access the cName property of each, and compare the resulting two values...
I need to know how to order categoryTempElements with a order of categoryNames
by the position, i.e. the index, of those values in your categoryNames array. The method indexOfObject: provides that index for you.
So put that together and your problem is solved.
HTH

Dictionary allKeys vs keyEnumerator?

Which to use when?
What if I am looping the dictionary and removing key-values from it, will the enumerator work for that? Documentation seem to answered that question:
If you use this method with instances of mutable subclasses of
NSDictionary, your code should not modify the entries during
enumeration. If you intend to modify the entries, use the allKeys
property to create a “snapshot” of the dictionary’s keys. Then use
this snapshot to traverse the entries, modifying them along the way.
Performance?, because people always want to know.
Iteration through NSDictionary could be achieved at least in two ways: using NSArray with [NSDictionary allKeys] or NSEnumerator.
NSArray *keyArray =  [bigUglyDictionary allKeys];
int count = [keyArray count];
for (int i=0; i < count; i++) {
  NSDictionary *tmp = [bigUglyDictionary objectForKey:[ keyArray objectAtIndex:i]];
}
NSEnumerator *enumerator = [bigUglyDictionary keyEnumerator];
id key;
while ((key = [enumerator nextObject])) {
NSDictionary *tmp = [bigUglyDictionary objectForKey:key];
}
Second way is a little bit faster, so if you work with huge dictionaries and have no need of array with their keys

Sort array with different classes and keys

I want to sort objects with different descriptors keys).
The problem:
I have two arrays with populated with objects of different classes. and The two classes do not share a common attribute to use as a sort descriptor.
I want to sort the arrays alphabetically, and return only one array containing all the objects.
Array1 = with objects [A Class]
sorted by "name"
Array2 = with objects [B Class]
sorted by "title"
FinalArray => sort (again) alphabetically with all object's of Array's (1,2)
You can do it like this:
Create NSArray *result with the size of the combined arrays
Concatenate the two arrays into the result array by copying the elements of the first array followed by the elements of the second array into the result.
Use sortedArrayUsingComparator: with a comparator that "understands" both types.
Here is a skeletal implementation:
NSArray *sortedArray = [result sortedArrayUsingComparator: ^(id obj1, id obj2) {
NSString *key1, *key2;
if ([obj1 isKindOfClass:['class has a title' class]]) {
key1 = [obj1 title];
} else { // It's the kind of objects that has a name
key1 = [obj1 name];
}
if ([obj2 isKindOfClass:['class has a title' class]]) {
key2 = [obj2 title];
} else { // It's the kind of objects that has a name
key2 = [obj2 name];
}
// Do the comparison
return [key1 caseInsensitiveCompare:key2];
}];
One possible solution: add all array objects to an NSMutableDictionary, where the key is "name" or "title" as appropriate, then pull all of the dictionary keys, sort them, and retrieve by sorted key the objects into a new array:
NSMutableDictionary* dict = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];
for (a in array1) {
[dict setObject:a forKey:a.name]; // assumes name is property
}
for (b in array2) {
[dict setObject:b forKey:b.title]; // assumes title is property
}
NSArray* sortedKeys = [[dict allKeys] sortedArrayUsingSelector:#selector(caseInsensitiveCompare:)];
NSArray* objects = [dict objectsForKeys:sortedKeys notFoundMarker:[NSNull null]];

NSMutableArray with NSDictionary to NSMutableDictionary

Here is the situation:
I have a request on AFNetworking that retrieves me a JSON with an NSArray.
My goal is to mutate the NSDictionaries inside it. I already made a mutableCopy of the array, but I want to know if I can easily mutate all the content. Will I have to iterate through the array manually?
NSJSONSerialization has options to allow you to control the mutability of the resulting data structure. Just pass the appropriate ones (probably NSJSONReadingMutableContainers) and there you go.
You cannot mutate NSDictionary, just because only NSMutableDictionary has method setObject:forKey:
So you should create mutableCopy of each dictionary and empty mutable array. Then with a forloop fill that array. Your code should be so:
- (NSMutableArray *)mutatedArrayFromArray:(NSArray *)array
{
NSMutableArray *resultArray = [NSMutableArray new];
if([array count] > 0)
{
for(int i = 0; i < count; i++)
{
NSMutableDictionary *mutatedItem = [[array objectAtIndex:i] mutableCopy];
[resultArray addObject:mutatedItem];
[mutatedItem release]; // only with ARC disabled
}
}
return [result autorelease]; // if ARC enabled : return result;
}

Sort NSArray of NSStrings based on a super set of ordered Strings

I have an NSArray which contains some NSString objects. For example:
NSArray *objects = #[#"Stin",#"Foo",#"Ray",#"Space"];
Now I need to sort this array based on following order of Strings.
NSArray *sortOrder = #[#"John",#"Foo",#"Space",#"Star",#"Ray",#"Stin"];
So the answer should be
NSArray *sorted = #[#"Foo",#"Space",#"Ray",#"Stin"];
How can I achieve this?
ANSWER:
Based on Accepted answer of dasblinkenlight, I did following and it worked to charm.
NSMutableArray *objects = #[#"Star",#"Stin",#"Foo",#"Ray",#"Space",#"John"];
NSArray *sortOrder = #[#"John",#"Foo",#"Space",#"Star",#"Ray",#"Stin"];
[objects sortUsingComparator:^NSComparisonResult(id obj1, id obj2) {
int index1 = [sortOrder indexOfObject:obj1];
int index2 = [sortOrder indexOfObject:obj2];
if (index1 > index2)
return NSOrderedDescending;
if (index1 < index2)
return NSOrderedAscending;
return NSOrderedSame;
}];
Create NSComparator that holds a reference to the superset array, and decides the relative order of strings by comparing the results of calling [superset indexOfObject:str] on both strings. Call sortedArrayUsingComparator: passing an instance of NSComparator to get the desired ordering.
dasblinkenlight's solution would work, but like most programming problems there are multiple ways to go about it. Here is one such alternative:
NSMutableArray *sorted = [NSMutableArray arrayWithCapacity:0];
[sortOrder enumerateObjectsUsingBlock:^(NSString *sortedString, NSUInteger idx, BOOL *stop) {
if ([objects containsObject:sortedString]) {
[sorted addObject:sortedString];
}
}];
The variable names correspond to the variable names used in the original question.
This works because the enumeration happens in order. Therefore, what takes place is, essentially, a cull of the objects that exist in both arrays in the order as specified by sortOrder.

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