Encoding / decoding arrays of types conforming to the protocol with JSONEncoder

Question

Encoding / decoding arrays of types conforming to the protocol with JSONEncoder

I am trying to find a better way to encode / decode an array of structures conforming to a fast protocol using the new JSONDecoder / Encoder in Swift 4.

I made a small example to illustrate the problem:

First we have a protocol tag and several types that correspond to this protocol.

protocol Tag: Codable {
    var type: String { get }
    var value: String { get }
}

struct AuthorTag: Tag {
    let type = "author"
    let value: String
}

struct GenreTag: Tag {
    let type = "genre"
    let value: String
}

Then we have an Article Type that has an array of tags.

struct Article: Codable {
    let tags: [Tag]
    let title: String
}

Finally, we encode or decode the article.

let article = Article(tags: [AuthorTag(value: "Author Tag Value"), GenreTag(value:"Genre Tag Value")], title: "Article Title")


let jsonEncoder = JSONEncoder()
let jsonData = try jsonEncoder.encode(article)
let jsonString = String(data: jsonData, encoding: .utf8)

And this is the JSON structure that I like to have.

{
 "title": "Article Title",
 "tags": [
     {
       "type": "author",
       "value": "Author Tag Value"
     },
     {
       "type": "genre",
       "value": "Genre Tag Value"
     }
 ]
}

The problem is that at some point I need to include a type property to decode the array, but to decode the array I have to know its type.

EDIT:

, Decodable , , , Encodable . Article , .

fatal error: Array<Tag> does not conform to Encodable because Tag does not conform to Encodable.: file /Library/Caches/com.apple.xbs/Sources/swiftlang/swiftlang-900.0.43/src/swift/stdlib/public/core/Codable.swift, line 3280

struct Article: Encodable {
    let tags: [Tag]
    let title: String

    enum CodingKeys: String, CodingKey {
        case tags
        case title
    }

    func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
        var container = encoder.container(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)
        try container.encode(tags, forKey: .tags)
        try container.encode(title, forKey: .title)
    }
}

let article = Article(tags: [AuthorTag(value: "Author Tag"), GenreTag(value:"A Genre Tag")], title: "A Title")

let jsonEncoder = JSONEncoder()
let jsonData = try jsonEncoder.encode(article)
let jsonString = String(data: jsonData, encoding: .utf8)

Codeable.swift

guard Element.self is Encodable.Type else {
    preconditionFailure("\(type(of: self)) does not conform to Encodable because \(Element.self) does not conform to Encodable.")
}

: https://github.com/apple/swift/blob/master/stdlib/public/core/Codable.swift

+28

json encoding swift swift4 codable

glektrik 08 . '17 16:34

4

, Xcode. , .

, , .

ORIGINAL:
▿ __lldb_expr_33.Parent
  - title: "Parent Struct"
  ▿ items: 2 elements
    ▿ __lldb_expr_33.NumberItem
      - commonProtocolString: "common string from protocol"
      - numberUniqueToThisStruct: 42
    ▿ __lldb_expr_33.StringItem
      - commonProtocolString: "protocol member string"
      - stringUniqueToThisStruct: "a random string"

ENCODED TO JSON:
{
  "title" : "Parent Struct",
  "items" : [
    {
      "type" : "numberItem",
      "numberUniqueToThisStruct" : 42,
      "commonProtocolString" : "common string from protocol"
    },
    {
      "type" : "stringItem",
      "stringUniqueToThisStruct" : "a random string",
      "commonProtocolString" : "protocol member string"
    }
  ]
}

DECODED FROM JSON:
▿ __lldb_expr_33.Parent
  - title: "Parent Struct"
  ▿ items: 2 elements
    ▿ __lldb_expr_33.NumberItem
      - commonProtocolString: "common string from protocol"
      - numberUniqueToThisStruct: 42
    ▿ __lldb_expr_33.StringItem
      - commonProtocolString: "protocol member string"
      - stringUniqueToThisStruct: "a random string"

Xcode Playground :

import Foundation

struct Parent: Codable {
    let title: String
    let items: [Item]

    init(title: String, items: [Item]) {
        self.title = title
        self.items = items
    }

    enum CodingKeys: String, CodingKey {
        case title
        case items
    }

    func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
        var container = encoder.container(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)

        try container.encode(title, forKey: .title)
        try container.encode(items.map({ AnyItem($0) }), forKey: .items)
    }

    init(from decoder: Decoder) throws {
        let container = try decoder.container(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)

        title = try container.decode(String.self, forKey: .title)
        items = try container.decode([AnyItem].self, forKey: .items).map { $0.item }
    }

}

protocol Item: Codable {
    static var type: ItemType { get }

    var commonProtocolString: String { get }
}

enum ItemType: String, Codable {

    case numberItem
    case stringItem

    var metatype: Item.Type {
        switch self {
        case .numberItem: return NumberItem.self
        case .stringItem: return StringItem.self
        }
    }
}

struct NumberItem: Item {
    static var type = ItemType.numberItem

    let commonProtocolString = "common string from protocol"
    let numberUniqueToThisStruct = 42
}

struct StringItem: Item {
    static var type = ItemType.stringItem

    let commonProtocolString = "protocol member string"
    let stringUniqueToThisStruct = "a random string"
}

struct AnyItem: Codable {

    var item: Item

    init(_ item: Item) {
        self.item = item
    }

    private enum CodingKeys : CodingKey {
        case type
        case item
    }

    func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
        var container = encoder.container(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)

        try container.encode(type(of: item).type, forKey: .type)
        try item.encode(to: encoder)
    }

    init(from decoder: Decoder) throws {
        let container = try decoder.container(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)

        let type = try container.decode(ItemType.self, forKey: .type)
        self.item = try type.metatype.init(from: decoder)
    }

}

func testCodableProtocol() {
    var items = [Item]()
    items.append(NumberItem())
    items.append(StringItem())
    let parent = Parent(title: "Parent Struct", items: items)

    print("ORIGINAL:")
    dump(parent)
    print("")

    let jsonEncoder = JSONEncoder()
    jsonEncoder.outputFormatting = .prettyPrinted
    let jsonData = try! jsonEncoder.encode(parent)
    let jsonString = String(data: jsonData, encoding: .utf8)!
    print("ENCODED TO JSON:")
    print(jsonString)
    print("")

    let jsonDecoder = JSONDecoder()
    let decoded = try! jsonDecoder.decode(type(of: parent), from: jsonData)
    print("DECODED FROM JSON:")
    dump(decoded)
    print("")
}
testCodableProtocol()

+1

pkamb 02 '18 21:46

@Hamish. , - :

[Tag] [AnyTag] Article Codable
/ , static var type . (, Tag AuthorTag & GenreTag)
, , AnyAnotherType /.

, , , :

struct MetaArray<M: Meta>: Codable, ExpressibleByArrayLiteral {

    let array: [M.Element]

    init(_ array: [M.Element]) {
        self.array = array
    }

    init(arrayLiteral elements: M.Element...) {
        self.array = elements
    }

    enum CodingKeys: String, CodingKey {
        case metatype
        case object
    }

    init(from decoder: Decoder) throws {
        var container = try decoder.unkeyedContainer()

        var elements: [M.Element] = []
        while !container.isAtEnd {
            let nested = try container.nestedContainer(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)
            let metatype = try nested.decode(M.self, forKey: .metatype)

            let superDecoder = try nested.superDecoder(forKey: .object)
            let object = try metatype.type.init(from: superDecoder)
            if let element = object as? M.Element {
                elements.append(element)
            }
        }
        array = elements
    }

    func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
        var container = encoder.unkeyedContainer()
        try array.forEach { object in
            let metatype = M.metatype(for: object)
            var nested = container.nestedContainer(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)
            try nested.encode(metatype, forKey: .metatype)
            let superEncoder = nested.superEncoder(forKey: .object)

            let encodable = object as? Encodable
            try encodable?.encode(to: superEncoder)
        }
    }
}

Meta - :

protocol Meta: Codable {
    associatedtype Element

    static func metatype(for element: Element) -> Self
    var type: Decodable.Type { get }
}

:

enum TagMetatype: String, Meta {

    typealias Element = Tag

    case author
    case genre

    static func metatype(for element: Tag) -> TagMetatype {
        return element.metatype
    }

    var type: Decodable.Type {
        switch self {
        case .author: return AuthorTag.self
        case .genre: return GenreTag.self
        }
    }
}

struct AuthorTag: Tag {
    var metatype: TagMetatype { return .author } // keep computed to prevent auto-encoding
    let value: String
}

struct GenreTag: Tag {
    var metatype: TagMetatype { return .genre } // keep computed to prevent auto-encoding
    let value: String
}

struct Article: Codable {
    let title: String
    let tags: MetaArray<TagMetatype>
}

JSON:

let article = Article(title: "Article Title",
                      tags: [AuthorTag(value: "Author Tag Value"),
                             GenreTag(value:"Genre Tag Value")])

{
  "title" : "Article Title",
  "tags" : [
    {
      "metatype" : "author",
      "object" : {
        "value" : "Author Tag Value"
      }
    },
    {
      "metatype" : "genre",
      "object" : {
        "value" : "Genre Tag Value"
      }
    }
  ]
}

, JSON :

{
  "title" : "Article Title",
  "tags" : [
    {
      "author" : {
        "value" : "Author Tag Value"
      }
    },
    {
      "genre" : {
        "value" : "Genre Tag Value"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Meta

protocol Meta: Codable {
    associatedtype Element
    static func metatype(for element: Element) -> Self
    var type: Decodable.Type { get }

    init?(rawValue: String)
    var rawValue: String { get }
}

CodingKeys :

struct MetaArray<M: Meta>: Codable, ExpressibleByArrayLiteral {

    let array: [M.Element]

    init(array: [M.Element]) {
        self.array = array
    }

    init(arrayLiteral elements: M.Element...) {
        self.array = elements
    }

    struct ElementKey: CodingKey {
        var stringValue: String
        init?(stringValue: String) {
            self.stringValue = stringValue
        }

        var intValue: Int? { return nil }
        init?(intValue: Int) { return nil }
    }

    init(from decoder: Decoder) throws {
        var container = try decoder.unkeyedContainer()

        var elements: [M.Element] = []
        while !container.isAtEnd {
            let nested = try container.nestedContainer(keyedBy: ElementKey.self)
            guard let key = nested.allKeys.first else { continue }
            let metatype = M(rawValue: key.stringValue)
            let superDecoder = try nested.superDecoder(forKey: key)
            let object = try metatype?.type.init(from: superDecoder)
            if let element = object as? M.Element {
                elements.append(element)
            }
        }
        array = elements
    }

    func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
        var container = encoder.unkeyedContainer()
        try array.forEach { object in
            var nested = container.nestedContainer(keyedBy: ElementKey.self)
            let metatype = M.metatype(for: object)
            if let key = ElementKey(stringValue: metatype.rawValue) {
                let superEncoder = nested.superEncoder(forKey: key)
                let encodable = object as? Encodable
                try encodable?.encode(to: superEncoder)
            }
        }
    }
}

+1

Vadim Pavlov 24 . '18 10:11

, / Swift 4. , .

import UIKit

struct Person: Codable {
  var name:String
}

class TestEncodeDecode: NSObject {

  func run() {

    // create
    let person1:Person = Person(name: "Joe")
    let person2:Person = Person(name: "Jay")
    let persons:[Person] = [person1, person2]

    // save
    let encoder = JSONEncoder()
    if let encoded = try? encoder.encode(persons) {
        UserDefaults.standard.set(encoded, forKey: "persons")
    }

    // load
    if let personsData = UserDefaults.standard.value(forKey: "persons") as? Data {
        let decoder = JSONDecoder()
        if let loadPersons = try? decoder.decode(Array.self, from: personsData) as [Person]{
            loadPersons.forEach { print($0) }
        }
    }
  }
}

:

Person(name: "Joe")
Person(name: "Jay")

-2

Kakashi 07 '18 18:15

Hamish · Accepted Answer · 2017-06-10T12:08:44+0000

, ( ), - Tag Codable, [Tag]. Article Codable, Codable.

,

, , AnyTag, , Codable.

Article , Tag:

struct AnyTag : Tag, Codable {

    let type: String
    let value: String

    init(_ base: Tag) {
        self.type = base.type
        self.value = base.value
    }
}

struct Article: Codable {
    let tags: [AnyTag]
    let title: String
}

let tags: [Tag] = [
    AuthorTag(value: "Author Tag Value"),
    GenreTag(value:"Genre Tag Value")
]

let article = Article(tags: tags.map(AnyTag.init), title: "Article Title")

let jsonEncoder = JSONEncoder()
jsonEncoder.outputFormatting = .prettyPrinted

let jsonData = try jsonEncoder.encode(article)

if let jsonString = String(data: jsonData, encoding: .utf8) {
    print(jsonString)
}

JSON:

{
  "title" : "Article Title",
  "tags" : [
    {
      "type" : "author",
      "value" : "Author Tag Value"
    },
    {
      "type" : "genre",
      "value" : "Genre Tag Value"
    }
  ]
}

:

let decoded = try JSONDecoder().decode(Article.self, from: jsonData)

print(decoded)

// Article(tags: [
//                 AnyTag(type: "author", value: "Author Tag Value"),
//                 AnyTag(type: "genre", value: "Genre Tag Value")
//               ], title: "Article Title")

Tag , , , JSON - .

enum :

enum TagType : String, Codable {

    // be careful not to rename these – the encoding/decoding relies on the string
    // values of the cases. If you want the decoding to be reliant on case
    // position rather than name, then you can change to enum TagType : Int.
    // (the advantage of the String rawValue is that the JSON is more readable)
    case author, genre

    var metatype: Tag.Type {
        switch self {
        case .author:
            return AuthorTag.self
        case .genre:
            return GenreTag.self
        }
    }
}

, , , .

Tag, , static, :

protocol Tag : Codable {
    static var type: TagType { get }
    var value: String { get }
}

struct AuthorTag : Tag {

    static var type = TagType.author
    let value: String

    var foo: Float
}

struct GenreTag : Tag {

    static var type = TagType.genre
    let value: String

    var baz: String
}

, , TagType Tag:

struct AnyTag : Codable {

    var base: Tag

    init(_ base: Tag) {
        self.base = base
    }

    private enum CodingKeys : CodingKey {
        case type, base
    }

    init(from decoder: Decoder) throws {
        let container = try decoder.container(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)

        let type = try container.decode(TagType.self, forKey: .type)
        self.base = try type.metatype.init(from: container.superDecoder(forKey: .base))
    }

    func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
        var container = encoder.container(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)

        try container.encode(type(of: base).type, forKey: .type)
        try base.encode(to: container.superEncoder(forKey: .base))
    }
}

/, , , . , JSON :

{
  "type" : "author",
  "base" : {
    "value" : "Author Tag Value",
    "foo" : 56.7
  }
}

, , , / , , JSON :

{
  "type" : "author",
  "value" : "Author Tag Value",
  "foo" : 56.7
}

decoder container.superDecoder(forKey: .base) encoder container.superEncoder(forKey: .base) .

Codable Article , , tags, [AnyTag], , [Tag] [AnyTag] , :

struct Article {

    let tags: [Tag]
    let title: String

    init(tags: [Tag], title: String) {
        self.tags = tags
        self.title = title
    }
}

extension Article : Codable {

    private enum CodingKeys : CodingKey {
        case tags, title
    }

    init(from decoder: Decoder) throws {

        let container = try decoder.container(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)

        self.tags = try container.decode([AnyTag].self, forKey: .tags).map { $0.base }
        self.title = try container.decode(String.self, forKey: .title)
    }

    func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
        var container = encoder.container(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)

        try container.encode(tags.map(AnyTag.init), forKey: .tags)
        try container.encode(title, forKey: .title)
    }
}

tags [Tag], [AnyTag].

Tag , TagType:

let tags: [Tag] = [
    AuthorTag(value: "Author Tag Value", foo: 56.7),
    GenreTag(value:"Genre Tag Value", baz: "hello world")
]

let article = Article(tags: tags, title: "Article Title")

let jsonEncoder = JSONEncoder()
jsonEncoder.outputFormatting = .prettyPrinted

let jsonData = try jsonEncoder.encode(article)

if let jsonString = String(data: jsonData, encoding: .utf8) {
    print(jsonString)
}

JSON:

{
  "title" : "Article Title",
  "tags" : [
    {
      "type" : "author",
      "base" : {
        "value" : "Author Tag Value",
        "foo" : 56.7
      }
    },
    {
      "type" : "genre",
      "base" : {
        "value" : "Genre Tag Value",
        "baz" : "hello world"
      }
    }
  ]
}

:

let decoded = try JSONDecoder().decode(Article.self, from: jsonData)

print(decoded)

// Article(tags: [
//                 AuthorTag(value: "Author Tag Value", foo: 56.7000008),
//                 GenreTag(value: "Genre Tag Value", baz: "hello world")
//               ],
//         title: "Article Title")

Encoding / decoding arrays of types conforming to the protocol with JSONEncoder

,

, JSON :

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