List of known Xcode issues

February 7, 2021April 21, 2018 by Ashish Kakkad

Xcode is IDE for development of the iOS, macOS, tvOS and watchOS applications. Every year apple comes up with so many changes in this IDE. Xcode 9.3 released on March 29, 2018.
knownxcodeissues

Here, I am listing out all the issues with the workaround.

How to use Alamofire with Codable in Swift?

February 7, 2021March 5, 2018 by Ashish Kakkad

Hello after long time I am writing this blog regarding use of Alamofire with Codable model object for the ease of MVC architecture.
Let’s rewind with some of the post which is used to cover this point:

Let see about use of Alamofire with Codable model object

Step 1 – Create Codable object based on JSON response.

Here I am taking an example of a web service which contains JSON related to the contact.

{
 "id": "c200",
 "name": "Ravi Tamada",
 "email": "ravi@gmail.com",
 "address": "xx-xx-xxxx,x - street, x - country",
 "gender" : "male",
 "phone": {
 "mobile": "+91 0000000000",
 "home": "00 000000",
 "office": "00 000000"
 }
}

{

"id": "c200",

"name": "Ravi Tamada",

"email": "ravi@gmail.com",

"address": "xx-xx-xxxx,x - street, x - country",

"gender" : "male",

"phone": {

"mobile": "+91 0000000000",

"home": "00 000000",

"office": "00 000000"

}

So, we can create two Codable files from this JSON as per hierarchy. These would be like as follows:

struct Contact: Codable {
 var id : String
 var name : String
 var email : String
 var address : String
 var gender : String
 var phone : Phone
}
struct Phone: Codable {
 var mobile : String
 var home : String
 var office : String
}

struct Contact: Codable {

var id : String

var name : String

var email : String

var address : String

var gender : String

var phone : Phone

}

struct Phone: Codable {

var mobile : String

var home : String

var office : String

}

As you can see we have created 2 objects Contact and Phone. Here Phone is in sub hierarchy.

Step 2 – Let’s update AFWrapper

As we have previously revised blogs, there is a blog mentioned about to create a wrapper of the Alamofire and SwiftyJSON. We have to replace the SwiftyJSON code to return normal dictionary objects, and after that we will convert that dictionary to the Codable object.
So here I have updated the AFWrapper class file to do that thing:

import UIKit
import Alamofire
class AFWrapper: NSObject {
    class func requestGETURL(_ strURL: String, success:@escaping ([String : Any]) -&gt; Void, failure:@escaping (Error) -&gt; Void) {
        Alamofire.request(strURL).responseJSON { (responseObject) -&gt; Void in
            print(responseObject)
            if responseObject.result.isSuccess {
                success(responseObject.result.value! as! [String : Any])
            }
            if responseObject.result.isFailure {
                let error : Error = responseObject.result.error!
                failure(error)
            }
        }
    }
}

import UIKit

import Alamofire

class AFWrapper: NSObject {

class func requestGETURL(_ strURL: String, success:@escaping ([String : Any]) -> Void, failure:@escaping (Error) -> Void) {

Alamofire.request(strURL).responseJSON { (responseObject) -> Void in

print(responseObject)

if responseObject.result.isSuccess {

success(responseObject.result.value! as! [String : Any])

}

if responseObject.result.isFailure {

let error : Error = responseObject.result.error!

failure(error)

}

Step 3 – Implement and convert the response in object

We will call a web service which contain that kind of JSON response. And after calling the web-service we will decode the object to create the Codable object.

import UIKit
class ViewController: UIViewController {
    var arrContacts = [Contact]()
    @IBOutlet var txtContacts: UITextView!
    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        AFWrapper.requestGETURL("https://api.androidhive.info/contacts/", success: { (responseObject) in
            print(responseObject)
            for aContact in responseObject["contacts"] as! [Any] {
                do {
                    let jsonData = try JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: aContact, options: .prettyPrinted)
                    let reqJSONStr = String(data: jsonData, encoding: .utf8)
                    let data = reqJSONStr?.data(using: .utf8)
                    let jsonDecoder = JSONDecoder()
                    let aContact = try jsonDecoder.decode(Contact.self, from: data!)
                    self.arrContacts.append(aContact)
                    self.txtContacts.text = self.txtContacts.text + aContact.name + " " + aContact.phone.mobile + "\n"
                    print(self.arrContacts)
                }
                catch {
                }
            }
        }) { (error) in
            print(error.localizedDescription)
        }
    }
    override func didReceiveMemoryWarning() {
        super.didReceiveMemoryWarning()
        // Dispose of any resources that can be recreated.
    }
}

import UIKit

class ViewController: UIViewController {

var arrContacts = [Contact]()

@IBOutlet var txtContacts: UITextView!

override func viewDidLoad() {

super.viewDidLoad()

AFWrapper.requestGETURL("https://api.androidhive.info/contacts/", success: { (responseObject) in

print(responseObject)

for aContact in responseObject["contacts"] as! [Any] {

do {

let jsonData = try JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: aContact, options: .prettyPrinted)

let reqJSONStr = String(data: jsonData, encoding: .utf8)

let data = reqJSONStr?.data(using: .utf8)

let jsonDecoder = JSONDecoder()

let aContact = try jsonDecoder.decode(Contact.self, from: data!)

self.arrContacts.append(aContact)

self.txtContacts.text = self.txtContacts.text + aContact.name + " " + aContact.phone.mobile + "\n"

print(self.arrContacts)

}

catch {

}

}) { (error) in

print(error.localizedDescription)

}

override func didReceiveMemoryWarning() {

super.didReceiveMemoryWarning()

// Dispose of any resources that can be recreated.

}

In above sample I have added one text view in the view controller and I am fetching the data from the contacts API. After that using JSONSerialization and JSONDecoder we will get our decoded Contact object with Phone object.

Conclusion

Swift 4 comes with so many updates. We are going to have a great time exploring them all and finding out so much more by using it on further projects. We have learned about Codable and use of it. You too should go check it out and share your experiences with us in the comments section.
Hope you liked the article.
Happy Coding

Use of Codable and Coding Key with JSONEncoder and JSONDecoder in Swift 4

February 7, 2021June 29, 2017 by Ashish Kakkad

Codable is added with Xcode 9, iOS 11 and Swift 4. Codable is used to make your data types encodable and decodable for compatibility with external representations such as JSON.
Codable use to support both encoding and decoding, declare conformance to Codable, which combines the Encodable and Decodable protocols. This process is known as making your types codable.

Let’s Take an Example with Structure of Movie, here we have defined the structure as Codable. So, We can encode and decode it easily.

Create your own Slider menu (Drawer) in Swift

February 7, 2021September 28, 2015 by Ashish Kakkad

This article is updated with Swift 4 – Xcode 9 – iOS 11

Why to use a library everytime?

Let’s create our own Slide Menu (Drawer) in Swift 4.
1. Create New Project in Xcode 9 with Swift Language
2. Design the Menu in UIViewController

Declaration of Variables and Protocols (Delegate) :

protocol SlideMenuDelegate {
    func slideMenuItemSelectedAtIndex(_ index : Int32)
}
class MenuViewController: UIViewController, UITableViewDataSource, UITableViewDelegate {
    /**
    *  Array to display menu options
    */
    @IBOutlet var tblMenuOptions : UITableView!
    /**
    *  Transparent button to hide menu
    */
    @IBOutlet var btnCloseMenuOverlay : UIButton!
    /**
    *  Array containing menu options
    */
    var arrayMenuOptions = [Dictionary&lt;String,String&gt;]()
    /**
    *  Menu button which was tapped to display the menu
    */
    var btnMenu : UIButton!
    /**
    *  Delegate of the MenuVC
    */
    var delegate : SlideMenuDelegate?
}

protocol SlideMenuDelegate {

func slideMenuItemSelectedAtIndex(_ index : Int32)

}

class MenuViewController: UIViewController, UITableViewDataSource, UITableViewDelegate {

/**

* Array to display menu options

@IBOutlet var tblMenuOptions : UITableView!

/**

* Transparent button to hide menu

@IBOutlet var btnCloseMenuOverlay : UIButton!

/**

* Array containing menu options

var arrayMenuOptions = [Dictionary<String,String>]()

/**

* Menu button which was tapped to display the menu

var btnMenu : UIButton!

/**

* Delegate of the MenuVC

var delegate : SlideMenuDelegate?

}

Following method is for updating the Items in the Menu :

func updateArrayMenuOptions(){
    arrayMenuOptions.append(["title":"Home", "icon":"HomeIcon"])
    arrayMenuOptions.append(["title":"Play", "icon":"PlayIcon"])
    tblMenuOptions.reloadData()
}

func updateArrayMenuOptions(){

arrayMenuOptions.append(["title":"Home", "icon":"HomeIcon"])

arrayMenuOptions.append(["title":"Play", "icon":"PlayIcon"])

tblMenuOptions.reloadData()

}

Following method is for click event and animation :

@IBAction func onCloseMenuClick(_ button:UIButton!){
    btnMenu.tag = 0
    if (self.delegate != nil) {
        var index = Int32(button.tag)
        if(button == self.btnCloseMenuOverlay){
            index = -1
        }
        delegate?.slideMenuItemSelectedAtIndex(index)
    }
    UIView.animate(withDuration: 0.3, animations: { () -&gt; Void in
        self.view.frame = CGRect(x: -UIScreen.main.bounds.size.width, y: 0, width: UIScreen.main.bounds.size.width,height: UIScreen.main.bounds.size.height)
        self.view.layoutIfNeeded()
        self.view.backgroundColor = UIColor.clear
        }, completion: { (finished) -&gt; Void in
            self.view.removeFromSuperview()
            self.removeFromParentViewController()
    })
}

@IBAction func onCloseMenuClick(_ button:UIButton!){

btnMenu.tag = 0

if (self.delegate != nil) {

var index = Int32(button.tag)

if(button == self.btnCloseMenuOverlay){

index = -1

}

delegate?.slideMenuItemSelectedAtIndex(index)

}

UIView.animate(withDuration: 0.3, animations: { () -> Void in

self.view.frame = CGRect(x: -UIScreen.main.bounds.size.width, y: 0, width: UIScreen.main.bounds.size.width,height: UIScreen.main.bounds.size.height)

self.view.layoutIfNeeded()

self.view.backgroundColor = UIColor.clear

}, completion: { (finished) -> Void in

self.view.removeFromSuperview()

self.removeFromParentViewController()

})

}

3. Now we will create a Base UIViewController to use anywhere in the project which control the delegate of menu.
First we will create this 3 lines Drawer Icon via Code

func addSlideMenuButton(){
    let btnShowMenu = UIButton(type: UIButtonType.system)
    btnShowMenu.setImage(self.defaultMenuImage(), for: UIControlState())
    btnShowMenu.frame = CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 30, height: 30)
    btnShowMenu.addTarget(self, action: #selector(BaseViewController.onSlideMenuButtonPressed(_:)), for: UIControlEvents.touchUpInside)
    let customBarItem = UIBarButtonItem(customView: btnShowMenu)
    self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = customBarItem;
}
func defaultMenuImage() -&gt; UIImage {
    var defaultMenuImage = UIImage()
    UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(CGSize(width: 30, height: 22), false, 0.0)
    UIColor.black.setFill()
    UIBezierPath(rect: CGRect(x: 0, y: 3, width: 30, height: 1)).fill()
    UIBezierPath(rect: CGRect(x: 0, y: 10, width: 30, height: 1)).fill()
    UIBezierPath(rect: CGRect(x: 0, y: 17, width: 30, height: 1)).fill()
    UIColor.white.setFill()
    UIBezierPath(rect: CGRect(x: 0, y: 4, width: 30, height: 1)).fill()
    UIBezierPath(rect: CGRect(x: 0, y: 11,  width: 30, height: 1)).fill()
    UIBezierPath(rect: CGRect(x: 0, y: 18, width: 30, height: 1)).fill()
    defaultMenuImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()!
    UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
    return defaultMenuImage
}

func addSlideMenuButton(){

let btnShowMenu = UIButton(type: UIButtonType.system)

btnShowMenu.setImage(self.defaultMenuImage(), for: UIControlState())

btnShowMenu.frame = CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 30, height: 30)

btnShowMenu.addTarget(self, action: #selector(BaseViewController.onSlideMenuButtonPressed(_:)), for: UIControlEvents.touchUpInside)

let customBarItem = UIBarButtonItem(customView: btnShowMenu)

self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = customBarItem;

}

func defaultMenuImage() -> UIImage {

var defaultMenuImage = UIImage()

UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(CGSize(width: 30, height: 22), false, 0.0)

UIColor.black.setFill()

UIBezierPath(rect: CGRect(x: 0, y: 3, width: 30, height: 1)).fill()

UIBezierPath(rect: CGRect(x: 0, y: 10, width: 30, height: 1)).fill()

UIBezierPath(rect: CGRect(x: 0, y: 17, width: 30, height: 1)).fill()

UIColor.white.setFill()

UIBezierPath(rect: CGRect(x: 0, y: 4, width: 30, height: 1)).fill()

UIBezierPath(rect: CGRect(x: 0, y: 11, width: 30, height: 1)).fill()

UIBezierPath(rect: CGRect(x: 0, y: 18, width: 30, height: 1)).fill()

defaultMenuImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()!

UIGraphicsEndImageContext()

return defaultMenuImage

}

Delegate (Protocol) method call :

func slideMenuItemSelectedAtIndex(_ index: Int32) {
    let topViewController : UIViewController = self.navigationController!.topViewController!
    print("View Controller is : \(topViewController) \n", terminator: "")
    switch(index){
    case 0:
        print("Home\n", terminator: "")
        self.openViewControllerBasedOnIdentifier("Home")
        break
    case 1:
        print("Play\n", terminator: "")
        self.openViewControllerBasedOnIdentifier("PlayVC")
        break
    default:
        print("default\n", terminator: "")
    }
}

func slideMenuItemSelectedAtIndex(_ index: Int32) {

let topViewController : UIViewController = self.navigationController!.topViewController!

print("View Controller is : \(topViewController) \n", terminator: "")

switch(index){

case 0:

print("Home\n", terminator: "")

self.openViewControllerBasedOnIdentifier("Home")

break

case 1:

print("Play\n", terminator: "")

self.openViewControllerBasedOnIdentifier("PlayVC")

break

default:

print("default\n", terminator: "")

}

To open a view controller by identifier :
Set the Restoration Identifier and Storyboard Identifier. If current view is open then we will not open it once again for that we have to check via Restoration Identifier.

func openViewControllerBasedOnIdentifier(_ strIdentifier:String){
    let destViewController : UIViewController = self.storyboard!.instantiateViewController(withIdentifier: strIdentifier)
    let topViewController : UIViewController = self.navigationController!.topViewController!
    if (topViewController.restorationIdentifier! == destViewController.restorationIdentifier!){
        print("Same VC")
    } else {
        self.navigationController!.pushViewController(destViewController, animated: true)
    }
}

func openViewControllerBasedOnIdentifier(_ strIdentifier:String){

let destViewController : UIViewController = self.storyboard!.instantiateViewController(withIdentifier: strIdentifier)

let topViewController : UIViewController = self.navigationController!.topViewController!

if (topViewController.restorationIdentifier! == destViewController.restorationIdentifier!){

print("Same VC")

} else {

self.navigationController!.pushViewController(destViewController, animated: true)

}

4. Now We will assign this drawer to any of the UIViewController
We have to use only one method to add drawer (slide menu) self.addSlideMenuButton()

import UIKit
class HomeVC: BaseViewController {
    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        addSlideMenuButton()
    }
}

import UIKit

class HomeVC: BaseViewController {

override func viewDidLoad() {

super.viewDidLoad()

addSlideMenuButton()

}

Source Code is available at the Github AKSwiftSlideMenu

You can download for versions of Swift 2, Swift 3 or Swift 4. From Releases Tab at GitHub AKSwiftSlideMenu.

I have uploaded a video for easy way to integrate AKSwiftSlideMenu in your project :

Check other blog posts about Swift

Happy Coding