Use Common Variable for Multiple Datatypes

Question

arihantfrommumbai OP

Created May ’20

Replies 2

Boosts 0

Participants 3

I have many optional variables which are subclasses of the same class:

var variable1: Experience.subclass1!
var variable2: Experience.subclass2!
var variable3: Experience.subclass3!
...

I want to use a common variable which can copy the value from any of these optional variables for easy code writing. Example:

var commonVariable = variable1
...
commonVariable = variable2 // change the value inside another function

Any ideas on how to enable this functionality? This will greatly simplify my code.

Boost

Answer 1

Claude31 OP

May ’20

A variable is not a subclass.

Did you define SubClass1 as subclass of Experience ?

Please show the complete classes declarations, that will be easier.

If classes are nested, you can do casting:

class Experience  {
    var name : String = ""
    var level : Int = 0
   
    init(name: String) {
        self.name = name
    }
}

class SubClass1: Experience {
    var value1 : Int = 1
}

class SubClass2: SubClass1 {
    var value2 : Int = 2
}

var variable1 = SubClass1(name: "var1")
var variable2 = SubClass2(name: "var2")
print(variable2.name, variable2.value2)
var variable = variable1
print(variable.name, variable.value1)

variable = variable2 as SubClass1
print(variable.name, variable.value1)

gives

var2 2

var1 1

var2 1

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Answer 2

OOPer OP

May ’20

I have many optional variables which are subclasses of the same class:

What is the same class? How subclasses are defined? Please show enough code.

An example:

Assuming your subclasses are declared as...

enum Experience {
    class TheSameClass {
        //...
    }
    
    class Subclass1: TheSameClass {
        //...
    }
    
    class Subclass2: TheSameClass {
        //...
    }
    
    class Subclass3: TheSameClass {
        //...
    }
}

You just need to declare the `commonVariable` as the same class, common ancestor class of all your subclasses

var variable1: Experience.Subclass1!
var variable2: Experience.Subclass2!
var variable3: Experience.Subclass3!
//...
var commonVariable: Experience.TheSameClass = variable1
//...
commonVariable = variable2

You may use protocol in some cases similar to this, but it is not needed in this case.

0