Swift 4 JSON Decodable simplest way to decode type change
Unfortunately, I don't believe such an option exists in the current JSONDecoder
API. There only exists an option in order to convert exceptional floating-point values to and from a string representation.
Another possible solution to decoding manually is to define a Codable
wrapper type for any LosslessStringConvertible
that can encode to and decode from its String
representation:
struct StringCodableMap<Decoded : LosslessStringConvertible> : Codable {
var decoded: Decoded
init(_ decoded: Decoded) {
self.decoded = decoded
}
init(from decoder: Decoder) throws {
let container = try decoder.singleValueContainer()
let decodedString = try container.decode(String.self)
guard let decoded = Decoded(decodedString) else {
throw DecodingError.dataCorruptedError(
in: container, debugDescription: """
The string \(decodedString) is not representable as a \(Decoded.self)
"""
)
}
self.decoded = decoded
}
func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
var container = encoder.singleValueContainer()
try container.encode(decoded.description)
}
}
Then you can just have a property of this type and use the auto-generated Codable
conformance:
struct Example : Codable {
var name: String
var age: Int
var taxRate: StringCodableMap<Float>
private enum CodingKeys: String, CodingKey {
case name, age
case taxRate = "tax_rate"
}
}
Although unfortunately, now you have to talk in terms of taxRate.decoded
in order to interact with the Float
value.
However you could always define a simple forwarding computed property in order to alleviate this:
struct Example : Codable {
var name: String
var age: Int
private var _taxRate: StringCodableMap<Float>
var taxRate: Float {
get { return _taxRate.decoded }
set { _taxRate.decoded = newValue }
}
private enum CodingKeys: String, CodingKey {
case name, age
case _taxRate = "tax_rate"
}
}
Although this still isn't as a slick as it really should be – hopefully a later version of the JSONDecoder
API will include more custom decoding options, or else have the ability to express type conversions within the Codable
API itself.
However one advantage of creating the wrapper type is that it can also be used in order to make manual decoding and encoding simpler. For example, with manual decoding:
struct Example : Decodable {
var name: String
var age: Int
var taxRate: Float
private enum CodingKeys: String, CodingKey {
case name, age
case taxRate = "tax_rate"
}
init(from decoder: Decoder) throws {
let container = try decoder.container(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)
self.name = try container.decode(String.self, forKey: .name)
self.age = try container.decode(Int.self, forKey: .age)
self.taxRate = try container.decode(StringCodableMap<Float>.self,
forKey: .taxRate).decoded
}
}
Using Swift 5.1, you may choose one of the three following ways in order to solve your problem.
#1. Using Decodable
init(from:)
initializer
Use this strategy when you need to convert from String
to Float
for a single struct, enum or class.
import Foundation
struct ExampleJson: Decodable {
var name: String
var age: Int
var taxRate: Float
enum CodingKeys: String, CodingKey {
case name, age, taxRate = "tax_rate"
}
init(from decoder: Decoder) throws {
let container = try decoder.container(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)
name = try container.decode(String.self, forKey: CodingKeys.name)
age = try container.decode(Int.self, forKey: CodingKeys.age)
let taxRateString = try container.decode(String.self, forKey: CodingKeys.taxRate)
guard let taxRateFloat = Float(taxRateString) else {
let context = DecodingError.Context(codingPath: container.codingPath + [CodingKeys.taxRate], debugDescription: "Could not parse json key to a Float object")
throw DecodingError.dataCorrupted(context)
}
taxRate = taxRateFloat
}
}
Usage:
import Foundation
let jsonString = """
{
"name": "Bob",
"age": 25,
"tax_rate": "4.25"
}
"""
let data = jsonString.data(using: String.Encoding.utf8)!
let decoder = JSONDecoder()
let exampleJson = try! decoder.decode(ExampleJson.self, from: data)
dump(exampleJson)
/*
prints:
▿ __lldb_expr_126.ExampleJson
- name: "Bob"
- age: 25
- taxRate: 4.25
*/
#2. Using an intermediate model
Use this strategy when you have many nested keys in your JSON or when you need to convert many keys (e.g. from String
to Float
) from your JSON.
import Foundation
fileprivate struct PrivateExampleJson: Decodable {
var name: String
var age: Int
var taxRate: String
enum CodingKeys: String, CodingKey {
case name, age, taxRate = "tax_rate"
}
}
struct ExampleJson: Decodable {
var name: String
var age: Int
var taxRate: Float
init(from decoder: Decoder) throws {
let privateExampleJson = try PrivateExampleJson(from: decoder)
name = privateExampleJson.name
age = privateExampleJson.age
guard let convertedTaxRate = Float(privateExampleJson.taxRate) else {
let context = DecodingError.Context(codingPath: [], debugDescription: "Could not parse json key to a Float object")
throw DecodingError.dataCorrupted(context)
}
taxRate = convertedTaxRate
}
}
Usage:
import Foundation
let jsonString = """
{
"name": "Bob",
"age": 25,
"tax_rate": "4.25"
}
"""
let data = jsonString.data(using: String.Encoding.utf8)!
let decoder = JSONDecoder()
let exampleJson = try! decoder.decode(ExampleJson.self, from: data)
dump(exampleJson)
/*
prints:
▿ __lldb_expr_126.ExampleJson
- name: "Bob"
- age: 25
- taxRate: 4.25
*/
#3. Using a KeyedDecodingContainer
extension method
Use this strategy when converting from some JSON keys' types to your model's property types (e.g. String
to Float
) is a common pattern in your application.
import Foundation
extension KeyedDecodingContainer {
func decode(_ type: Float.Type, forKey key: Key) throws -> Float {
if let stringValue = try? self.decode(String.self, forKey: key) {
guard let floatValue = Float(stringValue) else {
let context = DecodingError.Context(codingPath: codingPath, debugDescription: "Could not parse json key to a Float object")
throw DecodingError.dataCorrupted(context)
}
return floatValue
} else {
let doubleValue = try self.decode(Double.self, forKey: key)
return Float(doubleValue)
}
}
}
struct ExampleJson: Decodable {
var name: String
var age: Int
var taxRate: Float
enum CodingKeys: String, CodingKey {
case name, age, taxRate = "tax_rate"
}
}
Usage:
import Foundation
let jsonString = """
{
"name": "Bob",
"age": 25,
"tax_rate": "4.25"
}
"""
let data = jsonString.data(using: String.Encoding.utf8)!
let decoder = JSONDecoder()
let exampleJson = try! decoder.decode(ExampleJson.self, from: data)
dump(exampleJson)
/*
prints:
▿ __lldb_expr_126.ExampleJson
- name: "Bob"
- age: 25
- taxRate: 4.25
*/