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iOS Generics in Swift Generic Functions, Parameters and Constraints Generic Functions

confused with the return type.

the question is:

Write a function named duplicate with a single generic type parameter T. The function takes two arguments, item of type T, and numberOfTimes of type Int, and returns an array of type T. The function simply creates an array containing the element duplicated by the number of times specified. For example, calling duplicate(item: 1, numberOfTimes: 4) returns [1, 1, 1, 1].

pl go through the code attached (cant understand how to define the return type.)

generics.swift
 let arr : T

func duplicate<T>(item : inout T , numberOfTimes: Int) -> arr {

    var i = 0
    for i in numberOfTimes {
        arr[i] = item
        i++
    }
    }
   print(arr)


duplicate(item: &2, numberOfTimes: 2)

8 Answers

Here's the code I used to complete this task. Hope it helps :)

func duplicate <T> (item : T,numberOfTimes: Int)-> [T]{
    var arr : [T] = [T]()
    for _ in 0...(numberOfTimes - 1){
        arr.append(item)
    }
    return arr
}

Could you explain how you came to this answer? It worked for me but I am still confused on how this works.

as the very moment you put this -> in your function you'll need the return key if not it will be a simple function with no return key as

func anyfunc() {

}

import Foundation
//Write a function named duplicate with a single generic type parameter T. The function takes two arguments, item of type T, and numberOfTimes of type Int, and returns an array of type T.
//The function simply creates an array containing the element duplicated by the number of times specified. For example, calling duplicate(item: 1, numberOfTimes: 4) returns [1, 1, 1, 1].

func duplicate<T>(item: T, numberOfTimes: Int) -> Array<T> {
    var a: [T] = []
    for _ in (1...numberOfTimes) {
        a.append(item)
    }
    return a
}

//duplicate(item: 1, numberOfTimes: 4)
//duplicate(item: "Hi~", numberOfTimes: 3)

This may help, good luck!

After researching a bit, I found a link that had a code example that is very close to what we are working on here in the code challenge and it helped me figure it out. http://austinzheng.com/2015/09/29/swift-generics-pt-2/

Look under the Subtile "Generic Functions" and there is a code example.

// Given an item, return an array with that item repeated n times func duplicate<T>(item: T, numberOfTimes n: Int) -> [T] { var buffer : [T] = [] for _ in 0 ..< n { buffer.append(item) } return buffer }

func duplicate<T>(item: T, numberOfTimes: Int) -> [T] { return [T](repeating: item, count: numberOfTimes) }

it works for me.

Aananya Vyas yea i agree with you and the example above just made it more confusing, Can someone explain it for us.

func duplicate<T>(item: T, numberOfTimes: Int) -> [T] {
    var arr: [T] = []
    for _ in 0..<numberOfTimes {
        arr.append(item)
    }
    return arr
}

As a returning function you need to use the return key in your function it should looks like

func (a)->arr {

var i = 0 return(i) }

still isn't clear :/