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iOS Intermediate Swift 2 Extensions and Protocols Extending a Native Type

Posted by garyguermantokman
garyguermantokman
21,097 Points

Intermediate Swift 2 - Extensions

Anyone solve this code challenge. The solution I wrote works but It does not pass the challenge. 

/*Challenge*/

extension String {
    func addToString(number: Int) -> Int? {

        switch self {
        case Int.min.description ... Int.max.description:
            return Int(self)! + number
        default:
            return nil
        }
    }
}

"66".addToString(5)
types.swift 
// Enter your code below

extension String {
    func addToString(number: Int) -> Int? {

        switch self {
        case Int.min.description ... Int.max.description:
            return Int(self)! + number
        default:
            return nil
        }
    }
}

2 Answers

jcorum
jcorum
71,830 Points

Yes, I've found that the editor is picky, and often won't accept valid Swift code. It wants exactly what it asks for. Remember, your input is being checked by a program, not humans!

extension String {
    func add(num: Int) -> Int? {
        if let n = Int(self) {
            return n + num
        }
        else {
            return nil
        }
    }
}

var s = "2"
s.add(2)
Cody Adkins
Cody Adkins
7,260 Points
Cody Adkins
Cody Adkins
7,260 Points

Can you break down your logic for me? I am trying to understand how it all works.

jcorum
jcorum
71,830 Points
jcorum
jcorum
71,830 Points

Cody,

First, the challenge's example was "1".add(2), which hints it wants the method to be named add().

Second, the String (self) may or may not contain a number, so you need to test first to see if it can be converted to an Int. I used if let n = Int(self) to do the testing. If self is a String like "1" or "124" that can be converted to a number then n will have the converted value.

Note that you need to do this testing before you return anything, not during the return. Also note that self is a String, not an optional, so no unwrapping, forcible or not, is needed. We're not testing here if self is nil, we're testing if it's contents are a number or not: "2" vs "2B".

In this code:

var s = "2"
s.add(2) //4
s = "2B"
s.add(2) //nil

the second line will yield 4 and the 4th line nil.

Third, if n is an Int then you return n + num, where num is the value that is passed in to the add() function. Otherwise you return nil.

If any of this is puzzling, let me know and I'll try again.