name from UIImageView from String

Question

how can I replace the name of a UIImageview with a string

name\(number).isHidden = false

is not working

name1.isHidden = false

thanks Jürgen

Answer 1

You cannot do that. Swift is a compiled language, not a scripted language.

"name1" exists only in your source code.

If you really have a need to work with objects (whether image views or other UI elements) to where you can refer to them "by name," your best bet would be to create a dictionary.

Assuming you have added your image views in Storyboard and connected them via @IBOutlet such as:

@IBOutlet var name1: UIImageView!
@IBOutlet var name2: UIImageView!
@IBOutlet var name3: UIImageView!
@IBOutlet var name4: UIImageView!

You can create a dictionary in viewDidLoad() like this:

class TestViewController: UIViewController {
    
    @IBOutlet var name1: UIImageView!
    @IBOutlet var name2: UIImageView!
    @IBOutlet var name3: UIImageView!
    @IBOutlet var name4: UIImageView!

    var imageViews: [String : UIImageView] = [:]
    
    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        
        imageViews["name1"] = name1
        imageViews["name2"] = name2
        imageViews["name3"] = name3
        imageViews["name4"] = name4
    }
}

Then later you can get a reference to your image view "by name":

    let i = 3
    // make sure we get a valid reference
    if let imgView = imageViews["name\(i)"] {
        imgView.isHidden = false
    }
    

This is not a great approach, for many reasons.

One better way is to connect them to an @IBOutlet Collection:

@IBOutlet var imageViews: [UIImageView]!

Connect all of your image views to that @IBOutlet ... then at run-time you can get a reference as easily as:

imageViews[number].isHidden = false