Swift enum associated value with different types

Question

I have a Swift enum like this:

public enum AnimationType {

    case position(Float)
    case position([Keyframe<Float>])
    case scale(Float)
    case scale([Keyframe<Float>])
    case rect(CGRect)
    case rect([Keyframe<CGRect>])
    case transform(CGAffineTransform)
    case transform([Keyframe<CGAffineTransform>])
    ...
    ...
}

As we can see, for each type there are two values possible - fixed value of type T or an array of keyframes with value type T ([Keyframe]). I am wondering if there is anything I can do to avoid repetition of same name in the enum and merge the two enum case types? Or I am modelling it wrong way?

Answer 1

I would solve this with a Kind enum type, for each kind of variation.

public enum AnimationType {
    public enum Kind<Value> {
        case scalar(Value)
        case keyframes([Keyframe<Value>])
    }

    case position(Kind<Float>)
    case scale(Kind<Float>)
    case rect(Kind<CGRect>)
    case transform(Kind<CGAffineTransform>)
}

Usage:

let anim1 = AnimationType.position(.scalar(10))
let anim2 = AnimationType.position(.keyframes([Keyframe(10)]))

Getting values:

switch anim1 {
case .position(let kind):
    switch kind {
    case .scalar(let value):
        print("value: \(value)")
    case .keyframes(let keyframes):
        print("keyframes: \(keyframes)")
    }

default: // You would implement the rest
    break
}

switch anim1 {
case .position(.scalar(let value)):
    print("value: \(value)")

case .position(.keyframes(let keyframes)):
    print("keyframes: \(keyframes)")

default: // You would implement the rest
    break
}

if case .position(.scalar(let value)) = anim1 {
    print("value: \(value)")
}

---

You can also add Codable conformance:

public struct Keyframe<Value: Codable> {
    let value: Value

    init(_ value: Value) {
        self.value = value
    }
}

extension Keyframe: Codable {
    public func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
        var container = encoder.singleValueContainer()
        try container.encode(value)
    }

    public init(from decoder: Decoder) throws {
        let container = try decoder.singleValueContainer()
        value = try container.decode(Value.self)
    }
}

public enum AnimationType {
    public enum Kind<Value: Codable> {
        case scalar(Value)
        case keyframes([Keyframe<Value>])
    }

    case position(Kind<Float>)
    case scale(Kind<Float>)
    case rect(Kind<CGRect>)
    case transform(Kind<CGAffineTransform>)
}

extension AnimationType.Kind: Codable {
    public func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
        var container = encoder.singleValueContainer()

        switch self {
        case .scalar(let value): try container.encode(value)
        case .keyframes(let keyframes): try container.encode(keyframes)
        }
    }

    public init(from decoder: Decoder) throws {
        let container = try decoder.singleValueContainer()

        if let scalar = try? container.decode(Value.self) {
            self = .scalar(scalar)
            return
        }
        if let keyframes = try? container.decode([Keyframe<Value>].self) {
            self = .keyframes(keyframes)
            return
        }

        // You should throw error here instead
        fatalError("Failed to decode")
    }
}

extension AnimationType: Codable {
    private enum CodingKeys: CodingKey {
        case position
        case scale
        case rect
        case transform
    }

    public func encode(to encoder: Encoder) throws {
        var container = encoder.container(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)

        switch self {
        case .position(let kind): try container.encode(kind, forKey: .position)
        case .scale(let kind): try container.encode(kind, forKey: .scale)
        case .rect(let kind): try container.encode(kind, forKey: .rect)
        case .transform(let kind): try container.encode(kind, forKey: .transform)
        }
    }

    public init(from decoder: Decoder) throws {
        let container = try decoder.container(keyedBy: CodingKeys.self)

        if let position = try? container.decode(Kind<Float>.self, forKey: .position) {
            self = .position(position)
            return
        }
        if let scale = try? container.decode(Kind<Float>.self, forKey: .scale) {
            self = .scale(scale)
            return
        }
        if let rect = try? container.decode(Kind<CGRect>.self, forKey: .rect) {
            self = .rect(rect)
            return
        }
        if let transform = try? container.decode(Kind<CGAffineTransform>.self, forKey: .transform) {
            self = .transform(transform)
            return
        }

        // You should throw error here instead
        fatalError("Failed to decode")
    }
}

Example encoding:

do {
    let data = try JSONEncoder().encode(anim1)
    if let str = String(data: data, encoding: .utf8) {
        print(str)
        // Prints: {"position":10}
    }
} catch {
    print(error)
}

The same sort of thing with anim2 returns {"position":[10]}.