Swift type conversion


Swift language type conversion can determine the type of the instance. It can also be used to detect whether an instance type belongs to an instance of its parent class or subclass.

Type conversion in Swift is implemented using the is and as operators. is is used to detect the type of the value, and as is used to convert the type.

Type conversion can also be used to check whether a class implements a certain protocol.

Define a class hierarchy

Type conversion is used to detect whether an instance type belongs to a specific instance type.

You can use it on class and subclass hierarchies to check the type of a specific class instance and convert the type of this class instance to other types in the hierarchy.

The example is as follows: 

class Subjects {
    var physics: String
    init(physics: String) {
        self.physics = physics
    }
}

class Chemistry: Subjects {
    var equations: String
    init(physics: String, equations: String) {
        self.equations = equations
        super.init(physics: physics)
    }
}

class Maths: Subjects {
    var formulae: String
    init(physics: String, formulae: String) {
        self.formulae = formulae
        super.init(physics: physics)
    }
}

let sa = [
    Chemistry(physics: "固体物理", equations: "赫兹"),
    Maths(physics: "流体动力学", formulae: "千兆赫")]


let samplechem = Chemistry(physics: "固体物理", equations: "赫兹")
print("实例物理学是: \(samplechem.physics)")
print("实例方程式: \(samplechem.equations)")


let samplemaths = Maths(physics: "流体动力学", formulae: "千兆赫")
print("实例物理学是: \(samplemaths.physics)")
print("实例公式是: \(samplemaths.formulae)")

The above program execution output result is: 

实例物理学是: 固体物理
实例方程式: 赫兹
实例物理学是: 流体动力学
实例公式是: 千兆赫

Check type

Type check uses is keyword.

Operator is to check whether an instance belongs to a specific subtype. The type checking operator returns true if the instance belongs to that subtype, false otherwise. 

class Subjects {
    var physics: String
    init(physics: String) {
        self.physics = physics
    }
}

class Chemistry: Subjects {
    var equations: String
    init(physics: String, equations: String) {
        self.equations = equations
        super.init(physics: physics)
    }
}

class Maths: Subjects {
    var formulae: String
    init(physics: String, formulae: String) {
        self.formulae = formulae
        super.init(physics: physics)
    }
}

let sa = [
    Chemistry(physics: "固体物理", equations: "赫兹"),
    Maths(physics: "流体动力学", formulae: "千兆赫"),
    Chemistry(physics: "热物理学", equations: "分贝"),
    Maths(physics: "天体物理学", formulae: "兆赫"),
    Maths(physics: "微分方程", formulae: "余弦级数")]


let samplechem = Chemistry(physics: "固体物理", equations: "赫兹")
print("实例物理学是: \(samplechem.physics)")
print("实例方程式: \(samplechem.equations)")


let samplemaths = Maths(physics: "流体动力学", formulae: "千兆赫")
print("实例物理学是: \(samplemaths.physics)")
print("实例公式是: \(samplemaths.formulae)")

var chemCount = 0
var mathsCount = 0
for item in sa {
    // 如果是一个 Chemistry 类型的实例，返回 true，相反返回 false。
    if item is Chemistry {
        ++chemCount
    } else if item is Maths {
        ++mathsCount
    }
}

print("化学科目包含 \(chemCount) 个主题，数学包含 \(mathsCount) 个主题")

The execution output of the above program is: 

实例物理学是: 固体物理
实例方程式: 赫兹
实例物理学是: 流体动力学
实例公式是: 千兆赫
化学科目包含 2 个主题，数学包含 3 个主题

Downward transformation

Downward transformation, use the type conversion operator (as? or as!)

When you are not sure that the downcast will succeed, use the conditional form of type conversion (as?). Conditional form casts always return an optional value, and if downcasting is not possible, the optional value will be nil.

Use the mandatory form (as!) only when you are sure that the downward transformation will succeed. A cast can trigger a runtime error when you attempt to downcast to an incorrect type. 

class Subjects {
    var physics: String
    init(physics: String) {
        self.physics = physics
    }
}

class Chemistry: Subjects {
    var equations: String
    init(physics: String, equations: String) {
        self.equations = equations
        super.init(physics: physics)
    }
}

class Maths: Subjects {
    var formulae: String
    init(physics: String, formulae: String) {
        self.formulae = formulae
        super.init(physics: physics)
    }
}

let sa = [
    Chemistry(physics: "固体物理", equations: "赫兹"),
    Maths(physics: "流体动力学", formulae: "千兆赫"),
    Chemistry(physics: "热物理学", equations: "分贝"),
    Maths(physics: "天体物理学", formulae: "兆赫"),
    Maths(physics: "微分方程", formulae: "余弦级数")]


let samplechem = Chemistry(physics: "固体物理", equations: "赫兹")
print("实例物理学是: \(samplechem.physics)")
print("实例方程式: \(samplechem.equations)")


let samplemaths = Maths(physics: "流体动力学", formulae: "千兆赫")
print("实例物理学是: \(samplemaths.physics)")
print("实例公式是: \(samplemaths.formulae)")

var chemCount = 0
var mathsCount = 0

for item in sa {
    // 类型转换的条件形式
    if let show = item as? Chemistry {
        print("化学主题是: '\(show.physics)', \(show.equations)")
        // 强制形式
    } else if let example = item as? Maths {
        print("数学主题是: '\(example.physics)',  \(example.formulae)")
    }
}

The execution output of the above program is: 

实例物理学是: 固体物理
实例方程式: 赫兹
实例物理学是: 流体动力学
实例公式是: 千兆赫
化学主题是: '固体物理', 赫兹
数学主题是: '流体动力学',  千兆赫
化学主题是: '热物理学', 分贝
数学主题是: '天体物理学',  兆赫
数学主题是: '微分方程',  余弦级数

Type conversion between Any and AnyObject

Swift provides two special type aliases for uncertain types:

  • AnyObject can represent an instance of any class type.

  • Any can represent any type, including function types.

Note:
Use Any and AnyObject only when you clearly need its behavior and functionality. It's always better to use explicit types that you expect in your code.

Any Example

class Subjects {
    var physics: String
    init(physics: String) {
        self.physics = physics
    }
}

class Chemistry: Subjects {
    var equations: String
    init(physics: String, equations: String) {
        self.equations = equations
        super.init(physics: physics)
    }
}

class Maths: Subjects {
    var formulae: String
    init(physics: String, formulae: String) {
        self.formulae = formulae
        super.init(physics: physics)
    }
}

let sa = [
    Chemistry(physics: "固体物理", equations: "赫兹"),
    Maths(physics: "流体动力学", formulae: "千兆赫"),
    Chemistry(physics: "热物理学", equations: "分贝"),
    Maths(physics: "天体物理学", formulae: "兆赫"),
    Maths(physics: "微分方程", formulae: "余弦级数")]


let samplechem = Chemistry(physics: "固体物理", equations: "赫兹")
print("实例物理学是: \(samplechem.physics)")
print("实例方程式: \(samplechem.equations)")


let samplemaths = Maths(physics: "流体动力学", formulae: "千兆赫")
print("实例物理学是: \(samplemaths.physics)")
print("实例公式是: \(samplemaths.formulae)")

var chemCount = 0
var mathsCount = 0

for item in sa {
    // 类型转换的条件形式
    if let show = item as? Chemistry {
        print("化学主题是: '\(show.physics)', \(show.equations)")
        // 强制形式
    } else if let example = item as? Maths {
        print("数学主题是: '\(example.physics)',  \(example.formulae)")
    }
}

// 可以存储Any类型的数组 exampleany
var exampleany = [Any]()

exampleany.append(12)
exampleany.append(3.14159)
exampleany.append("Any 实例")
exampleany.append(Chemistry(physics: "固体物理", equations: "兆赫"))

for item2 in exampleany {
    switch item2 {
    case let someInt as Int:
        print("整型值为 \(someInt)")
    case let someDouble as Double where someDouble > 0:
        print("Pi 值为 \(someDouble)")
    case let someString as String:
        print("\(someString)")
    case let phy as Chemistry:
        print("主题 '\(phy.physics)', \(phy.equations)")
    default:
        print("None")
    }
}

The above program execution output result is: 

实例物理学是: 固体物理
实例方程式: 赫兹
实例物理学是: 流体动力学
实例公式是: 千兆赫
化学主题是: '固体物理', 赫兹
数学主题是: '流体动力学',  千兆赫
化学主题是: '热物理学', 分贝
数学主题是: '天体物理学',  兆赫
数学主题是: '微分方程',  余弦级数
整型值为 12
Pi 值为 3.14159
Any 实例
主题 '固体物理', 兆赫

AnyObject Example

class Subjects {
    var physics: String
    init(physics: String) {
        self.physics = physics
    }
}

class Chemistry: Subjects {
    var equations: String
    init(physics: String, equations: String) {
        self.equations = equations
        super.init(physics: physics)
    }
}

class Maths: Subjects {
    var formulae: String
    init(physics: String, formulae: String) {
        self.formulae = formulae
        super.init(physics: physics)
    }
}

// [AnyObject] 类型的数组
let saprint: [AnyObject] = [
    Chemistry(physics: "固体物理", equations: "赫兹"),
    Maths(physics: "流体动力学", formulae: "千兆赫"),
    Chemistry(physics: "热物理学", equations: "分贝"),
    Maths(physics: "天体物理学", formulae: "兆赫"),
    Maths(physics: "微分方程", formulae: "余弦级数")]


let samplechem = Chemistry(physics: "固体物理", equations: "赫兹")
print("实例物理学是: \(samplechem.physics)")
print("实例方程式: \(samplechem.equations)")


let samplemaths = Maths(physics: "流体动力学", formulae: "千兆赫")
print("实例物理学是: \(samplemaths.physics)")
print("实例公式是: \(samplemaths.formulae)")

var chemCount = 0
var mathsCount = 0

for item in saprint {
    // 类型转换的条件形式
    if let show = item as? Chemistry {
        print("化学主题是: '\(show.physics)', \(show.equations)")
        // 强制形式
    } else if let example = item as? Maths {
        print("数学主题是: '\(example.physics)',  \(example.formulae)")
    }
}

var exampleany = [Any]()
exampleany.append(12)
exampleany.append(3.14159)
exampleany.append("Any 实例")
exampleany.append(Chemistry(physics: "固体物理", equations: "兆赫"))

for item2 in exampleany {
    switch item2 {
    case let someInt as Int:
        print("整型值为 \(someInt)")
    case let someDouble as Double where someDouble > 0:
        print("Pi 值为 \(someDouble)")
    case let someString as String:
        print("\(someString)")
    case let phy as Chemistry:
        print("主题 '\(phy.physics)', \(phy.equations)")
    default:
        print("None")
    }
}

The above program execution output result is: 

实例物理学是: 固体物理
实例方程式: 赫兹
实例物理学是: 流体动力学
实例公式是: 千兆赫
化学主题是: '固体物理', 赫兹
数学主题是: '流体动力学',  千兆赫
化学主题是: '热物理学', 分贝
数学主题是: '天体物理学',  兆赫
数学主题是: '微分方程',  余弦级数
整型值为 12
Pi 值为 3.14159
Any 实例
主题 '固体物理', 兆赫

Use the forced type conversion operator (as, not as?) in the case of a switch statement to check and convert to an explicit type.