Swift Learning Summary: Method

Method

Methods are functions that associated with a particular type.

Classes, structures and enumerations.

• Define instance methods for an instance of the given type.
• Define type method for the type itself.

Instance Method

It is defined in a type. And it can only be called by a specific instance of the type.

class Bird {
    var energy = 10
    
        // Instance method
    func sing() {
        energy -= 1
    }
    
        // Instance method
    func eatFood(food: Int) {
        self.energy += food   // self is current instance of the type, it's the instance who call the current method.
    }
        
        func setEnergy(energy: Int) {
        self.energy = energy // Here must use the 'self' to distinguish the property of the instance and the method's parameter.
    }
}

var keo = Bird()
keo.eatFood(food: 4)
print(keo.energy)   // 14
keo.sing()
print(keo.energy)   // 13

Modifying Value Types in the Instance Method

Structures and Enumerations are value type, their properties can’t be modified by default.

However, we can use the mutating keyword to enable the method to modify their properties.

struct Point {
    var x = 0
    var y = 0
    
    mutating func moveTo(x: Int, y: Int) {
        self.x = x
        self.y = y
    }
}

// Assigning to self Within a Mutating Method, it has the same result as the code above.

struct Point {
    var x = 0
    var y = 0
    
    mutating func moveTo(x: Int, y: Int) {
        self = Point(x: x, y: y)
    }
}

enum Level {
    case off, low, high
    mutating func next() {
        switch self {
        case .off:
            self = .low
        case .low:
            self = .high
        case .high:
            self = .off
        }
    }
}

Type Method

• Defined in the type, called by the type.
• Can be used in classes, structures, enumerations.

Use the static keyword to indicate the function is the type method.

struct Boy {
    static var count = 0
    static func add() {
        count += 1
    }
}

var boy = Boy()
Boy.add()
var boyB = Boy()
Boy.add()
print(Boy.count)  // 2

Classes can use the class key word instead of the static to allow the subclass to override the method. (Just like a protected keyword in Java)

class Shape {
    static var count = 0
    class func add() {
       self.count += 1   // Here the 'self' is the type Shape itself, not a instance of type.
    }
}

Example:

The player class create a new instance of LevelTracker to track that player’s progress.

struct LevelTracker {
    static var highestUnlockedLevel = 0
    var currentLevel = 0
    
    static func unlock(_ level: Int) {
        if level > highestUnlockedLevel {
            highestUnlockedLevel = level
        }
    }
    
    static func isUnlocked(_ level: Int) -> Bool {
        return level <= highestUnlockedLevel
    }
    
    @discardableResult
    mutating func advance(to level: Int) -> Bool {
        if LevelTracker.isUnlocked(level) {
            currentLevel = level
            return true
        } else {
            return false
        }
    }
}

class Player {
    var tracker = LevelTracker()
    let playerName: String
    func complete(level: Int) {
        LevelTracker.unlock(level + 1)  // Unlock the next level for all players.
        tracker.advance(to: level + 1)  // Update current player's progress to next level.
    }
    
    init(name: String) {
        playerName = name
    }
}

var player = Player(name: "Mike")

player.complete(level: 0)
print(player.tracker.currentLevel)      // 1
print(LevelTracker.highestUnlockLecel)  // 1