Returning data from async call in Swift function

Question

I have created a utility class in my Swift project that handles all the REST requests and responses. I have built a simple REST API so I can test my code. I have created a class method that needs to return an NSArray but because the API call is async I need to return from the method inside the async call. The problem is the async returns void. If I were doing this in Node I would use JS promises but I can't figure out a solution that works in Swift.

import Foundation

class Bookshop {
    class func getGenres() -> NSArray {
        println("Hello inside getGenres")
        let urlPath = "http://creative.coventry.ac.uk/~bookshop/v1.1/index.php/genre/list"
        println(urlPath)
        let url: NSURL = NSURL(string: urlPath)
        let session = NSURLSession.sharedSession()
        var resultsArray:NSArray!
        let task = session.dataTaskWithURL(url, completionHandler: {data, response, error -> Void in
            println("Task completed")
            if(error) {
                println(error.localizedDescription)
            }
            var err: NSError?
            var options:NSJSONReadingOptions = NSJSONReadingOptions.MutableContainers
            var jsonResult = NSJSONSerialization.JSONObjectWithData(data, options: options, error: &err) as NSDictionary
            if(err != nil) {
                println("JSON Error \(err!.localizedDescription)")
            }
            //NSLog("jsonResults %@", jsonResult)
            let results: NSArray = jsonResult["genres"] as NSArray
            NSLog("jsonResults %@", results)
            resultsArray = results
            return resultsArray // error [anyObject] is not a subType of 'Void'
        })
        task.resume()
        //return "Hello World!"
        // I want to return the NSArray...
    }
}

Answer 1

You can pass callback, and call callback inside async call

something like:

class func getGenres(completionHandler: (genres: NSArray) -> ()) {
    ...
    let task = session.dataTaskWithURL(url) {
        data, response, error in
        ...
        resultsArray = results
        completionHandler(genres: resultsArray)
    }
    ...
    task.resume()
}

and then call this method:

override func viewDidLoad() {
    Bookshop.getGenres {
        genres in
        println("View Controller: \(genres)")     
    }
}