Swift operator `subscript` []

Question

I am beginner with the Swift having no advance knowledge with operators.

I have the following class

class Container {
   var list: [Any] = [];
}

I want to implement the operator subscript [] in order to access the data from list.

I need something like this:

var data: Container = Container()
var value = data[5]
// also    
data[5] = 5

Also I want to be able to write something like this:

data[1][2]

Is it possible considering that element 1 from Container is an array?

Thanx for help.

Answer 1

It looks like there are 2 questions here.

1. How can I enable subscripting on my own custom class?

To enable subscripting on your class Container you need to implement the subscript computed property like this.

class Container {
    private var list : [Any] = [] // I made this private

    subscript(index:Int) -> Any {
        get {
            return list[index]
        }
        set(newElm) {
            list.insert(newElm, atIndex: index)
        }
    }
}

Now you can use it this way.

var container = Container()
container[0] = "Star Trek"
container[1] = "Star Trek TNG"
container[2] = "Star Trek DS9"
container[3] = "Star Trek VOY"

container[1] // "Star Trek TNG"

2. Can I access one element of Container that supports subscripting writing something like data[1][2]?

If we use your example no, you cannot. Because data[1] returns something of type Any. And you cannot subscript Any.

But if you add a cast it becomes possible

var container = Container()
container[0] = ["Enterprise", "Defiant", "Voyager"]
(container[0] as! [String])[2] // > "Voyager"