Loop in a model array - objective-c

Question

I've this model:
#interface Data : NSObject
#property int Period;
#property (nonatomic, assign) NSDate *Start;
#property (nonatomic, assign) NSDate *End;
#end
#implementation Data
#synthesize Period, Start, End;
#end
I add data in mutable array.
#property (strong, nonatomic) NSMutableArray* myArray;
self.myArray = [NSMutableArray arrayWithCapacity:0];
Data *element1 =[ [Data alloc] init];
element1.Period = 1;
element1.Start = dateStart1;
element1.End = dateEnd1;
[self.myArray addObject:element1];
Data *element2 =[ [Data alloc] init];
element2.Period = 2;
element2.Start = dateStart2;
element2.End = dateEnd2;
[self.myArray addObject:element2];
Data *element3 =[ [Data alloc] init];
element3.Period = 3;
element3.Start = dateStart3;
element3.End = dateEnd3;
[self.myArray addObject:element3];
I can extract Start dates from array
Data * extractDateStart = [self.myArray valueForKey:#"Start"];
NSLog(#"All Start Dates: %#", extractDateStart);
I need to cycle for that array to search in which of the three period a specific date (inserted by user) is.
I know how to extract data from 'normal' array:
for(NSString * extractDate in self.myArray) {
NSLog(extractDate);
}
And know too how to compare one date with another:
switch ([dateInserted compare: date]) {
case NSOrderedAscending:
// dateInserted old than date
break;
case NSOrderedSame:
// dateInserted the same then date
break;
case NSOrderedDescending:
// dateInserted new then date
break;
default:
// generic error
break;
}
But how to move in this case ?

Answer 1

I might not understand your question, but it sounds like you:
Have a user provided NSDate
Want to find the Data object for which the NSDate falls between the Start and End dates
If that's the case, something like this should work:
NSDate *dateToFind = ...;
Data *foundData = nil; // We will put the correct Data object here if we find it
for (Data *data in self.myArray) {
// Test that dateToFind is between data.Start and data.End
if (([dateToFind compare:data.Start] != NSOrderedAscending)
&& ([dateToFind compare:data.End] != NSOrderedDescending)))
{
foundData = data; // dateToFind is in this Data's date range
}
}
// foundData is either nil or contains the Data you were looking for
For other good ways to test if a date falls between two other dates, see this question.