I have been working with NSArrays and NSMutableArrays that store NSDate objects for a few days now. I noticed that calling [listOfDates removeObject:date1] removes all the NSDate objects from the array. I have instead been doing this to remove objects:
NSMutableArray *dateList; // Has Dates in it
NSDate *dateToRemove; // Date Object to Remove
__block NSUInteger indexToRemove;
__block BOOL foundMatch = NO;
[dateList enumerateObjectsUsingBlock:^(id obj, NSUInteger idx, BOOL *stop) {
if ([obj isEqualToDate:dateToRemove]) {
indexToRemove = idx;
foundMatch = YES;
*stop = YES;
}
}];
if (foundMatch) {
[dateList removeObjectAtIndex:indexToRemove];
}
Is there a better way to be doing this? Perhaps another data structure? Or a simpler function?
You should use the first method you tried:
[listOfDates removeObject:date1];
This will remove date1 and ONLY date1 from listOfDates. This should NOT remove all NSDate objects from listOfDates unless all NSDate objects in listOfDates are date1.
You could also use removeObjectAtIndex: combined with indexOfObject: to product the same effect, but that's extra code.
From the NSMutableArray class reference for removeObject:
This method uses indexOfObject: to locate matches and then removes
them by using removeObjectAtIndex:. Thus, matches are determined on
the basis of an object’s response to the isEqual: message. If the
array does not contain anObject, the method has no effect (although it
does incur the overhead of searching the contents).
If all the dates in dateList are equal, removeObject will not remove only one, but all of them. To remove only one, a shorter version is to get the first index, and then to remove the object at that index:
NSUInteger indexToRemove = [dateList indexOfObject:dateToRemove];
if (indexToRemove != NSNotFound) {
[dateList removeObjectAtIndex:indexToRemove];
}
Related
I have an NSMutableArray of NSNumbers, I want to enumerate through all of them with Objective-C styled enumeration. Here's what I've done so far.
for ( NSNumber* number in array )
{
//some code
}
I want to be able to recognize the first object fast, I am able to do this of course,
if ( [array indexOfObject:number] == 0 )
{
//if it's the first object
}
Is there any way to do this faster? There's of course the old-fashioned C style way, and remove the object from array first, and then put it back after enumeration. Just want to know if there's a better technic.
You can try using a method that provides the index of the object currently being enumerated:
[array enumerateObjectsUsingBlock:^(id obj, NSUInteger idx, BOOL *stop) {
if (idx == 0) {
// this is the first object
}
}];
Or if you simply want to access the first object of an array:
id obj = [array objectAtIndex:0];
or with the new Objective-C style/syntax:
id obj = array[0];
This solution is faster than accessing and comparing the first array element:
BOOL firstIteration = YES;
for (NSNumber *number in array) {
if (firstIteration) {
// Handle first iteration
firstIteration = NO;
}
// Do something
}
In fast enumeration you cant alter the array. So if you want to remove you have to use old style for(;;) loop.
To find the first object simply use [array objectAtIndex:0]
What is the simplest way to do a binary search on an (already) sorted NSArray?
Some potential ways I have spotted so far include:
The use of CFArrayBSearchValues (mentioned here) - would this work on an NSArray?
The method indexOfObject:inSortedRange:options:usingComparator: of NSArray assumes the array is sorted and takes an opts param of type NSBinarySearchingOptions - does this mean it performs a binary search? The docs just say:
Returns the index, within a specified range, of an object compared with elements in the array using a given NSComparator block.
Write my own binary search method (something along the lines of this).
I should add that I am programming for iOS 4.3+
Thanks in advance.
The second option is definitely the simplest. Ole Begemann has a blog entry on how to use the NSArray's indexOfObject:inSortedRange:options:usingComparator: method:
NSArray *sortedArray = ... // must be sorted
id searchObject = ...
NSRange searchRange = NSMakeRange(0, [sortedArray count]);
NSUInteger findIndex = [sortedArray indexOfObject:searchObject
inSortedRange:searchRange
options:NSBinarySearchingFirstEqual
usingComparator:^(id obj1, id obj2)
{
return [obj1 compare:obj2];
}];
See NSArray Binary Search
1 and 2 will both work. #2 is probably easier; it certainly doesn't make sense for that method to do anything other than a binary search (if the range is above a certain size, say). You could verify on a large array that it only does a small number of comparisons.
I'm surprised that nobody mentioned the use of NSSet, which [when it contains objects with a decent hash, such as most Foundation data types] performs constant time lookups. Instead of adding your objects to an array, add then to a set instead (or add them to both if you need to retain a sorted order for other purposes [or alternatively on iOS 5.0 or Mac OS X 10.7 there is NSOrderedSet]).
To determine whether an object exists in a set:
NSSet *mySet = [NSSet setWithArray:myArray]; // try to do this step only once
if ([mySet containsObject:someObject])
{
// do something
}
Alternatively:
NSSet *mySet = [NSSet setWithArray:myArray]; // try and do this step only once
id obj = [mySet member:someObject];
// obj is now set to nil if the object doesn't exist or it is
// set to an object that "isEqual:" to someObject (which could be
// someObject itself).
It is important to know that you will lose any performance benefit if you convert the array to a set each time you do a lookup, ideally you will be using a preconstructed set containing the objects you want to test.
//Method to pass array and number we are searching for.
- (void)binarySearch:(NSArray *)array numberToEnter:(NSNumber *)key{
NSUInteger minIndex = 0;
NSUInteger maxIndex = array.count-1;
NSUInteger midIndex = array.count/2;
NSNumber *minIndexValue = array[minIndex];
NSNumber *midIndexValue = array[midIndex];
NSNumber *maxIndexValue = array[maxIndex];
//Check to make sure array is within bounds
if (key > maxIndexValue || key < minIndexValue) {
NSLog(#"Key is not within Range");
return;
}
NSLog(#"Mid indexValue is %#", midIndexValue);
//If key is less than the middleIndexValue then sliceUpArray and recursively call method again
if (key < midIndexValue){
NSArray *slicedArray = [array subarrayWithRange:NSMakeRange(minIndex, array.count/2)];
NSLog(#"Sliced array is %#", slicedArray);
[self binarySearch:slicedArray numberToEnter:key];
//If key is greater than the middleIndexValue then sliceUpArray and recursively call method again
} else if (key > midIndexValue) {
NSArray *slicedArray = [array subarrayWithRange:NSMakeRange(midIndex+1, array.count/2)];
NSLog(#"Sliced array is %#", slicedArray);
[self binarySearch:slicedArray numberToEnter:key];
} else {
//Else number was found
NSLog(#"Number found");
}
}
//Call Method
#interface ViewController ()
#property(nonatomic)NSArray *searchArray;
#end
- (void)viewDidLoad {
[super viewDidLoad];
//Initialize the array with 10 values
self.searchArray = #[#1,#2,#3,#4,#5,#6,#7,#8,#9,#10];
//Call Method and search for any number
[self binarySearch:self.searchArray numberToEnter:#5];
// Do any additional setup after loading the view, typically from a nib.
}
CFArrayBSearchValues should work—NSArray * is toll-free bridged with CFArrayRef.
I am using block based enumeration similar to the following code:
[[[rows objectForKey:self.company.coaTypeCode] objectForKey:statementType]
enumerateObjectsWithOptions:NSEnumerationConcurrent
usingBlock:^(id coaItem, NSUInteger idx, BOOL *stop) {
// block code here
}]
I would like to remove some of the objects during the enumeration process depending on the their object values.
How could I do this? I know that manipulating an mutable array or dictionary (NSMutableArray or NSMutableDictionary) during enumeration is usually not possible.
What would be the best way to implement this?
Thank you!
Since you can't remove objects from an array or dictionary during enumeration, you'll have to accumulate the items you want to delete, and then delete them all after the enumeration.
If you're dealing with an array, you can just accumulate the indices.:
NSMutableIndexSet *indexesToDelete = [NSMutableIndexSet indexSet];
NSUInteger currentIndex = 0;
for (id obj in yourArray) {
//do stuff with obj
if (shouldBeDeleted(obj)) {
[indexesToDelete addIndex:currentIndex];
}
currentIndex++;
}
[yourArray removeObjectsAtIndexes:indexesToDelete];
Since the order of the keys in an NSDictionary is undefined, for an NSMutableDictionary you'll have to accumulate keys instead:
NSMutableArray *keysToDelete = [NSMutableArray array];
for (id obj in [yourDictionary keyEnumerator]) {
//do stuff with obj
if (shouldBeDeleted(obj)) {
[keysToDelete addObject:obj];
}
}
[yourDictionary removeObjectsForKeys:keysToDelete];
It's the same thing if you're enumerating with a block. Declare the enumerator in the same scope where you declare the block and it will be retained and just work.
Also worth looking at this question from 3 years ago: Best way to remove from NSMutableArray while iterating?.
Whether you build up an index set during enumeration, or modify the array itself during enumeration, you will have to give up NSEnumerationConcurrent, because most Cocoa objects cannot safely be modified simultaneously from multiple threads.
Anyway, the simplest (but maybe not most efficient) approach is to just enumerate a copy of the container.
For an array, you can enumerate a copy in reverse. I assume that as each item is being enumerated, you may decide to remove that item, but not other items previously enumerated or yet to be enumerated.
NSMutableArray *array = [[rows objectForKey:self.company.coaTypeCode] objectForKey:statementType];
[[array copy] enumerateObjectsWithOptions: NSEnumerationReverse
usingBlock:^(id coaItem, NSUInteger idx, BOOL *stop) {
if ([self objectIsTooUglyToExist:coaItem])
[array removeObjectAtIndex:idx];
}]
You have to enumerate the array in reverse to avoid changing the not-yet-enumerated part of the array.
For a dictionary, you can just enumerate a copy with no special options:
NSMutableDictionary *dictionary = someDictionary;
[[dictionary copy] enumerateKeysAndObjectsUsingBlock:^(id key, id obj, BOOL *stop) {
if ([self object:obj isTooUglyToExistAtKey:key])
[dictionary removeObjectForKey:key];
}];
Another option, with an array, is to use a conventional for loop, with the array's count as the limit. Then one needs to be cognizant of whether an element is removed from a location <= the index (in which case the index should be decremented) or > than the index (in which case the index is left unmodified other than the for statement's increment).
For a dictionary you can first create an array with allKeys, and then iterate through the array. In this case no fiddling with index values is required.
I have an array with custom objects. Each array item has a field named "name". Now I want to remove duplicate entries based on this name value.
How should I go about achieving this?
I do not know of any standard way to to do this provided by the frameworks. So you will have to do it in code. Something like this should be doable:
NSArray* originalArray = ... // However you fetch it
NSMutableSet* existingNames = [NSMutableSet set];
NSMutableArray* filteredArray = [NSMutableArray array];
for (id object in originalArray) {
if (![existingNames containsObject:[object name]]) {
[existingNames addObject:[object name]];
[filteredArray addObject:object];
}
}
You might have to actually write this filtering method yourself:
#interface NSArray (CustomFiltering)
#end
#implementation NSArray (CustomFiltering)
- (NSArray *) filterObjectsByKey:(NSString *) key {
NSMutableSet *tempValues = [[NSMutableSet alloc] init];
NSMutableArray *ret = [NSMutableArray array];
for(id obj in self) {
if(! [tempValues containsObject:[obj valueForKey:key]]) {
[tempValues addObject:[obj valueForKey:key]];
[ret addObject:obj];
}
}
[tempValues release];
return ret;
}
#end
I know this is an old question but here is another possibility, depending on what you need.
Apple does provide a way to do this -- Key-Value Coding Collection Operators.
Object operators let you act on a collection. In this case, you want:
#distinctUnionOfObjects
The #distinctUnionOfObjects operator returns an array containing the distinct objects in the property specified by the key path to the right of the operator.
NSArray *distinctArray = [arrayWithDuplicates valueForKeyPath:#"#distinctUnionOfObjects.name"];
In your case, though, you want the whole object. So what you'd have to do is two-fold:
1) Use #distinctUnionOfArrays instead. E.g. If you had these custom objects coming from other collections, use #distinctUnionOfArray.myCollectionOfObjects
2) Implement isEqual: on those objects to return if their .name's are equal
I'm going to get flak for this...
You can convert your array into a dictionary. Not sure how efficient this is, depends on the implementation and comparison call, but it does use a hash map.
//Get unique entries
NSArray *myArray = #[#"Hello", #"World", #"Hello"];
NSDictionary *uniq = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjects:myArray forKeys:myArray];
NSLog(#"%#", uniq.allKeys);
*Note, this may change the order of your array.
If you'd like your custom NSObject subclasses to be considered equal when their names are equal you may implement isEqual: and hash. This will allow you to add of the objects to an NSSet/NSMutableSet (a set of distinct objects).
You may then easily create a sorted NSArray by using NSSet's sortedArrayUsingDescriptors:method.
MikeAsh wrote a pretty solid piece about implementing custom equality: Friday Q&A 2010-06-18: Implementing Equality and Hashing
If you are worried about the order
NSArray * newArray =
[[NSOrderedSet orderedSetWithArray:oldArray] array]; **// iOS 5.0 and later**
It is quite simple in one line
NSArray *duplicateList = ...
If you don't care about elements order then (unordered)
NSArray *withoutDUP1 = [[NSSet setWithArray:duplicateList] allObjects];
Keep the elements in order then (ordered)
NSArray *withoutDUP2 = [[NSOrderedSet orderedSetWithArray:duplicateList] array];
Implement isEqual to make your objects comparable:
#interface SomeObject (Equality)
#end
#implementation SomeObject (Equality)
- (BOOL)isEqual:(SomeObject*)other
{
return self.hash == other.hash;
}
- (NSUInteger)hash
{
return self.name;///your case
}
#end
How to use:
- (NSArray*)distinctObjectsFromArray:(NSArray*)array
{
return [array valueForKeyPath:#"#distinctUnionOfObjects.self"];
}
In Cocoa, if I want to loop through an NSMutableArray and remove multiple objects that fit a certain criteria, what's the best way to do this without restarting the loop each time I remove an object?
Thanks,
Edit: Just to clarify - I was looking for the best way, e.g. something more elegant than manually updating the index I'm at. For example in C++ I can do;
iterator it = someList.begin();
while (it != someList.end())
{
if (shouldRemove(it))
it = someList.erase(it);
}
For clarity I like to make an initial loop where I collect the items to delete. Then I delete them. Here's a sample using Objective-C 2.0 syntax:
NSMutableArray *discardedItems = [NSMutableArray array];
for (SomeObjectClass *item in originalArrayOfItems) {
if ([item shouldBeDiscarded])
[discardedItems addObject:item];
}
[originalArrayOfItems removeObjectsInArray:discardedItems];
Then there is no question about whether indices are being updated correctly, or other little bookkeeping details.
Edited to add:
It's been noted in other answers that the inverse formulation should be faster. i.e. If you iterate through the array and compose a new array of objects to keep, instead of objects to discard. That may be true (although what about the memory and processing cost of allocating a new array, and discarding the old one?) but even if it's faster it may not be as big a deal as it would be for a naive implementation, because NSArrays do not behave like "normal" arrays. They talk the talk but they walk a different walk. See a good analysis here:
The inverse formulation may be faster, but I've never needed to care whether it is, because the above formulation has always been fast enough for my needs.
For me the take-home message is to use whatever formulation is clearest to you. Optimize only if necessary. I personally find the above formulation clearest, which is why I use it. But if the inverse formulation is clearer to you, go for it.
One more variation. So you get readability and good performace:
NSMutableIndexSet *discardedItems = [NSMutableIndexSet indexSet];
SomeObjectClass *item;
NSUInteger index = 0;
for (item in originalArrayOfItems) {
if ([item shouldBeDiscarded])
[discardedItems addIndex:index];
index++;
}
[originalArrayOfItems removeObjectsAtIndexes:discardedItems];
This is a very simple problem. You just iterate backwards:
for (NSInteger i = array.count - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
ElementType* element = array[i];
if ([element shouldBeRemoved]) {
[array removeObjectAtIndex:i];
}
}
This is a very common pattern.
Some of the other answers would have poor performance on very large arrays, because methods like removeObject: and removeObjectsInArray: involve doing a linear search of the receiver, which is a waste because you already know where the object is. Also, any call to removeObjectAtIndex: will have to copy values from the index to the end of the array up by one slot at a time.
More efficient would be the following:
NSMutableArray *array = ...
NSMutableArray *itemsToKeep = [NSMutableArray arrayWithCapacity:[array count]];
for (id object in array) {
if (! shouldRemove(object)) {
[itemsToKeep addObject:object];
}
}
[array setArray:itemsToKeep];
Because we set the capacity of itemsToKeep, we don't waste any time copying values during a resize. We don't modify the array in place, so we are free to use Fast Enumeration. Using setArray: to replace the contents of array with itemsToKeep will be efficient. Depending on your code, you could even replace the last line with:
[array release];
array = [itemsToKeep retain];
So there isn't even a need to copy values, only swap a pointer.
You can use NSpredicate to remove items from your mutable array. This requires no for loops.
For example if you have an NSMutableArray of names, you can create a predicate like this one:
NSPredicate *caseInsensitiveBNames =
[NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:#"SELF beginswith[c] 'b'"];
The following line will leave you with an array that contains only names starting with b.
[namesArray filterUsingPredicate:caseInsensitiveBNames];
If you have trouble creating the predicates you need, use this apple developer link.
I did a performance test using 4 different methods. Each test iterated through all elements in a 100,000 element array, and removed every 5th item. The results did not vary much with/ without optimization. These were done on an iPad 4:
(1) removeObjectAtIndex: -- 271 ms
(2) removeObjectsAtIndexes: -- 1010 ms (because building the index set takes ~700 ms; otherwise this is basically the same as calling removeObjectAtIndex: for each item)
(3) removeObjects: -- 326 ms
(4) make a new array with objects passing the test -- 17 ms
So, creating a new array is by far the fastest. The other methods are all comparable, except that using removeObjectsAtIndexes: will be worse with more items to remove, because of the time needed to build the index set.
Either use loop counting down over indices:
for (NSInteger i = array.count - 1; i >= 0; --i) {
or make a copy with the objects you want to keep.
In particular, do not use a for (id object in array) loop or NSEnumerator.
For iOS 4+ or OS X 10.6+, Apple added passingTest series of APIs in NSMutableArray, like – indexesOfObjectsPassingTest:. A solution with such API would be:
NSIndexSet *indexesToBeRemoved = [someList indexesOfObjectsPassingTest:
^BOOL(id obj, NSUInteger idx, BOOL *stop) {
return [self shouldRemove:obj];
}];
[someList removeObjectsAtIndexes:indexesToBeRemoved];
Nowadays you can use reversed block-based enumeration. A simple example code:
NSMutableArray *array = [#[#{#"name": #"a", #"shouldDelete": #(YES)},
#{#"name": #"b", #"shouldDelete": #(NO)},
#{#"name": #"c", #"shouldDelete": #(YES)},
#{#"name": #"d", #"shouldDelete": #(NO)}] mutableCopy];
[array enumerateObjectsWithOptions:NSEnumerationReverse usingBlock:^(id obj, NSUInteger idx, BOOL *stop) {
if([obj[#"shouldDelete"] boolValue])
[array removeObjectAtIndex:idx];
}];
Result:
(
{
name = b;
shouldDelete = 0;
},
{
name = d;
shouldDelete = 0;
}
)
another option with just one line of code:
[array filterUsingPredicate:[NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:#"shouldDelete == NO"]];
In a more declarative way, depending on the criteria matching the items to remove you could use:
[theArray filterUsingPredicate:aPredicate]
#Nathan should be very efficient
Here's the easy and clean way. I like to duplicate my array right in the fast enumeration call:
for (LineItem *item in [NSArray arrayWithArray:self.lineItems])
{
if ([item.toBeRemoved boolValue] == YES)
{
[self.lineItems removeObject:item];
}
}
This way you enumerate through a copy of the array being deleted from, both holding the same objects. An NSArray holds object pointers only so this is totally fine memory/performance wise.
Add the objects you want to remove to a second array and, after the loop, use -removeObjectsInArray:.
this should do it:
NSMutableArray* myArray = ....;
int i;
for(i=0; i<[myArray count]; i++) {
id element = [myArray objectAtIndex:i];
if(element == ...) {
[myArray removeObjectAtIndex:i];
i--;
}
}
hope this helps...
Why don't you add the objects to be removed to another NSMutableArray. When you are finished iterating, you can remove the objects that you have collected.
How about swapping the elements you want to delete with the 'n'th element, 'n-1'th element and so on?
When you're done you resize the array to 'previous size - number of swaps'
If all objects in your array are unique or you want to remove all occurrences of an object when found, you could fast enumerate on an array copy and use [NSMutableArray removeObject:] to remove the object from the original.
NSMutableArray *myArray;
NSArray *myArrayCopy = [NSArray arrayWithArray:myArray];
for (NSObject *anObject in myArrayCopy) {
if (shouldRemove(anObject)) {
[myArray removeObject:anObject];
}
}
benzado's anwser above is what you should do for preformace. In one of my applications removeObjectsInArray took a running time of 1 minute, just adding to a new array took .023 seconds.
I define a category that lets me filter using a block, like this:
#implementation NSMutableArray (Filtering)
- (void)filterUsingTest:(BOOL (^)(id obj, NSUInteger idx))predicate {
NSMutableIndexSet *indexesFailingTest = [[NSMutableIndexSet alloc] init];
NSUInteger index = 0;
for (id object in self) {
if (!predicate(object, index)) {
[indexesFailingTest addIndex:index];
}
++index;
}
[self removeObjectsAtIndexes:indexesFailingTest];
[indexesFailingTest release];
}
#end
which can then be used like this:
[myMutableArray filterUsingTest:^BOOL(id obj, NSUInteger idx) {
return [self doIWantToKeepThisObject:obj atIndex:idx];
}];
A nicer implementation could be to use the category method below on NSMutableArray.
#implementation NSMutableArray(BMCommons)
- (void)removeObjectsWithPredicate:(BOOL (^)(id obj))predicate {
if (predicate != nil) {
NSMutableArray *newArray = [[NSMutableArray alloc] initWithCapacity:self.count];
for (id obj in self) {
BOOL shouldRemove = predicate(obj);
if (!shouldRemove) {
[newArray addObject:obj];
}
}
[self setArray:newArray];
}
}
#end
The predicate block can be implemented to do processing on each object in the array. If the predicate returns true the object is removed.
An example for a date array to remove all dates that lie in the past:
NSMutableArray *dates = ...;
[dates removeObjectsWithPredicate:^BOOL(id obj) {
NSDate *date = (NSDate *)obj;
return [date timeIntervalSinceNow] < 0;
}];
Iterating backwards-ly was my favourite for years , but for a long time I never encountered the case where the 'deepest' ( highest count) object was removed first. Momentarily before the pointer moves on to the next index there ain't anything and it crashes.
Benzado's way is the closest to what i do now but I never realised there would be the stack reshuffle after every remove.
under Xcode 6 this works
NSMutableArray *itemsToKeep = [NSMutableArray arrayWithCapacity:[array count]];
for (id object in array)
{
if ( [object isNotEqualTo:#"whatever"]) {
[itemsToKeep addObject:object ];
}
}
array = nil;
array = [[NSMutableArray alloc]initWithArray:itemsToKeep];