Array from dictionary keys in swift

Trying to fill an array with strings from the keys in a dictionary in swift.

var componentArray: [String]

let dict = NSDictionary(contentsOfFile: NSBundle.mainBundle().pathForResource("Components", ofType: "plist")!)
componentArray = dict.allKeys

This returns an error of: 'AnyObject' not identical to string

Also tried

componentArray = dict.allKeys as String 

but get: 'String' is not convertible to [String]

Swift 3 & Swift 4

componentArray = Array(dict.keys) // for Dictionary

componentArray = dict.allKeys // for NSDictionary

With Swift 3, Dictionary has a keys property. keys has the following declaration:

var keys: LazyMapCollection<Dictionary<Key, Value>, Key> { get }

>A collection containing just the keys of the dictionary.

Note that LazyMapCollection that can easily be mapped to an Array with Array's init(_:) initializer.

---

From NSDictionary to [String]

The following iOS AppDelegate class snippet shows how to get an array of strings ([String]) using keys property from a NSDictionary:

func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplicationLaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {
    let string = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "Components", ofType: "plist")!
    if let dict = NSDictionary(contentsOfFile: string) as? [String : Int] {
        let lazyMapCollection = dict.keys
        
        let componentArray = Array(lazyMapCollection)
        print(componentArray)
        // prints: ["Car", "Boat"]
    }
    
    return true
}

---

From [String: Int] to [String]

In a more general way, the following Playground code shows how to get an array of strings ([String]) using keys property from a dictionary with string keys and integer values ([String: Int]):

let dictionary = ["Gabrielle": 49, "Bree": 32, "Susan": 12, "Lynette": 7]
let lazyMapCollection = dictionary.keys

let stringArray = Array(lazyMapCollection)
print(stringArray)
// prints: ["Bree", "Susan", "Lynette", "Gabrielle"]

---

From [Int: String] to [String]

The following Playground code shows how to get an array of strings ([String]) using keys property from a dictionary with integer keys and string values ([Int: String]):

let dictionary = [49: "Gabrielle", 32: "Bree", 12: "Susan", 7: "Lynette"]
let lazyMapCollection = dictionary.keys
    
let stringArray = Array(lazyMapCollection.map { String($0) })
// let stringArray = Array(lazyMapCollection).map { String($0) } // also works
print(stringArray)
// prints: ["32", "12", "7", "49"]

Array from dictionary keys in Swift

componentArray = [String] (dict.keys)

dict.allKeys is not a String. It is a [String], exactly as the error message tells you (assuming, of course, that the keys are all strings; this is exactly what you are asserting when you say that).

So, either start by typing componentArray as [AnyObject], because that is how it is typed in the Cocoa API, or else, if you cast dict.allKeys, cast it to [String], because that is how you have typed componentArray.

You can use dictionary.map like this:

let myKeys: [String] = myDictionary.map{String($0.key) }

The explanation: Map iterates through the myDictionary and accepts each key and value pair as $0. From here you can get $0.key or $0.value. Inside the trailing closure {}, you can transform each element and return that element. Since you want $0 and you want it as a string then you convert using String($0.key). You collect the transformed elements to an array of strings.

extension Array {
    public func toDictionary<Key: Hashable>(with selectKey: (Element) -> Key) -> [Key:Element] {
        var dict = [Key:Element]()
        for element in self {
            dict[selectKey(element)] = element
        }
        return dict
    }
}

dict.keys.sorted() 

that gives [String] https://developer.apple.com/documentation/swift/array/2945003-sorted

From the official Array Apple documentation:

init(_:) - Creates an array containing the elements of a sequence.

Declaration

Array.init<S>(_ s: S) where Element == S.Element, S : Sequence

Parameters

s - The sequence of elements to turn into an array.

Discussion

>You can use this initializer to create an array from any other type that conforms to the Sequence protocol...You can also use this initializer to convert a complex sequence or collection type back to an array. For example, the keys property of a dictionary isn’t an array with its own storage, it’s a collection that maps its elements from the dictionary only when they’re accessed, saving the time and space needed to allocate an array. If you need to pass those keys to a method that takes an array, however, use this initializer to convert that list from its type of LazyMapCollection<Dictionary<String, Int>, Int> to a simple [String].

func cacheImagesWithNames(names: [String]) {
    // custom image loading and caching
 }

let namedHues: [String: Int] = ["Vermillion": 18, "Magenta": 302,
        "Gold": 50, "Cerise": 320]
let colorNames = Array(namedHues.keys)
cacheImagesWithNames(colorNames)

print(colorNames)
// Prints "["Gold", "Cerise", "Magenta", "Vermillion"]"

NSDictionary is Class(pass by reference) Dictionary is Structure(pass by value) ====== Array from NSDictionary ======

NSDictionary has allKeys and allValues get properties with type [Any].

  let objesctNSDictionary = 
    NSDictionary.init(dictionary: ["BR": "Brazil", "GH": "Ghana", "JP": "Japan"])
            let objectArrayOfAllKeys:Array = objesctNSDictionary.allKeys
            let objectArrayOfAllValues:Array = objesctNSDictionary.allValues
            print(objectArrayOfAllKeys)
            print(objectArrayOfAllValues)

====== Array From Dictionary ======

Apple reference for Dictionary's keys and values properties.

let objectDictionary:Dictionary = 
            ["BR": "Brazil", "GH": "Ghana", "JP": "Japan"]
    let objectArrayOfAllKeys:Array = Array(objectDictionary.keys)          
    let objectArrayOfAllValues:Array = Array(objectDictionary.values)
    print(objectArrayOfAllKeys)
    print(objectArrayOfAllValues)

Swift 5

var dict = ["key1":"Value1", "key2":"Value2"]

let k = dict.keys

var a: [String]()
a.append(contentsOf: k)

This works for me.

This answer will be for swift dictionary w/ String keys. Like this one below.

let dict: [String: Int] = ["hey": 1, "yo": 2, "sup": 3, "hello": 4, "whassup": 5]

Here's the extension I'll use.

extension Dictionary {
  func allKeys() -> [String] {
    guard self.keys.first is String else {
      debugPrint("This function will not return other hashable types. (Only strings)")
      return []
    }
    return self.flatMap { (anEntry) -> String? in
                          guard let temp = anEntry.key as? String else { return nil }
                          return temp }
  }
}

And I'll get all the keys later using this.

let componentsArray = dict.allKeys()

// Old version (for history)
let keys = dictionary.keys.map { $0 }
let keys = dictionary?.keys.map { $0 } ?? [T]()

// New more explained version for our ducks
extension Dictionary {

    var allKeys: [Dictionary.Key] {
        return self.keys.map { $0 }
    }
}