genericsswift3explicit-specialization

swift: How to write generic function that calls specialized ones


The best way to describe what I want is by this example:

protocol Lerpable {
    // here should be 'lerp<T: Lerpable>(_ x: CGFloat, _ a: T, _ b: T) -> T' function
}
extension CGFloat: Lerpable {}
extension CGPoint: Lerpable {}
extension CGRect: Lerpable {}

func lerp(_ x: CGFloat, _ a: CGFloat, _ b: CGFloat) -> CGFloat {
    return a * (1.0 - x) + b * x
}

func lerp(_ x: CGFloat, _ a: CGPoint, _ b: CGPoint) -> CGPoint {
    return CGPoint(x: lerp(x, a.x, b.x), y: lerp(x, a.y, b.y))
}

func lerp(_ x: CGFloat, _ a: CGRect, _ b: CGRect) -> CGRect {
    return CGRect(x: lerp(x, a.x, b.x), y: lerp(x, a.y, b.y), width: lerp(x, a.width, b.width), height: lerp(x, a.height, b.height))
}

func lerpKeyframes<T: Lerpable>(_ x: CGFloat, array: [T]) -> T? {
    if x <= 0 {
        return array.first
    }
    else if x >= (array.count - 1) {
        return array.last
    }
    else {
        let leftBound = Int(x)
        let fraction = fmod(x, 1.0)
        return lerp(fraction, array[leftBound], array[leftBound + 1]) // ERROR here, can't recognize implemented 'lerp' method
    }
}

How to write this code, so I could use lerpKeyframes(...) for CGFloat, CGPoint and CGRect?


Solution

  • This is where protocols with associated Self requirements come in. Here's a rough example:

    import Foundation
    
    protocol LinearlyInterpolatable {
        func interpolate(with: Self, by: CGFloat) -> Self;
    }
    
    extension CGFloat: LinearlyInterpolatable {
        func interpolate(with other: CGFloat, by k: CGFloat) -> CGFloat {
            return self * (1.0 - k) + other * k
        }
    }
    
    extension CGPoint: LinearlyInterpolatable {
        func interpolate(with other: CGPoint, by k: CGFloat) -> CGPoint {
            return CGPoint(
                x: self.x.interpolate(with: other.x, by: k),
                y: self.y.interpolate(with: other.y, by: k)
            )
        }
    }
    
    extension CGRect: LinearlyInterpolatable {
        internal func interpolate(with other: CGRect, by k: CGFloat) -> CGRect {
            return CGRect(
                x: self.x.interpolate(with: other.x, by: k),
                y: self.y.interpolate(with: other.y, by: k),
                width: self.width.interpolate(with: other.width, by: k),
                height: self.height.interpolate(with: other.height, by: k)
            )
        }
    }
    
    func lerpKeyframes<T: LinearlyInterpolatable>(_ k: CGFloat, array: [T]) -> T? {
        let leftBound = Int(k)
        guard 0 <= leftBound else { return array.first }
        guard leftBound < array.count else { return array.last }
    
        let fraction = fmod(k, 1.0)
    
        return array[leftBound].interpolate(with: array[leftBound + 1], by: fraction)
    }