The exact meaning of “subscript” depends on the context in which it’s used. Subscripts are typically used as a shortcut for accessing the member elements in a collection, list, or sequence. You are free to implement subscripts in the most appropriate way for your particular class or structure’s functionality.
Subscripts can take any number of input parameters, and these input parameters can be of any type. Subscripts can also return a value of any type.
struct Matrix {
let rows: Int, columns: Int
var grid: [Double]
init(rows: Int, columns: Int) {
self.rows = rows
self.columns = columns
grid = Array(repeating: 0.0, count: rows * columns)
}
func indexIsValid(row: Int, column: Int) -> Bool {
return row >= 0 && row < rows && column >= 0 && column < columns
}
subscript(row: Int, column: Int) -> Double {
get {
assert(indexIsValid(row: row, column: column), "Index out of range")
return grid[(row * columns) + column]
}
set {
assert(indexIsValid(row: row, column: column), "Index out of range")
grid[(row * columns) + column] = newValue
}
}
}
var matrix = Matrix(rows: 2, columns: 2)
matrix[0, 1] = 1.5
matrix[1, 0] = 3.2You can also define subscripts that are called on the type itself. This kind of subscript is called a type subscript.
enum Planet: Int {
case mercury = 1
case venus, earth, mars, jupiter, saturn, uranus, neptune
static subscript(n: Int) -> Planet {
return Planet(rawValue: n)!
}
}
let mars = Planet[4]
print(mars)