Read and write a String from text file

Question

I need to read and write data to/from a text file, but I haven\'t been able to figure out how.

I found this sample code in the Swift\'s iBook, but I still don\'t kno

Answer 1

It is recommended to read and write files asynchronously! and it's so easy to do in pure Swift,
here is the protocol:

protocol FileRepository {
    func read(from path: String) throws -> String
    func readAsync(from path: String, completion: @escaping (Result) -> Void)
    func write(_ string: String, to path: String) throws
    func writeAsync(_ string: String, to path: String, completion: @escaping (Result) -> Void)
}

As you can see it allows you to read and write files synchronously or asynchronously.

Here is my implementation in Swift 5:

class DefaultFileRepository {
    
    // MARK: Properties
    
    let queue: DispatchQueue = .global()
    let fileManager: FileManager = .default
    lazy var baseURL: URL = {
        try! fileManager
            .url(for: .libraryDirectory, in: .userDomainMask, appropriateFor: nil, create: true)
            .appendingPathComponent("MyFiles")
    }()
    
    
    // MARK: Private functions
    
    private func doRead(from path: String) throws -> String {
        let url = baseURL.appendingPathComponent(path)
        
        var isDir: ObjCBool = false
        guard fileManager.fileExists(atPath: url.path, isDirectory: &isDir) && !isDir.boolValue else {
            throw ReadWriteError.doesNotExist
        }
        
        let string: String
        do {
            string = try String(contentsOf: url)
        } catch {
            throw ReadWriteError.readFailed(error)
        }
        
        return string
    }
    
    private func doWrite(_ string: String, to path: String) throws {
        let url = baseURL.appendingPathComponent(path)
        let folderURL = url.deletingLastPathComponent()
        
        var isFolderDir: ObjCBool = false
        if fileManager.fileExists(atPath: folderURL.path, isDirectory: &isFolderDir) {
            if !isFolderDir.boolValue {
                throw ReadWriteError.canNotCreateFolder
            }
        } else {
            do {
                try fileManager.createDirectory(at: folderURL, withIntermediateDirectories: true)
            } catch {
                throw ReadWriteError.canNotCreateFolder
            }
        }
        
        var isDir: ObjCBool = false
        guard !fileManager.fileExists(atPath: url.path, isDirectory: &isDir) || !isDir.boolValue else {
            throw ReadWriteError.canNotCreateFile
        }
        
        guard let data = string.data(using: .utf8) else {
            throw ReadWriteError.encodingFailed
        }
        
        do {
            try data.write(to: url)
        } catch {
            throw ReadWriteError.writeFailed(error)
        }
    }
    
}


extension DefaultFileRepository: FileRepository {
    func read(from path: String) throws -> String {
        try queue.sync { try self.doRead(from: path) }
    }
    
    func readAsync(from path: String, completion: @escaping (Result) -> Void) {
        queue.async {
            do {
                let result = try self.doRead(from: path)
                completion(.success(result))
            } catch {
                completion(.failure(error))
            }
        }
    }
    
    func write(_ string: String, to path: String) throws {
        try queue.sync { try self.doWrite(string, to: path) }
    }
    
    func writeAsync(_ string: String, to path: String, completion: @escaping (Result) -> Void) {
        queue.async {
            do {
                try self.doWrite(string, to: path)
                completion(.success(Void()))
            } catch {
                completion(.failure(error))
            }
        }
    }
    
}


enum ReadWriteError: LocalizedError {
    
    // MARK: Cases
    
    case doesNotExist
    case readFailed(Error)
    case canNotCreateFolder
    case canNotCreateFile
    case encodingFailed
    case writeFailed(Error)
}