Скачать или смотреть Modern Ways to Store CMTime and CMTimeRange in Plist Using Swift

Explore how to effectively serialize `CMTime` and `CMTimeRange` in plist format using modern Swift techniques, enhancing code efficiency and readability.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/64098844/ asked by the user 'Deepak Sharma' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/917521/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/64099386/ provided by the user 'Dávid Pásztor' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/4667835/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Storing CMTime and CMTimeRange in Plists: A Modern Approach

In the world of iOS development, one common task developers encounter is storing data in property list (plist) format. This is particularly true for complex types like CMTime and CMTimeRange, which are integral to media handling in Swift. However, many developers find themselves asking: What is the most modern way to serialize these types into plist format?

The Challenge

Traditionally, developers have attempted various methods to handle the serialization of CMTime and CMTimeRange. Two common approaches include:

Using NSValue to encapsulate CMTimeRange.

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Limitation: This is not the most modern Swift approach, and it requires archiving before storage in a plist.

Storing as a dictionary using Core Foundation's capabilities.

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Limitation: While compatible with plist, this approach is more aligned with Objective-C and lacks the clarity expected in Swift.

Thus, developers are on the lookout for a better, more "Swift-like" solution that embraces modern programming paradigms.

The Modern Solution: Codable

The recommended approach to make CMTime and CMTimeRange property list serializable involves using the Codable protocol combined with PropertyListEncoder and PropertyListDecoder. While CMTime and CMTimeRange do not conform to Codable by default, adding this functionality is straightforward.

Step 1: Extend CMTime

To start, you need to create an extension for CMTime to make it Codable. Here’s how you can achieve that:

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Step 2: Extend CMTimeRange

Next, extend CMTimeRange in a similar manner:

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Step 3: Create a Model for Encoding/Decoding

To utilize the Codable extensions, define a model that incorporates both CMTime and CMTimeRange:

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Step 4: Encoding and Decoding

You can now encode and decode your data with ease:

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Conclusion

Incorporating the Codable protocol into your CMTime and CMTimeRange models is the most "modern" way to handle plist serialization in Swift. This approach not only enhances readability but also aligns with Swift’s design philosophy, making your code more maintainable and efficient. If you're storing CMTime and CMTimeRange in plists, adopting this method will streamline your processes immensely.