Getting a value of "Optional()" even when unwrapping

Question

I'm trying to initialize parameters for an Alamofire request. For some reason, the value for one of the parameters always ends up with a value of "Optional()", even when I'm unwrapping it.

Here is what I've tried...

var params : [String : Any] = [:]
    
params["facility_id"] = facility.facilityId ?? 0
if facility.email != nil {
    params["email"] = facility.email!
}
if let url = facility.facebookUrl {
    params["facebook_url"] = url
}

The value for params["facebook_url"] ends up as "Optional(Facebook.com)"

I've tried (just for testing)

params["facebook_url"] = facility.facebookUrl!

and I still get the word "Optional(" in my value.

How do I get the "Optional()" to go away?

Any access to a dictionary will return an optional as there may not be a value for the key try `if let url = params["facebook_url"] { print(url) }` — Paulw11, Jun 27 '20 at 02:02
May be this is the case of double optional. checkout my solution. — Jarvis The Avenger, Jun 27 '20 at 02:08
What is the type of `facebook_url`? If it is a `String?` then you should look to where you are assigning this value; Most likely that property is literally the string "Optional(Facebook.com)" — Paulw11, Jun 27 '20 at 02:10

Jarvis The Avenger · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-27T02:20:21.807

1

When you access a dictionary it returns optional of it's value type because it doesn't know runtime whether certain key is available in the dictionary or not. If the key is present then it's value is returned but if it's not then we get nil value.

Use optional binding to access unwrapped value:

if let url = params["facebook_url"] {
    print(url) // facebook url
}

In case double optional unwrapping:

if let urlOptional = params["facebook_url"], let value = urlOptional {
    print(value) // facebook url
}

Note: Also check the source where you have set the value of 'facebook_url' key.

edited Jun 27 '20 at 02:20

answered Jun 27 '20 at 02:05

Jarvis The Avenger

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But I'm sending the parameters to a web service api, which has no ability to unwrap them, the "Optional" text ends up on the database. This only happens for that one parameter. All the others work fine. `Alamofire.request(url, method: .post, parameters: params, encoding: URLEncoding.default)` – Lastmboy Jun 27 '20 at 02:08
Checkout double optional unwrapping. – Jarvis The Avenger Jun 27 '20 at 02:09
Also debug and check if URL only don't contain Optional string – Jarvis The Avenger Jun 27 '20 at 02:11
`Initializer for conditional binding must have Optional type, not 'Any'` – Lastmboy Jun 27 '20 at 02:11
So it's not a case of double optional, check if your url is not actually 'Optional(Facebook.com)' – Jarvis The Avenger Jun 27 '20 at 02:13
You are correct. The source somehow got corrupted, so was coming in with the "OptionalIO" in it. I was trying to fix the wrong variable :) Thanks! – Lastmboy Jun 27 '20 at 02:15
@Lastmboy Where do you set the value of 'facebook_url' key? Can you please add that code in your question. – Jarvis The Avenger Jun 27 '20 at 02:15
`if let url = facility.facebookUrl { params["facebook_url"] = url }` facility.facebookUrl contains the offending text – Lastmboy Jun 27 '20 at 02:16
@Lastmboy Now I got the problem,your facility.facebookURL is double optional, try to unwrap it using above code. – Jarvis The Avenger Jun 27 '20 at 02:18
Yup. That fixed it. Thanks! – Lastmboy Jun 27 '20 at 02:23

Getting a value of "Optional()" even when unwrapping

1 Answers1