ios - UITableView sectioning -

i quite new creating apps, , starting ios development swift. hope take bit of time me out, because rather stuck now. creating app master-detail tableview. fetch data externally using alamofire, , returned data json, can parse swiftyjson.

i able display data fine, working fine me. want achieve, , seem can't head around, how divide items in alphabetical sections titleforheaderinsection, , able navigate around sectionindextitlesfortableview.

the data received api looks (the format can changed, since control api):

{     "a": [         {             "id": "1",             "char": "a",             "title": "abc",             "body": "denne sang hedder abc"         },         {             "id": "2",             "char": "a",             "title": "abel spandabel",             "body": "denne sang hedder abel spandabel"         },         {             "id": "3",             "char": "a",             "title": "aha aha aha",             "body": "denne sang hedder aha aha aha"         }     ],     "b": [         {             "id": "4",             "char": "b",             "title": "bussemand",             "body": "denne sang hedder bussemand"         },         {             "id": "5",             "char": "b",             "title": "balademager",             "body": "denne sang hedder balademager"         }     ],     "d": [         {             "id": "6",             "char": "d",             "title": "dukke mand",             "body": "denne sang hedder dukke mand"         },         {             "id": "7",             "char": "d",             "title": "dansevisen",             "body": "denne sang hedder dansevisen"         }     ] } 

then have song.swift file defines struct properties individual items. looks this:

struct song {     var title : string     var body : string     var char : string } 

finally, have viewcontroller implements necessary logic in order draw tableview data returned

class viewcontroller: uiviewcontroller, uitableviewdatasource, uitableviewdelegate {      @iboutlet weak var songstableview: uitableview!      var songs = [song]()      func addsong(song: song) {         self.songs.append(song)     }      func numberofsectionsintableview(tableview: uitableview) -> int {         return 1     }      func tableview(tableview: uitableview, numberofrowsinsection section: int) -> int {         return songs.count     }      func tableview(tableview: uitableview, cellforrowatindexpath indexpath: nsindexpath) -> uitableviewcell {          let cell = tableview.dequeuereusablecellwithidentifier("cell", forindexpath: indexpath) as! uitableviewcell          var currentsong = songs[indexpath.row]          cell.textlabel?.text = currentsong.title          return cell     }      override func prepareforsegue(segue: uistoryboardsegue, sender: anyobject?) {         var nextscreen = segue.destinationviewcontroller as! singleviewcontroller          if let indexpath = self.songstableview.indexpathforselectedrow() {             let selectedsong = songs[indexpath.row]             nextscreen.currentsong = selectedsong         }     }      func getsongs() {         alamofire.request(.get, "http://myapi.com")             .responsejson { (_, _, data, _) in                 let json = json(data!)                 // todo: come better names "subjson"                 (key: string, subjson: json) in json {                     // todo: come better names "subsubjson"                     (key: string, subsubjson: json) in subjson {                         var title: string = subsubjson["title"].string!                         var body: string = subsubjson["body"].string!                         var char: string = subsubjson["char"].string!                          var song = song(title: title, body: body, char: char)                          self.addsong(song)                     }                 }             self.songs.sort({$0.title < $1.title})              self.songstableview!.reloaddata()         }     }      override func viewdidload() {         super.viewdidload()         // additional setup after loading view, typically nib.         self.getsongs()     }      override func didreceivememorywarning() {         super.didreceivememorywarning()         // dispose of resources can recreated.     }   } 

i know should text book stuff, i've been @ 3 days now, , starting lose mind bit. hope take time me out here, , address of things might wrong

thanks in advance!

for want need implement 2 delegate methods of tableview:

func tableview(tableview: uitableview, sectionforsectionindextitle title: string, atindex index: int) -> int func sectionindextitlesfortableview(tableview: uitableview) -> [anyobject]! 

but you'd need modify model bit make more suitable kind of sectioning.

if api returns data splitted sections i'd keep songs grouped in dictionary so: var songs:[string:[song]?] = [:]

then in api handler i'd like:

for (letter, songsjsonforletter) in json.dictionaryvalue {   songjson in songsjsonforletter.arrayvalue {     var newsong = song(title:songjson["title"].string!, body: songjson["bopy"].string!, char: letter)     if nil != self.songs[letter] {       self.songs[letter]!.append(newsong)     }else{       self.songs[letter] = [newsong]     }   } } 

this way you'll have songs parsed directly dictionary key letter ["a",[song1, song2, song3], "d":[song4, song5]]...

now need implement 2 delegates table view needed section indexing, like:

  func tableview(tableview: uitableview, sectionforsectionindextitle title: string, atindex index: int) -> int {     return index   }     func sectionindextitlesfortableview(tableview: uitableview) -> [anyobject]! {     return self.songs.keys.array.sorted{$0 < $1}   } 

and of course modify code gets song index path in cellforrowatindepath like:

    ... let sectionletter = sectionindextitlesfortableview(tableview)[indexpath.section] as! string         var currentsong = songs[sectionletter]!.sorted{$0.title<$1.title}[indexpath.row]     ... 

ps. don't forget chage numberofsections , rowsforsection like:

  func numberofsectionsintableview(tableview: uitableview) -> int {     return songs.count   }    func tableview(tableview: uitableview, numberofrowsinsection section: int) -> int { let sectionletter = sectionindextitlesfortableview(tableview)[section] as! string     return songs[sectionletter].count   } 

hope helps, gl