range over interface{} which stores a slice

Given the scenario where you have a function which accepts t interface{}. If it is determined that the t is a slice, how do I range over that slice?

func main() {
    data := []string{"one","two","three"}
    test(data)
    moredata := []int{1,2,3}
    test(data)
}

func test(t interface{}) {
    switch reflect.TypeOf(t).Kind() {
    case reflect.Slice:
        // how do I iterate here?
        for _,value := range t {
            fmt.Println(value)
        }
    }
}

Go Playground Example: http://play.golang.org/p/DNldAlNShB

Solution 1:

Well I used reflect.ValueOf and then if it is a slice you can call Len() and Index() on the value to get the len of the slice and element at an index. I don't think you will be able to use the range operate to do this.

package main

import "fmt"
import "reflect"

func main() {
    data := []string{"one","two","three"}
    test(data)
    moredata := []int{1,2,3}
    test(moredata)
} 

func test(t interface{}) {
    switch reflect.TypeOf(t).Kind() {
    case reflect.Slice:
        s := reflect.ValueOf(t)

        for i := 0; i < s.Len(); i++ {
            fmt.Println(s.Index(i))
        }
    }
}

Go Playground Example: http://play.golang.org/p/gQhCTiwPAq

Solution 2:

You don't need to use reflection if you know which types to expect. You can use a type switch, like this:

package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    loop([]string{"one", "two", "three"})
    loop([]int{1, 2, 3})
}

func loop(t interface{}) {
    switch t := t.(type) {
    case []string:
        for _, value := range t {
            fmt.Println(value)
        }
    case []int:
        for _, value := range t {
            fmt.Println(value)
        }
    }
}

Check out the code on the playground.

Solution 3:

there is one exception from the way interface{} behaves, @Jeremy Wall gave already pointer. if the passed data is defined as []interface{} initially.

package main

import (
    "fmt"
)

type interfaceSliceType []interface{}

var interfaceAsSlice interfaceSliceType

func main() {
    loop(append(interfaceAsSlice, 1, 2, 3))
    loop(append(interfaceAsSlice, "1", "2", "3"))
    // or
    loop([]interface{}{[]string{"1"}, []string{"2"}, []string{"3"}})
    fmt.Println("------------------")


    // and of course one such slice can hold any type
    loop(interfaceSliceType{"string", 999, map[int]string{3: "three"}})
}

func loop(slice []interface{}) {
    for _, elem := range slice {
        switch elemTyped := elem.(type) {
        case int:
            fmt.Println("int:", elemTyped)
        case string:
            fmt.Println("string:", elemTyped)
        case []string:
            fmt.Println("[]string:", elemTyped)
        case interface{}:
            fmt.Println("map:", elemTyped)
        }
    }
}

output:

int: 1
int: 2
int: 3
string: 1
string: 2
string: 3
[]string: [1]
[]string: [2]
[]string: [3]
------------------
string: string
int: 999
map: map[3:three]

try it out

Solution 4:

Expanding on the answer provided by masebase, you could generalize the iteration on an interface{} slice with a function like this:

func forEachValue(ifaceSlice interface{}, f func(i int, val interface{})) {
    v := reflect.ValueOf(ifaceSlice)
    if v.Kind() == reflect.Ptr {
        v = v.Elem()
    }
    if v.Kind() != reflect.Slice {
        panic(fmt.Errorf("forEachValue: expected slice type, found %q", v.Kind().String()))
    }

    for i := 0; i < v.Len(); i++ {
        val := v.Index(i).Interface()
        f(i, val)
    }
}

Then, you use it like this:

func main() {
    data := []string{"one","two","three"}
    test(data)
    moredata := []int{1,2,3}
    test(data)
}

func test(sliceIface interface{}) {
    forEachValue(sliceIface, func(i int, value interface{}) {
      fmt.Println(value)
    }
}