SKAction on SKLabel with array of Strings

Question

I have an SKLabel attached to a parent SKNode and an array of strings:

let configText:[String] = [
 "Configuration",
 "Do stuff",
 "Do more stuff",
 "Nil",
 "It is the void"]

The array is looped through with the following:

parentNode_Label.run(
 SKAction.sequence([
 SKAction.run{
 if self.counter == self.configText.count - 1
 { self.counter = 0 } },
 SKAction.wait(forDuration: 3.0),
 SKAction.run { self.sprite_Label.text = self.configText[self.counter + 1] },
 SKAction.fadeIn(withDuration: 0.5),
 SKAction.wait(forDuration: 3.0),
 SKAction.fadeOut(withDuration: 0.5),
 SKAction.run{ self.counter += 1 }
 ]).forever()
)
extension SKAction
public func forever() -> SKAction { return SKAction.repeatForever( self ) }
}

It works but seems kind of clunky/hacky. Is there a simpler, more efficient yet readable way to do this?

Answer 1

• The first array element configText[0] is never used, so you can remove it from the array (and modify the index calculations accordingly).

• Incrementing the counter with wrap-around can be simplified using the remainder operator:

  self.counter = (self.counter + 1) % self.configText.count
  

• The three "run" actions can be combined into one.

• Inside the actions array you can refer to the SKAction members without specifying the type explicitly, e.g. .wait instead of SKAction.wait.

Putting it all together:

parentNode_Label.run(
 SKAction.sequence([
 .wait(forDuration: 3.0),
 .run {
 self.sprite_Label.text = self.configText[self.counter]
 self.counter = (self.counter + 1) % self.configText.count
 },
 .fadeIn(withDuration: 0.5),
 .wait(forDuration: 3.0),
 .fadeOut(withDuration: 0.5),
 ]).forever()
)

Also have a look at the Swift naming conventions:

Names of types and protocols are UpperCamelCase. Everything else is lowerCamelCase.

For example: parentNode, textLabel, without underscores.