About Return Types of `method_copyReturnType()` of the Objective-C Runtime API

method_copyReturnType.md

I found some documentation of the types returned by method_copyReturnType() in the Objective-C runtime API. These mysterious characters are called Type Encodings in Objective-C and are unique codes represented by one or fewer characters.

I note it here for my own benefit.

• c = char
• B = BOOL / bool / _bool
• s = short
• i = int
• I = unsigned int?
• l = long
• q = long long
• L = unsigned long
• C = unsigned char
• S = unsigned short
• Q = unsigned long long (bitmask?)
• f = float
• d = double
• v = void
• Vv = void
• * = char*
• @ = id object
• : = SEL
• # = Class
• ^TYPE = pointer
• rTYPE = const
• N = inout
• bNUMBER = NUMBER bits
• ? = unknown type
• [TYPE] = array
• {NAME=type...} = structure
• (NAME=type...) = union
• {CGRect={CGPoint=dd}{CGSize=dd}} = CGRect
• {CGPoint=dd} = CGPoint
• {CGSize=dd} = CGSize

https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/ObjCRuntimeGuide/Articles/ocrtTypeEncodings.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40008048-CH100

To dynamically retrieve information from a method name using the Objective-C Runtime API in Swift

let targetClass = NSClassFromString("CLASS_NAME")
let targetSelector = NSSelectorFromString("SELECTOR_NAME")
let method = class_getInstanceMethod(targetClass, targetSelector)

let returnType = method_copyReturnType(method)
let returnTypeName = String(cString: returnType)

let methodName = methodName(method: method)

// Needs some unwrapping

print("\(returnTypeName) \(methodName)")