Get the UIAlertController from UIAlertAction?

Question

I want to call a function rather than use a closure with a UIAlertAction. Is it possible to get a reference to the UIAlertController that owns the UIAlertAction?

alert = UIAlertController(title: "City", message: "Enter a city name", preferredStyle: UIAlertControllerStyle.Alert)
UIAlertActionStyle.Default, handler: okAlert)

//...

func okAlert(action: UIAlertAction) {
    // Get to alert here from action?
}

Answer 1

An action has no reference to its containing alert. Still, it's just a matter of planning ahead. If you need okAlert to have a reference to the alert controller, then give it that reference:

func okAlert(_ action: UIAlertAction, _ alert:UIAlertController) {
    // Get to alert here?
    // yes! it is `alert`!
}

You will still need a closure to capture alert and pass it:

let alert = UIAlertController(
    title: "City", message: "Enter a city name", preferredStyle: .Alert)
alert.addAction(UIAlertAction(title:"OK", style:.Default, handler: {
    action in self.okAlert(action, alert)
}))

There may be details to work out. But the point is, if you want okAlert to live somewhere else, you can do it.