scala better syntax for map getOrElse

Question

is there a better way to write the code below?

val t = map.get(\'type).getOrElse(\"\"); 
if (t != \"\") \"prefix\" + t;

be interested in inline

Answer 1

Map has its own getOrElse method, so you can just write the following:

val t = map.getOrElse('type, "")

Which accomplishes the same thing as the definition of t in your first example.

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To address your comment: If you know your map will never contain the empty string as a value, you can use the following to add the "prefix":

map.get('type).map("prefix" + _).getOrElse("")

Or, if you're using Scala 2.10:

map.get('type).fold("")("prefix" + _)

If your map can have "" values, this version will behave a little differently than yours, since it will add the prefix to those values. If you want exactly the same behavior as your version in a one-liner, you can write the following:

map.get('type).filter(_.nonEmpty).map("prefix" + _).getOrElse("")

This probably isn't necessary, though—it sounds like you don't expect to have empty strings in your map.