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# encodeConditionalObject(_:)

An encoding method for subclasses to override to conditionally encode an object, preserving common references to it.

```
func encodeConditionalObject(_ object: Any?)
```

## Discussion

In the overriding method, `object` should be encoded only if it’s unconditionally encoded elsewhere (with any other `encode...Object:` method).

This method must be matched by a subsequent [`decodeObject()`](/documentation/Foundation/NSCoder/decodeObject()) message. Upon decoding, if `object` was never encoded unconditionally, `decodeObject` returns `nil` in place of `object`. However, if `object` was encoded unconditionally, all references to `object` must be resolved.

`NSCoder`’s implementation simply invokes [`encode(_:)`](/documentation/Foundation/NSCoder/encode(_:)-9648d).

## See Also

[`encodeConditionalObject(_:)`](/documentation/Foundation/NSArchiver/encodeConditionalObject(_:))

Conditionally archives a given object.


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