IUAATech
asked on
help displaying stringdictionary contents
I am trying to display the contents of a stringdictionary.
The problem is that the order in which the the contents are being displayed is not the same as the order in which they are being inserted into the dictionary.
For example, if I do the following:
StringDictionary data = new StringDictionary();
data.Add("Submitted On:", Convert.ToString(DateTime.
data.Add("Request completion date:", Convert.ToString(calUserCo
data.Add("Job title:", txtJobTitle.Text);
data.Add("Platform:", ddlPlatform.SelectedItem.T
data.Add("Software:", ddlSoftware.SelectedItem.T
data.Add("Hardware:", ddlHardware.SelectedItem.T
data.Add("Notes:", txtNotes.Text);
the order of the items that are displayed when I do the following
foreach (DictionaryEntry de in Data)
{
body += string.Format("{0}, {1}", de.Key, de.Value);
}
is as follows:
software
platform
completion date
submitted on
job title
notes
hardware
so stringdictionary doesn't follow the FIFO rule? If not, how do I make this work? use some other data structure?
The problem is that the order in which the the contents are being displayed is not the same as the order in which they are being inserted into the dictionary.
For example, if I do the following:
StringDictionary data = new StringDictionary();
data.Add("Submitted On:", Convert.ToString(DateTime.
data.Add("Request completion date:", Convert.ToString(calUserCo
data.Add("Job title:", txtJobTitle.Text);
data.Add("Platform:", ddlPlatform.SelectedItem.T
data.Add("Software:", ddlSoftware.SelectedItem.T
data.Add("Hardware:", ddlHardware.SelectedItem.T
data.Add("Notes:", txtNotes.Text);
the order of the items that are displayed when I do the following
foreach (DictionaryEntry de in Data)
{
body += string.Format("{0}, {1}", de.Key, de.Value);
}
is as follows:
software
platform
completion date
submitted on
job title
notes
hardware
so stringdictionary doesn't follow the FIFO rule? If not, how do I make this work? use some other data structure?
ASKER
can you have a 2D arraylist?
Not in the strict sense like you can have a 2D Array.
But you can put ANYTHING (instances of custom classes might be useful) into an ArrayList so I suppose technically you can have a "2D arraylist".
But you can put ANYTHING (instances of custom classes might be useful) into an ArrayList so I suppose technically you can have a "2D arraylist".
ASKER
Here is what I want to accomplish:
I want something that supports "value1, value2" entry (LIFO) so that I can iterate over it and print out value1 and value2 next to value1.
What do you suggest I use?
I want something that supports "value1, value2" entry (LIFO) so that I can iterate over it and print out value1 and value2 next to value1.
What do you suggest I use?
If you want the best of both worlds then you need to use two structures.
Use a StringDictionary as you already are to store the key/value pair relationship.
Then use the Stack class to hold just the Keys:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.collections.stack.aspx
Iterate over the Stack to get each key in LIFO order and then look up the corresponding value in your StringDictionary.
Use a StringDictionary as you already are to store the key/value pair relationship.
Then use the Stack class to hold just the Keys:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.collections.stack.aspx
Iterate over the Stack to get each key in LIFO order and then look up the corresponding value in your StringDictionary.
Why cant you use a stack or queue for this
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa289149(VS.71).aspx
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa289149(VS.71).aspx
ASKER
this is getting to be complicated. How about if I don't need to do a lookup using keys?
So, all I want is to store <value1, value2> pair in a datastructure. Then I just iterate over this structure and print the values next to each other.
So, all I want is to store <value1, value2> pair in a datastructure. Then I just iterate over this structure and print the values next to each other.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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For LIFO, use a Stack.
For FIFO, use a Queue or ArrayList. (or a List in C# 2005)
For FIFO, use a Queue or ArrayList. (or a List in C# 2005)
ASKER
Now that I think about it, the values don't have to distinct. And I can't use the second approach since some of the inputs will be coming from a textbox control and might already contains a comma.
ASKER
maybe I will just create a custom class then...
SOLUTION
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ASKER
just what the doctor ordered. Thanks JimBrandley.
My pleasure.
ASKER
one more question: what kind of performance issue am I looking at if I don't set the size of the list? Say I do something like: List<string[]> pairs = new List<string[]>();
That really depends on how many items you add to the List...
If you know beforehand the approximate size of the List, then pass that to the Constructor:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dw8e0z9z.aspx
"If the size of the collection can be estimated, specifying the initial capacity eliminates the need to perform a number of resizing operations while adding elements to the List."
If you know beforehand the approximate size of the List, then pass that to the Constructor:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dw8e0z9z.aspx
"If the size of the collection can be estimated, specifying the initial capacity eliminates the need to perform a number of resizing operations while adding elements to the List."
ASKER
thanks.
No it does not. A StringDictionary is just a HashTable that only works with Strings.
See HashTable:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.collections.hashtable.aspx
"Represents a collection of key/value pairs that are organized based on the hash code of the key."
So the order of the items in the StringDictionary is based upon the the hash codes of the keys.
A HashTable is designed to allow you to quickly retrieve related items based on a KEY. If you need FIFO capabilities then you want something like an ArrayList. But then you don't get the quick "retrieval by key" ability.
You can't have it both ways...