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How to build a list of elements in C#?

Hello experts,

I am working with visual studio C# 2005 so I have access to the .NET framework.
I need a data structure (probably a List, but I am opened to any suggestions) in which there will be many elements (most of the time between 1 and 10). It is not necessarily ordered.

The elements have many fields. By instance it could be:

MyElementClass
{
int sequenceNb;
string toto = new string('firstElement');
}

I need to find an element in the List by using ONLY its sequenceNb NOT its string value.
I will need to remove an element no matter of its location in the List.

Which class so you suggest (List, Collection, ...)? Can you show me a code snippet?
It is not for an homework.

Regards,

Pascal

RubenvdLinden

A very simple example to store an element in an arraylist and retrieving it using the Find method:

public partial class Form1 : Form
{
System.Collections.ArrayList a = new System.Collections.ArrayList();

public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();

a.Add(new MyElementClass(1234, "Test"));

MyElementClass m = Find(1234);
MessageBox.Show(m.SequenceNumber.ToString());
}

public MyElementClass Find(int seqNumber)
{
foreach (MyElementClass m in a)
{
if (m.SequenceNumber == 1234)
{
return m;
}
}

return null;
}
}

public class MyElementClass
{
int sequenceNb;
string toto;

public MyElementClass(int sqNumber, string name)
{
sequenceNb = sqNumber;
toto = name;
}

public int SequenceNumber
{
get
{
return sequenceNb;
}
}
}

dkloeck

if you want only to insert MyElementClass type objects use
List<MyElementClass> myArray = new List<MyElementClass>();

it is slightly faster that ArrayList since there is no boxing-unboxing

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hdkelly

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pascal_lalonde

ASKER

Wow! I like when I don't have to reinvent the wheel. Thank you!