best deal with value pairs that contain duplicates

  • Thread starter Thread starter rno
  • Start date Start date
R

rno

Hi,

I'm sorry if I'm asking for the obvious - my head is spinning a bit
trying to learn this c# stuff.

I have a list of paired values in the form of:

stringA, string1
stringB, string2
stringC, string1
stringC, string3
stringD, string2
etc..

I need to store these value pairs into some kind of collection. Since
I do not have unique 'keys', I cannot use a Dictionary or SortedList.
The combination of -say- stringA+string1 *will* be unique. (if
case-sensitive). That could serve as a key, but then I need to store 2
values.

My goal is to query the collection for stringA, and find all
associated strings 1, 2, etc.

My current idea is to create a simple 3-field table in a dataset.
Another way -since this is for a Form app- could be to use an
invisible ListView (not too keen on that). Either way, I have a
feeling I might be overly complicating things.

I'd appreciate some general advice on how to best deal with this.

tia
arno
 
Hi,

I'm sorry if I'm asking for the obvious - my head is spinning a bit
trying to learn this c# stuff.

I have a list of paired values in the form of:

stringA, string1
stringB, string2
stringC, string1
stringC, string3
stringD, string2
etc..

I need to store these value pairs into some kind of collection. Since
I do not have unique 'keys', I cannot use a Dictionary or SortedList.
The combination of -say- stringA+string1 *will* be unique. (if
case-sensitive). That could serve as a key, but then I need to store 2
values.

My goal is to query the collection for stringA, and find all
associated strings 1, 2, etc.

My current idea is to create a simple 3-field table in a dataset.
Another way -since this is for a Form app- could be to use an
invisible ListView (not too keen on that). Either way, I have a
feeling I might be overly complicating things.

I'd appreciate some general advice on how to best deal with this.
Click to expand...

Based on how you intend to use it then a:

Dictionary<string,List<string>>

looks obvious to me.

Arne
 
(e-mail address removed)>, (e-mail address removed)
says...>
Or hash table, which allows for collisions.
Click to expand...

Tx guys. I also found the KeyValuePair struct, which might come in
handy.

arno
 
RayLopez99 said:
Or hash table, which allows for collisions.
Click to expand...

A HashTable doesn't allow for collisions. The key has to be unique, the
hash code of the key is only used for performance, not instead of the key.
 
Or hash table, which allows for collisions.
Click to expand...

Hashtable (or if .NET version >= 2.0 Dictionary<string,String>)
can not have multiple values for the same key.

Arne
 
Tx guys. I also found the KeyValuePair struct, which might come in
handy.
Click to expand...

You are welcome. I think KeyValuePair is simply a fancy name for
Dictionary, at least that's how I interpret it.

RL
 
You are welcome. I think KeyValuePair is simply a fancy name for
Dictionary, at least that's how I interpret it.
Click to expand...

Close. A KeyValuePair<K, V> is the generic version of what in pre-generic
..NET was called a DictionaryEntry. They aren't dictionaries themselves,
rather they're what dictionaries contain.
 
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