Upgrade your Internet Experience
Microsoft.com
Welcome Sign in
.NET Framework Developer Center
Click to Rate and Give Feedback
MSDN
MSDN Library
.NET Development
.NET Framework 3.5
 Item Property

  Switch on low bandwidth view
This page is specific to
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008/.NET Framework 3.5

Other versions are also available for the following:
.NET Framework Class Library
HybridDictionary..::.Item Property

Gets or sets the value associated with the specified key.

Namespace:  System.Collections.Specialized
Assembly:  System (in System.dll)
Visual Basic (Declaration)
Public Property Item ( _
    key As Object _
) As Object
Visual Basic (Usage)
Dim instance As HybridDictionary
Dim key As Object
Dim value As Object

value = instance.Item(key)

instance.Item(key) = value
C#
public Object this[
    Object key
] { get; set; }
Visual C++
public:
virtual property Object^ Item[Object^ key] {
    Object^ get (Object^ key) sealed;
    void set (Object^ key, Object^ value) sealed;
}
JScript
JScript does not support indexed properties.

Parameters

key
Type: System..::.Object
The key whose value to get or set.

Property Value

Type: System..::.Object
The value associated with the specified key. If the specified key is not found, attempting to get it returns nullNothingnullptra null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic), and attempting to set it creates a new entry using the specified key.

Implements

IDictionary..::.Item[([(Object])])
ExceptionCondition
ArgumentNullException

key is nullNothingnullptra null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic).

This property provides the ability to access a specific element in the collection by using the following syntax: myCollection[key].

You can also use the Item property to add new elements by setting the value of a key that does not exist in the HybridDictionary; for example, myCollection["myNonexistentKey"] = myValue. However, if the specified key already exists in the HybridDictionary, setting the Item property overwrites the old value. In contrast, the Add method does not modify existing elements.

A key cannot be nullNothingnullptra null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic), but a value can. To distinguish between nullNothingnullptra null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic) that is returned because the specified key is not found and nullNothingnullptra null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic) that is returned because the value of the specified key is nullNothingnullptra null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic), use the Contains method to determine if the key exists in the list.

The C# language uses the this keyword to define the indexers instead of implementing the Item property. Visual Basic implements Item as a default property, which provides the same indexing functionality.

Retrieving the value of this property is an O(1) operation; setting the property is also an O(1) operation.

The following code example enumerates the elements of a HybridDictionary.

Visual Basic
Imports System
Imports System.Collections
Imports System.Collections.Specialized

Public Class SamplesHybridDictionary   

   Public Shared Sub Main()

      ' Creates and initializes a new HybridDictionary.
      Dim myCol As New HybridDictionary()
      myCol.Add("Braeburn Apples", "1.49")
      myCol.Add("Fuji Apples", "1.29")
      myCol.Add("Gala Apples", "1.49")
      myCol.Add("Golden Delicious Apples", "1.29")
      myCol.Add("Granny Smith Apples", "0.89")
      myCol.Add("Red Delicious Apples", "0.99")
      myCol.Add("Plantain Bananas", "1.49")
      myCol.Add("Yellow Bananas", "0.79")
      myCol.Add("Strawberries", "3.33")
      myCol.Add("Cranberries", "5.98")
      myCol.Add("Navel Oranges", "1.29")
      myCol.Add("Grapes", "1.99")
      myCol.Add("Honeydew Melon", "0.59")
      myCol.Add("Seedless Watermelon", "0.49")
      myCol.Add("Pineapple", "1.49")
      myCol.Add("Nectarine", "1.99")
      myCol.Add("Plums", "1.69")
      myCol.Add("Peaches", "1.99")

      ' Display the contents of the collection using For Each. This is the preferred method.
      Console.WriteLine("Displays the elements using For Each:")
      PrintKeysAndValues1(myCol)

      ' Display the contents of the collection using the enumerator.
      Console.WriteLine("Displays the elements using the IDictionaryEnumerator:")
      PrintKeysAndValues2(myCol)

      ' Display the contents of the collection using the Keys, Values, Count, and Item properties.
      Console.WriteLine("Displays the elements using the Keys, Values, Count, and Item properties:")
      PrintKeysAndValues3(myCol)

   End Sub 'Main


   ' Uses the For Each statement which hides the complexity of the enumerator.
   ' NOTE: The For Each statement is the preferred way of enumerating the contents of a collection.
   Public Shared Sub PrintKeysAndValues1(myCol As IDictionary)

      Console.WriteLine("   KEY                       VALUE")
      Dim de As DictionaryEntry
      For Each de In  myCol
         Console.WriteLine("   {0,-25} {1}", de.Key, de.Value)
      Next de
      Console.WriteLine()

   End Sub 'PrintKeysAndValues


   ' Uses the enumerator. 
   ' NOTE: The For Each statement is the preferred way of enumerating the contents of a collection.
   Public Shared Sub PrintKeysAndValues2(myCol As IDictionary)
      Dim myEnumerator As IDictionaryEnumerator = myCol.GetEnumerator()

      Console.WriteLine("   KEY                       VALUE")
      While myEnumerator.MoveNext()
         Console.WriteLine("   {0,-25} {1}", myEnumerator.Key, myEnumerator.Value)
      End While
      Console.WriteLine()

   End Sub 'PrintKeysAndValues2


   ' Uses the Keys, Values, Count, and Item properties.
   Public Shared Sub PrintKeysAndValues3(myCol As HybridDictionary)
      Dim myKeys(myCol.Count) As [String]
      myCol.Keys.CopyTo(myKeys, 0)

      Console.WriteLine("   INDEX KEY                       VALUE")
      Dim i As Integer
      For i = 0 To myCol.Count - 1
         Console.WriteLine("   {0,-5} {1,-25} {2}", i, myKeys(i), myCol(myKeys(i)))
      Next i
      Console.WriteLine()

   End Sub 'PrintKeysAndValues3

End Class 'SamplesHybridDictionary 


'This code produces the following output.
'
'Displays the elements using For Each:
'   KEY                       VALUE
'   Seedless Watermelon       0.49
'   Nectarine                 1.99
'   Cranberries               5.98
'   Plantain Bananas          1.49
'   Honeydew Melon            0.59
'   Pineapple                 1.49
'   Strawberries              3.33
'   Grapes                    1.99
'   Braeburn Apples           1.49
'   Peaches                   1.99
'   Red Delicious Apples      0.99
'   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
'   Yellow Bananas            0.79
'   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
'   Gala Apples               1.49
'   Plums                     1.69
'   Navel Oranges             1.29
'   Fuji Apples               1.29
'
'Displays the elements using the IDictionaryEnumerator:
'   KEY                       VALUE
'   Seedless Watermelon       0.49
'   Nectarine                 1.99
'   Cranberries               5.98
'   Plantain Bananas          1.49
'   Honeydew Melon            0.59
'   Pineapple                 1.49
'   Strawberries              3.33
'   Grapes                    1.99
'   Braeburn Apples           1.49
'   Peaches                   1.99
'   Red Delicious Apples      0.99
'   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
'   Yellow Bananas            0.79
'   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
'   Gala Apples               1.49
'   Plums                     1.69
'   Navel Oranges             1.29
'   Fuji Apples               1.29
'
'Displays the elements using the Keys, Values, Count, and Item properties:
'   INDEX KEY                       VALUE
'   0     Seedless Watermelon       0.49
'   1     Nectarine                 1.99
'   2     Cranberries               5.98
'   3     Plantain Bananas          1.49
'   4     Honeydew Melon            0.59
'   5     Pineapple                 1.49
'   6     Strawberries              3.33
'   7     Grapes                    1.99
'   8     Braeburn Apples           1.49
'   9     Peaches                   1.99
'   10    Red Delicious Apples      0.99
'   11    Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
'   12    Yellow Bananas            0.79
'   13    Granny Smith Apples       0.89
'   14    Gala Apples               1.49
'   15    Plums                     1.69
'   16    Navel Oranges             1.29
'   17    Fuji Apples               1.29
C#
using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Specialized;

public class SamplesHybridDictionary  {

   public static void Main()  {

      // Creates and initializes a new HybridDictionary.
      HybridDictionary myCol = new HybridDictionary();
      myCol.Add( "Braeburn Apples", "1.49" );
      myCol.Add( "Fuji Apples", "1.29" );
      myCol.Add( "Gala Apples", "1.49" );
      myCol.Add( "Golden Delicious Apples", "1.29" );
      myCol.Add( "Granny Smith Apples", "0.89" );
      myCol.Add( "Red Delicious Apples", "0.99" );
      myCol.Add( "Plantain Bananas", "1.49" );
      myCol.Add( "Yellow Bananas", "0.79" );
      myCol.Add( "Strawberries", "3.33" );
      myCol.Add( "Cranberries", "5.98" );
      myCol.Add( "Navel Oranges", "1.29" );
      myCol.Add( "Grapes", "1.99" );
      myCol.Add( "Honeydew Melon", "0.59" );
      myCol.Add( "Seedless Watermelon", "0.49" );
      myCol.Add( "Pineapple", "1.49" );
      myCol.Add( "Nectarine", "1.99" );
      myCol.Add( "Plums", "1.69" );
      myCol.Add( "Peaches", "1.99" );

      // Display the contents of the collection using foreach. This is the preferred method.
      Console.WriteLine( "Displays the elements using foreach:" );
      PrintKeysAndValues1( myCol );

      // Display the contents of the collection using the enumerator.
      Console.WriteLine( "Displays the elements using the IDictionaryEnumerator:" );
      PrintKeysAndValues2( myCol );

      // Display the contents of the collection using the Keys, Values, Count, and Item properties.
      Console.WriteLine( "Displays the elements using the Keys, Values, Count, and Item properties:" );
      PrintKeysAndValues3( myCol );

   }

   // Uses the foreach statement which hides the complexity of the enumerator.
   // NOTE: The foreach statement is the preferred way of enumerating the contents of a collection.
   public static void PrintKeysAndValues1( IDictionary myCol )  {
      Console.WriteLine( "   KEY                       VALUE" );
      foreach ( DictionaryEntry de in myCol )
         Console.WriteLine( "   {0,-25} {1}", de.Key, de.Value );
      Console.WriteLine();
   }

   // Uses the enumerator. 
   // NOTE: The foreach statement is the preferred way of enumerating the contents of a collection.
   public static void PrintKeysAndValues2( IDictionary myCol )  {
      IDictionaryEnumerator myEnumerator = myCol.GetEnumerator();
      Console.WriteLine( "   KEY                       VALUE" );
      while ( myEnumerator.MoveNext() )
         Console.WriteLine( "   {0,-25} {1}", myEnumerator.Key, myEnumerator.Value );
      Console.WriteLine();
   }

   // Uses the Keys, Values, Count, and Item properties.
   public static void PrintKeysAndValues3( HybridDictionary myCol )  {
      String[] myKeys = new String[myCol.Count];
      myCol.Keys.CopyTo( myKeys, 0 );

      Console.WriteLine( "   INDEX KEY                       VALUE" );
      for ( int i = 0; i < myCol.Count; i++ )
         Console.WriteLine( "   {0,-5} {1,-25} {2}", i, myKeys[i], myCol[myKeys[i]] );
      Console.WriteLine();
   }

}

/*
This code produces the following output.

Displays the elements using foreach:
   KEY                       VALUE
   Seedless Watermelon       0.49
   Nectarine                 1.99
   Cranberries               5.98
   Plantain Bananas          1.49
   Honeydew Melon            0.59
   Pineapple                 1.49
   Strawberries              3.33
   Grapes                    1.99
   Braeburn Apples           1.49
   Peaches                   1.99
   Red Delicious Apples      0.99
   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   Yellow Bananas            0.79
   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   Gala Apples               1.49
   Plums                     1.69
   Navel Oranges             1.29
   Fuji Apples               1.29

Displays the elements using the IDictionaryEnumerator:
   KEY                       VALUE
   Seedless Watermelon       0.49
   Nectarine                 1.99
   Cranberries               5.98
   Plantain Bananas          1.49
   Honeydew Melon            0.59
   Pineapple                 1.49
   Strawberries              3.33
   Grapes                    1.99
   Braeburn Apples           1.49
   Peaches                   1.99
   Red Delicious Apples      0.99
   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   Yellow Bananas            0.79
   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   Gala Apples               1.49
   Plums                     1.69
   Navel Oranges             1.29
   Fuji Apples               1.29

Displays the elements using the Keys, Values, Count, and Item properties:
   INDEX KEY                       VALUE
   0     Seedless Watermelon       0.49
   1     Nectarine                 1.99
   2     Cranberries               5.98
   3     Plantain Bananas          1.49
   4     Honeydew Melon            0.59
   5     Pineapple                 1.49
   6     Strawberries              3.33
   7     Grapes                    1.99
   8     Braeburn Apples           1.49
   9     Peaches                   1.99
   10    Red Delicious Apples      0.99
   11    Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   12    Yellow Bananas            0.79
   13    Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   14    Gala Apples               1.49
   15    Plums                     1.69
   16    Navel Oranges             1.29
   17    Fuji Apples               1.29

*/
Visual C++
#using <System.dll>

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Collections;
using namespace System::Collections::Specialized;

void PrintKeysAndValues1( IDictionary^ myCol );
void PrintKeysAndValues2( IDictionary^ myCol );
void PrintKeysAndValues3( HybridDictionary^ myCol );

int main()
{
   // Creates and initializes a new HybridDictionary.
   HybridDictionary^ myCol = gcnew HybridDictionary;
   myCol->Add( "Braeburn Apples", "1.49" );
   myCol->Add( "Fuji Apples", "1.29" );
   myCol->Add( "Gala Apples", "1.49" );
   myCol->Add( "Golden Delicious Apples", "1.29" );
   myCol->Add( "Granny Smith Apples", "0.89" );
   myCol->Add( "Red Delicious Apples", "0.99" );
   myCol->Add( "Plantain Bananas", "1.49" );
   myCol->Add( "Yellow Bananas", "0.79" );
   myCol->Add( "Strawberries", "3.33" );
   myCol->Add( "Cranberries", "5.98" );
   myCol->Add( "Navel Oranges", "1.29" );
   myCol->Add( "Grapes", "1.99" );
   myCol->Add( "Honeydew Melon", "0.59" );
   myCol->Add( "Seedless Watermelon", "0.49" );
   myCol->Add( "Pineapple", "1.49" );
   myCol->Add( "Nectarine", "1.99" );
   myCol->Add( "Plums", "1.69" );
   myCol->Add( "Peaches", "1.99" );

   // Display the contents of the collection using for each. This is the preferred method.
   Console::WriteLine( "Displays the elements using for each:" );
   PrintKeysAndValues1( myCol );

   // Display the contents of the collection using the enumerator.
   Console::WriteLine( "Displays the elements using the IDictionaryEnumerator:" );
   PrintKeysAndValues2( myCol );

   // Display the contents of the collection using the Keys, Values, Count, and Item properties.
   Console::WriteLine( "Displays the elements using the Keys, Values, Count, and Item properties:" );
   PrintKeysAndValues3( myCol );
}

// Uses the foreach statement which hides the complexity of the enumerator.
// NOTE: The foreach statement is the preferred way of enumerating the contents of a collection.
void PrintKeysAndValues1( IDictionary^ myCol )  {
   Console::WriteLine( "   KEY                       VALUE" );
   for each ( DictionaryEntry^ de in myCol )
      Console::WriteLine( "   {0,-25} {1}", de->Key, de->Value );
   Console::WriteLine();
}

// Uses the enumerator. 
void PrintKeysAndValues2( IDictionary^ myCol )
{
   IDictionaryEnumerator^ myEnumerator = myCol->GetEnumerator();
   Console::WriteLine( "   KEY                       VALUE" );
   while ( myEnumerator->MoveNext() )
      Console::WriteLine( "   {0,-25} {1}", myEnumerator->Key, myEnumerator->Value );

   Console::WriteLine();
}

// Uses the Keys, Values, Count, and Item properties.
void PrintKeysAndValues3( HybridDictionary^ myCol )
{
   array<String^>^myKeys = gcnew array<String^>(myCol->Count);
   myCol->Keys->CopyTo( myKeys, 0 );
   Console::WriteLine( "   INDEX KEY                       VALUE" );
   for ( int i = 0; i < myCol->Count; i++ )
      Console::WriteLine( "   {0,-5} {1,-25} {2}", i, myKeys[ i ], myCol[ myKeys[ i ] ] );
   Console::WriteLine();
}

/*
This code produces the following output.

Displays the elements using for each:
   KEY                       VALUE
   Seedless Watermelon       0.49
   Nectarine                 1.99
   Cranberries               5.98
   Plantain Bananas          1.49
   Honeydew Melon            0.59
   Pineapple                 1.49
   Strawberries              3.33
   Grapes                    1.99
   Braeburn Apples           1.49
   Peaches                   1.99
   Red Delicious Apples      0.99
   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   Yellow Bananas            0.79
   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   Gala Apples               1.49
   Plums                     1.69
   Navel Oranges             1.29
   Fuji Apples               1.29

Displays the elements using the IDictionaryEnumerator:
   KEY                       VALUE
   Seedless Watermelon       0.49
   Nectarine                 1.99
   Cranberries               5.98
   Plantain Bananas          1.49
   Honeydew Melon            0.59
   Pineapple                 1.49
   Strawberries              3.33
   Grapes                    1.99
   Braeburn Apples           1.49
   Peaches                   1.99
   Red Delicious Apples      0.99
   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   Yellow Bananas            0.79
   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   Gala Apples               1.49
   Plums                     1.69
   Navel Oranges             1.29
   Fuji Apples               1.29

Displays the elements using the Keys, Values, Count, and Item properties:
   INDEX KEY                       VALUE
   0     Seedless Watermelon       0.49
   1     Nectarine                 1.99
   2     Cranberries               5.98
   3     Plantain Bananas          1.49
   4     Honeydew Melon            0.59
   5     Pineapple                 1.49
   6     Strawberries              3.33
   7     Grapes                    1.99
   8     Braeburn Apples           1.49
   9     Peaches                   1.99
   10    Red Delicious Apples      0.99
   11    Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   12    Yellow Bananas            0.79
   13    Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   14    Gala Apples               1.49
   15    Plums                     1.69
   16    Navel Oranges             1.29
   17    Fuji Apples               1.29

*/

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98, Windows CE, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, Xbox 360, Zune

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

.NET Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0

.NET Compact Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 2.0, 1.0

XNA Framework

Supported in: 3.0, 2.0, 1.0
Tags What's this?: Add a tag
Community Content   What is Community Content?
Add new content RSS  Annotations
© 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use  |  Trademarks  |  Privacy Statement
Page view tracker