ListDictionary Class (System.Collections.Specialized)

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.NET Framework Class Library

ListDictionary Class

Implements IDictionary using a singly linked list. Recommended for collections that typically contain 10 items or less.

Inheritance Hierarchy

System.Object
System.Collections.Specialized.ListDictionary

Namespace: System.Collections.Specialized
Assembly: System (in System.dll)

Syntax

Visual Basic

<SerializableAttribute> _
Public Class ListDictionary _
	Implements IDictionary, ICollection, IEnumerable

[SerializableAttribute]
public class ListDictionary : IDictionary, 
	ICollection, IEnumerable

Visual C++

[SerializableAttribute]
public ref class ListDictionary : IDictionary, 
	ICollection, IEnumerable

[<SerializableAttribute>]
type ListDictionary =  
    class
        interface IDictionary
        interface ICollection
        interface IEnumerable
    end

The ListDictionary type exposes the following members.

Constructors

	Name	Description
	ListDictionary()	Creates an empty ListDictionary using the default comparer.
	ListDictionary(IComparer)	Creates an empty ListDictionary using the specified comparer.

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Properties

	Name	Description
	Count	Gets the number of key/value pairs contained in the ListDictionary.
	IsFixedSize	Gets a value indicating whether the ListDictionary has a fixed size.
	IsReadOnly	Gets a value indicating whether the ListDictionary is read-only.
	IsSynchronized	Gets a value indicating whether the ListDictionary is synchronized (thread safe).
	Item	Gets or sets the value associated with the specified key.
	Keys	Gets an ICollection containing the keys in the ListDictionary.
	SyncRoot	Gets an object that can be used to synchronize access to the ListDictionary.
	Values	Gets an ICollection containing the values in the ListDictionary.

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Methods

	Name	Description
	Add	Adds an entry with the specified key and value into the ListDictionary.
	Clear	Removes all entries from the ListDictionary.
	Contains	Determines whether the ListDictionary contains a specific key.
	CopyTo	Copies the ListDictionary entries to a one-dimensional Array instance at the specified index.
	Equals(Object)	Determines whether the specified Object is equal to the current Object. (Inherited from Object.)
	Finalize	Allows an object to try to free resources and perform other cleanup operations before it is reclaimed by garbage collection. (Inherited from Object.)
	GetEnumerator	Returns an IDictionaryEnumerator that iterates through the ListDictionary.
	GetHashCode	Serves as a hash function for a particular type. (Inherited from Object.)
	GetType	Gets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object.)
	MemberwiseClone	Creates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object.)
	Remove	Removes the entry with the specified key from the ListDictionary.
	ToString	Returns a string that represents the current object. (Inherited from Object.)

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Extension Methods

	Name	Description
	AsParallel	Enables parallelization of a query. (Defined by ParallelEnumerable.)
	AsQueryable	Converts an IEnumerable to an IQueryable. (Defined by Queryable.)
	Cast<TResult>	Converts the elements of an IEnumerable to the specified type. (Defined by Enumerable.)
	OfType<TResult>	Filters the elements of an IEnumerable based on a specified type. (Defined by Enumerable.)

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Explicit Interface Implementations

	Name	Description
	IEnumerable.GetEnumerator	Returns an IEnumerator that iterates through the ListDictionary.

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Remarks

This is a simple implementation of IDictionary using a singly linked list. It is smaller and faster than a Hashtable if the number of elements is 10 or less. This should not be used if performance is important for large numbers of elements.

Items in a ListDictionary are not in any guaranteed order; code should not depend on the current order. The ListDictionary is implemented for fast keyed retrieval; the actual internal order of items is implementation-dependent and could change in future versions of the product.

Members, such as Item, Add, Remove, and Contains are O(n) operations, where n is Count.

A key cannot be null, but a value can.

The foreach statement of the C# language (for each in Visual Basic) requires the type of each element in the collection. Since each element of the ListDictionary is a key/value pair, the element type is not the type of the key or the type of the value. Instead, the element type is DictionaryEntry. For example:

Visual Basic


For Each de As DictionaryEntry In myListDictionary
    '...
Next de


foreach (DictionaryEntry de in myListDictionary)
{
    //...
}

Visual C++


for each (DictionaryEntry de in myListDictionary)
{
    //...
}

The foreach statement is a wrapper around the enumerator, which only allows reading from, not writing to, the collection.

Examples

The following code example demonstrates several of the properties and methods of ListDictionary.

Visual Basic


Imports System
Imports System.Collections
Imports System.Collections.Specialized

Public Class SamplesListDictionary   

   Public Shared Sub Main()

      ' Creates and initializes a new ListDictionary.
      Dim myCol As New ListDictionary()
      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")

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

      ' Copies the ListDictionary to an array with DictionaryEntry elements.
      Dim myArr(myCol.Count) As DictionaryEntry
      myCol.CopyTo(myArr, 0)

      ' Displays the values in the array.
      Console.WriteLine("Displays the elements in the array:")
      Console.WriteLine("   KEY                       VALUE")
      Dim i As Integer
      For i = 0 To myArr.Length - 1
         Console.WriteLine("   {0,-25} {1}", myArr(i).Key, myArr(i).Value)
      Next i
      Console.WriteLine()

      ' Searches for a key.
      If myCol.Contains("Kiwis") Then
         Console.WriteLine("The collection contains the key ""Kiwis"".")
      Else
         Console.WriteLine("The collection does not contain the key ""Kiwis"".")
      End If
      Console.WriteLine()

      ' Deletes a key.
      myCol.Remove("Plums")
      Console.WriteLine("The collection contains the following elements after removing ""Plums"":")
      PrintKeysAndValues(myCol)

      ' Clears the entire collection.
      myCol.Clear()
      Console.WriteLine("The collection contains the following elements after it is cleared:")
      PrintKeysAndValues(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 PrintKeysAndValues(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 ListDictionary)
      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 'SamplesListDictionary 


'This code produces the following output.
'Note that because a dictionary is implemented for fast keyed access the order
'of the items in the dictionary are not gauranteed and, as a result, should not
'be depended on.
'
'Displays the elements using for each:
'   KEY                       VALUE
'   Braeburn Apples           1.49
'   Fuji Apples               1.29
'   Gala Apples               1.49
'   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
'   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
'   Red Delicious Apples      0.99
'
'Displays the elements using the IDictionaryEnumerator:
'   KEY                       VALUE
'   Braeburn Apples           1.49
'   Fuji Apples               1.29
'   Gala Apples               1.49
'   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
'   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
'   Red Delicious Apples      0.99
'
'Displays the elements using the Keys, Values, Count, and Item properties:
'   INDEX KEY                       VALUE
'   0     Braeburn Apples           1.49
'   1     Fuji Apples               1.29
'   2     Gala Apples               1.49
'   3     Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
'   4     Granny Smith Apples       0.89
'   5     Red Delicious Apples      0.99
'
'Displays the elements in the array:
'   KEY                       VALUE
'   Braeburn Apples           1.49
'   Fuji Apples               1.29
'   Gala Apples               1.49
'   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
'   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
'   Red Delicious Apples      0.99
'
'The collection does not contain the key "Kiwis".
'
'The collection contains the following elements after removing "Plums":
'   KEY                       VALUE
'   Braeburn Apples           1.49
'   Fuji Apples               1.29
'   Gala Apples               1.49
'   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
'   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
'   Red Delicious Apples      0.99
'
'The collection contains the following elements after it is cleared:
'   KEY                       VALUE
'


using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Specialized;

public class SamplesListDictionary  {

   public static void Main()  {

      // Creates and initializes a new ListDictionary.
      ListDictionary myCol = new ListDictionary();
      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" );

      // 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 );

      // Copies the ListDictionary to an array with DictionaryEntry elements.
      DictionaryEntry[] myArr = new DictionaryEntry[myCol.Count];
      myCol.CopyTo( myArr, 0 );

      // Displays the values in the array.
      Console.WriteLine( "Displays the elements in the array:" );
      Console.WriteLine( "   KEY                       VALUE" );
      for ( int i = 0; i < myArr.Length; i++ )
         Console.WriteLine( "   {0,-25} {1}", myArr[i].Key, myArr[i].Value );
      Console.WriteLine();

      // Searches for a key.
      if ( myCol.Contains( "Kiwis" ) )
         Console.WriteLine( "The collection contains the key \"Kiwis\"." );
      else
         Console.WriteLine( "The collection does not contain the key \"Kiwis\"." );
      Console.WriteLine();

      // Deletes a key.
      myCol.Remove( "Plums" );
      Console.WriteLine( "The collection contains the following elements after removing \"Plums\":" );
      PrintKeysAndValues1( myCol );

      // Clears the entire collection.
      myCol.Clear();
      Console.WriteLine( "The collection contains the following elements after it is cleared:" );
      PrintKeysAndValues1( 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( ListDictionary 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 output similar to the following.
Note that because a dictionary is implemented for fast keyed access the order
of the items in the dictionary are not gauranteed and, as a result, should not
be depended on.

Displays the elements using foreach:
   KEY                       VALUE
   Braeburn Apples           1.49
   Fuji Apples               1.29
   Gala Apples               1.49
   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   Red Delicious Apples      0.99

Displays the elements using the IDictionaryEnumerator:
   KEY                       VALUE
   Braeburn Apples           1.49
   Fuji Apples               1.29
   Gala Apples               1.49
   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   Red Delicious Apples      0.99

Displays the elements using the Keys, Values, Count, and Item properties:
   INDEX KEY                       VALUE
   0     Braeburn Apples           1.49
   1     Fuji Apples               1.29
   2     Gala Apples               1.49
   3     Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   4     Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   5     Red Delicious Apples      0.99

Displays the elements in the array:
   KEY                       VALUE
   Braeburn Apples           1.49
   Fuji Apples               1.29
   Gala Apples               1.49
   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   Red Delicious Apples      0.99

The collection does not contain the key "Kiwis".

The collection contains the following elements after removing "Plums":
   KEY                       VALUE
   Braeburn Apples           1.49
   Fuji Apples               1.29
   Gala Apples               1.49
   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   Red Delicious Apples      0.99

The collection contains the following elements after it is cleared:
   KEY                       VALUE


*/

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( ListDictionary^ myCol );

int main()
{
   // Creates and initializes a new ListDictionary.
   ListDictionary^ myCol = gcnew ListDictionary;
   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" );

   // 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 );

   // Copies the ListDictionary to an array with DictionaryEntry elements.
   array<DictionaryEntry>^myArr = gcnew array<DictionaryEntry>(myCol->Count);
   myCol->CopyTo( myArr, 0 );

   // Displays the values in the array.
   Console::WriteLine( "Displays the elements in the array:" );
   Console::WriteLine( "   KEY                       VALUE" );
   for ( int i = 0; i < myArr->Length; i++ )
      Console::WriteLine( "   {0,-25} {1}", myArr[ i ].Key, myArr[ i ].Value );
   Console::WriteLine();

   // Searches for a key.
   if ( myCol->Contains( "Kiwis" ) )
      Console::WriteLine( "The collection contains the key \"Kiwis\"." );
   else
      Console::WriteLine( "The collection does not contain the key \"Kiwis\"." );

   Console::WriteLine();

   // Deletes a key.
   myCol->Remove( "Plums" );
   Console::WriteLine( "The collection contains the following elements after removing \"Plums\":" );
   PrintKeysAndValues2( myCol );

   // Clears the entire collection.
   myCol->Clear();
   Console::WriteLine( "The collection contains the following elements after it is cleared:" );
   PrintKeysAndValues2( myCol );
}

// 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.
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( ListDictionary^ 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
   Braeburn Apples           1.49
   Fuji Apples               1.29
   Gala Apples               1.49
   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   Red Delicious Apples      0.99

Displays the elements using the IDictionaryEnumerator:
   KEY                       VALUE
   Braeburn Apples           1.49
   Fuji Apples               1.29
   Gala Apples               1.49
   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   Red Delicious Apples      0.99

Displays the elements using the Keys, Values, Count, and Item properties:
   INDEX KEY                       VALUE
   0     Braeburn Apples           1.49
   1     Fuji Apples               1.29
   2     Gala Apples               1.49
   3     Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   4     Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   5     Red Delicious Apples      0.99

Displays the elements in the array:
   KEY                       VALUE
   Braeburn Apples           1.49
   Fuji Apples               1.29
   Gala Apples               1.49
   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   Red Delicious Apples      0.99

The collection does not contain the key "Kiwis".

The collection contains the following elements after removing "Plums":
   KEY                       VALUE
   Braeburn Apples           1.49
   Fuji Apples               1.29
   Gala Apples               1.49
   Golden Delicious Apples   1.29
   Granny Smith Apples       0.89
   Red Delicious Apples      0.99

The collection contains the following elements after it is cleared:
   KEY                       VALUE


*/

Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 4, 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0

.NET Framework Client Profile

Supported in: 4, 3.5 SP1

Platforms

Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows XP SP2 x64 Edition, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2

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

Thread Safety

Public static (Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.

This implementation does not provide a synchronized (thread safe) wrapper for a ListDictionary, but derived classes can create their own synchronized versions of the ListDictionary using the SyncRoot property.

Enumerating through a collection is intrinsically not a thread-safe procedure. Even when a collection is synchronized, other threads can still modify the collection, which causes the enumerator to throw an exception. To guarantee thread safety during enumeration, you can either lock the collection during the entire enumeration or catch the exceptions resulting from changes made by other threads.

Reference

System.Collections.Specialized Namespace

IDictionary

Hashtable

Other Resources

Performing Culture-Insensitive String Operations