ListDictionary Class (System.Collections.Specialized)

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Microsoft Visual Studio 2008/.NET Framework 3.5

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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.

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

Syntax

Visual Basic (Declaration)

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

Visual Basic (Usage)

Dim instance As ListDictionary

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

Visual C++

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

JScript

public class ListDictionary implements IDictionary, ICollection, IEnumerable

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 nullNothingnullptra null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic), 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:

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

Visual Basic

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

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


*/

Inheritance Hierarchy

System..::.Object
System.Collections.Specialized..::.ListDictionary

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.

Platforms

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.

Version Information

.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

Reference

ListDictionary Members

System.Collections.Specialized Namespace

IDictionary

Hashtable

Other Resources

Performing Culture-Insensitive String Operations