List.Find Method
Searches for an element that matches the conditions defined by the specified predicate, and returns the first occurrence within the entire List.

Namespace: System.Collections.Generic
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)

Syntax
Visual Basic (Declaration) 
Public Function Find ( _
    match As Predicate(Of T) _
) As T
Visual Basic (Usage) 
Dim instance As List(Of T)
Dim match As Predicate(Of T)
Dim returnValue As T

returnValue = instance.Find(match)
C# 
public T Find (
    Predicate<T> match
)
C++ 
public:
T Find (
    Predicate<T>^ match
)
J# 
public T Find (
    Predicate<T> match
)
JScript 
public function Find (
    match : Predicate<T>
) : T
XAML 
Not applicable.

Parameters

match

The Predicate delegate that defines the conditions of the element to search for.

Return Value

The first element that matches the conditions defined by the specified predicate, if found; otherwise, the default value for type T.
Exceptions
Exception typeCondition

ArgumentNullException

match is a null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic).
Remarks

The Predicate is a delegate to a method that returns true if the object passed to it matches the conditions defined in the delegate. The elements of the current List are individually passed to the Predicate delegate, moving forward in the List, starting with the first element and ending with the last element. Processing is stopped when a match is found.

NoteImportant:

When searching a list containing value types, make sure the default value for the type does not satisfy the search predicate. Otherwise, there is no way to distinguish between a default value indicating that no match was found and a list element that happens to have the default value for the type. If the default value satisfies the search predicate, use the FindIndex method instead.

This method performs a linear search; therefore, this method is an O(n) operation, where n is Count.
Example

The following code example demonstrates the Find, FindLast, and FindAll methods. A List of strings is created, containing 8 dinosaur names, two of which (at positions 1 and 5) end with "saurus". The code example also defines a search predicate method named EndsWithSaurus, which accepts a string parameter and returns a Boolean value indicating whether the input string ends in "saurus".

The Find method traverses the list from the beginning, passing each element in turn to the EndsWithSaurus method. The search stops when the EndsWithSaurus method returns true for the element "Amargasaurus".

NoteNote:

In C# and Visual Basic, it is not necessary to create the Predicate<string> delegate (Predicate(Of String) in Visual Basic) explicitly. These languages infer the correct delegate from context and create it automatically.

The FindLast method is used to search the list backward from the end. It finds the element "Dilophosaurus" at position 5. The FindAll method is used to return a List containing all the elements that end in "saurus". The elements are displayed.

Finally, the RemoveAll method is used to remove all entries ending with "saurus", and the Exists method shows that all such strings are gone.

Visual Basic 
Imports System
Imports System.Collections.Generic

Public Class Example

    Public Shared Sub Main()

        Dim dinosaurs As New List(Of String)

        dinosaurs.Add("Compsognathus")
        dinosaurs.Add("Amargasaurus")
        dinosaurs.Add("Oviraptor")
        dinosaurs.Add("Velociraptor")
        dinosaurs.Add("Deinonychus")
        dinosaurs.Add("Dilophosaurus")
        dinosaurs.Add("Gallimimus")
        dinosaurs.Add("Triceratops")

        Console.WriteLine()
        For Each dinosaur As String In dinosaurs
            Console.WriteLine(dinosaur)
        Next

        Console.WriteLine(vbLf & _
            "TrueForAll(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus: {0}", _
            dinosaurs.TrueForAll(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus))

        Console.WriteLine(vbLf & _
            "Find(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus): {0}", _
            dinosaurs.Find(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus))

        Console.WriteLine(vbLf & _
            "FindLast(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus): {0}", _
            dinosaurs.FindLast(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus))

        Console.WriteLine(vbLf & _
            "FindAll(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus):")
        Dim sublist As List(Of String) = _
            dinosaurs.FindAll(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus)

        For Each dinosaur As String In sublist
            Console.WriteLine(dinosaur)
        Next

        Console.WriteLine(vbLf & _
            "{0} elements removed by RemoveAll(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus).", _
            dinosaurs.RemoveAll(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus))

        Console.WriteLine(vbLf & "List now contains:")
        For Each dinosaur As String In dinosaurs
            Console.WriteLine(dinosaur)
        Next

        Console.WriteLine(vbLf & _
            "Exists(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus): {0}", _
            dinosaurs.Exists(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus))
        
    End Sub

    ' Search predicate returns true if a string ends in "saurus".
    Private Shared Function EndsWithSaurus(ByVal s As String) _
        As Boolean

        ' AndAlso prevents evaluation of the second Boolean
        ' expression if the string is so short that an error
        ' would occur.
        If (s.Length > 5) AndAlso _
            (s.Substring(s.Length - 6).ToLower() = "saurus") Then
            Return True
        Else
            Return False
        End If
    End Function
End Class

' This code example produces the following output:
'
'Compsognathus
'Amargasaurus
'Oviraptor
'Velociraptor
'Deinonychus
'Dilophosaurus
'Gallimimus
'Triceratops
'
'TrueForAll(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus: False
'
'Find(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus): Amargasaurus
'
'FindLast(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus): Dilophosaurus
'
'FindAll(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus):
'Amargasaurus
'Dilophosaurus
'
'2 elements removed by RemoveAll(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus).
'
'List now contains:
'Compsognathus
'Oviraptor
'Velociraptor
'Deinonychus
'Gallimimus
'Triceratops
'
'Exists(AddressOf EndsWithSaurus): False
C# 
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public class Example
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        List<string> dinosaurs = new List<string>();

        dinosaurs.Add("Compsognathus");
        dinosaurs.Add("Amargasaurus");
        dinosaurs.Add("Oviraptor");
        dinosaurs.Add("Velociraptor");
        dinosaurs.Add("Deinonychus");
        dinosaurs.Add("Dilophosaurus");
        dinosaurs.Add("Gallimimus");
        dinosaurs.Add("Triceratops");

        Console.WriteLine();
        foreach(string dinosaur in dinosaurs)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(dinosaur);
        }

        Console.WriteLine("\nTrueForAll(EndsWithSaurus): {0}",
            dinosaurs.TrueForAll(EndsWithSaurus));

        Console.WriteLine("\nFind(EndsWithSaurus): {0}", 
            dinosaurs.Find(EndsWithSaurus));

        Console.WriteLine("\nFindLast(EndsWithSaurus): {0}",
            dinosaurs.FindLast(EndsWithSaurus));

        Console.WriteLine("\nFindAll(EndsWithSaurus):");
        List<string> sublist = dinosaurs.FindAll(EndsWithSaurus);

        foreach(string dinosaur in sublist)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(dinosaur);
        }

        Console.WriteLine(
            "\n{0} elements removed by RemoveAll(EndsWithSaurus).", 
            dinosaurs.RemoveAll(EndsWithSaurus));

        Console.WriteLine("\nList now contains:");
        foreach(string dinosaur in dinosaurs)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(dinosaur);
        }

        Console.WriteLine("\nExists(EndsWithSaurus): {0}", 
            dinosaurs.Exists(EndsWithSaurus));
    }

    // Search predicate returns true if a string ends in "saurus".
    private static bool EndsWithSaurus(String s)
    {
        if ((s.Length > 5) && 
            (s.Substring(s.Length - 6).ToLower() == "saurus"))
        {
            return true;
        }
        else
        {
            return false;
        }
    }
}

/* This code example produces the following output:

Compsognathus
Amargasaurus
Oviraptor
Velociraptor
Deinonychus
Dilophosaurus
Gallimimus
Triceratops

TrueForAll(EndsWithSaurus): False

Find(EndsWithSaurus): Amargasaurus

FindLast(EndsWithSaurus): Dilophosaurus

FindAll(EndsWithSaurus):
Amargasaurus
Dilophosaurus

2 elements removed by RemoveAll(EndsWithSaurus).

List now contains:
Compsognathus
Oviraptor
Velociraptor
Deinonychus
Gallimimus
Triceratops

Exists(EndsWithSaurus): False
 */
C++ 
using namespace System;
using namespace System::Collections::Generic;

// Search predicate returns true if a string ends in "saurus".
bool EndsWithSaurus(String^ s)
{
    if ((s->Length > 5) && 
        (s->Substring(s->Length - 6)->ToLower() == "saurus"))
    {
        return true;
    }
    else
    {
        return false;
    }
};

void main()
{
    List<String^>^ dinosaurs = gcnew List<String^>();

    dinosaurs->Add("Compsognathus");
    dinosaurs->Add("Amargasaurus");
    dinosaurs->Add("Oviraptor");
    dinosaurs->Add("Velociraptor");
    dinosaurs->Add("Deinonychus");
    dinosaurs->Add("Dilophosaurus");
    dinosaurs->Add("Gallimimus");
    dinosaurs->Add("Triceratops");

    Console::WriteLine();
    for each(String^ dinosaur in dinosaurs )
    {
        Console::WriteLine(dinosaur);
    }

    Console::WriteLine("\nTrueForAll(EndsWithSaurus): {0}",
        dinosaurs->TrueForAll(gcnew Predicate<String^>(EndsWithSaurus)));

    Console::WriteLine("\nFind(EndsWithSaurus): {0}", 
        dinosaurs->Find(gcnew Predicate<String^>(EndsWithSaurus)));

    Console::WriteLine("\nFindLast(EndsWithSaurus): {0}",
        dinosaurs->FindLast(gcnew Predicate<String^>(EndsWithSaurus)));

    Console::WriteLine("\nFindAll(EndsWithSaurus):");
    List<String^>^ sublist = 
        dinosaurs->FindAll(gcnew Predicate<String^>(EndsWithSaurus));

    for each(String^ dinosaur in sublist)
    {
        Console::WriteLine(dinosaur);
    }

    Console::WriteLine(
        "\n{0} elements removed by RemoveAll(EndsWithSaurus).", 
        dinosaurs->RemoveAll(gcnew Predicate<String^>(EndsWithSaurus)));

    Console::WriteLine("\nList now contains:");
    for each(String^ dinosaur in dinosaurs)
    {
        Console::WriteLine(dinosaur);
    }

    Console::WriteLine("\nExists(EndsWithSaurus): {0}", 
        dinosaurs->Exists(gcnew Predicate<String^>(EndsWithSaurus)));
}

/* This code example produces the following output:

Compsognathus
Amargasaurus
Oviraptor
Velociraptor
Deinonychus
Dilophosaurus
Gallimimus
Triceratops

TrueForAll(EndsWithSaurus): False

Find(EndsWithSaurus): Amargasaurus

FindLast(EndsWithSaurus): Dilophosaurus

FindAll(EndsWithSaurus):
Amargasaurus
Dilophosaurus

2 elements removed by RemoveAll(EndsWithSaurus).

List now contains:
Compsognathus
Oviraptor
Velociraptor
Deinonychus
Gallimimus
Triceratops

Exists(EndsWithSaurus): False
 */
Platforms

Windows 98, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows CE, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Starter Edition

The Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 is supported on Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows XP SP2, and Windows Server 2003 SP1.

Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 3.0, 2.0

.NET Compact Framework

Supported in: 2.0

XNA Framework

Supported in: 1.0
See Also
Tags :


Community Content

Todd Girvin
Not much good if you don't want to search for ends with saurus.

If you want to find a dinosaur that ends with a different name, for which you don't want a function hard coded as in the above example, use a delegate:

Instead of :

dinosaurs.Find(EndsWithSaurus));

You would use a delegate and write:

dinosaurs.Find(delegate(string s) { return search.EndsWith(s); }));

This matches items in the array that end with the string specified by search.


Jelgab
An example with parameters

If you have a list where each element is of the following form:

List<String> lstSomeList = new List<String>( new String[] { "Cost=200", "ProductID=1241", "Description=Any product description", "Quantity=10" } );

you could use Find like this:

String CurrentCost = ListFind( lstSomeList, "Cost=" );

Where "ListFind" would be like this:

private string ListFind( List<String> lstTheList, String TheSearchCriteria )

{

return lstTheList.Find( delegate( String OneListElement ) { return OneListElement.StartsWith( TheSearchCriteria ); } );

}


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