Dynamic variables in C#?

[sammy]

Ok, the only way I can be really clear about this question is to put up a PHP example.

lets say i want to call the function func() on a whole bunch of variables, and they all are named in the following fashion: var1, var2, var3... etc

at compile time, i dont know how many of those variables i have. In php, its something like this:

for( $i = 0; $i < $theNumberOfVariables; $i++ ){
func( ${'var' . $i} );
}

is this possible in C#?

[redhead]

No, use an array, I can't understand why people would create dynamic variable names.. They are so hard to convert into another programming language..

[sde]

i don't know, but why wouldn't you just make an array?

[sammy]

Doesnt the size of an array have to be determined at compile time as well? Or is my morning coffee playing tricks with me again and im thinkin of another language?

[sde]

check out the ArrayList class.

using System.Collections;
...

ArrayList al = new ArrayList;

for(int i=0;i<20;i++){
  string s = "whatever";
  al.Add(s);
}

i'm not sure exactly what you're trying to do, but ArrayList is a way to make re-sizable arrays.

[sammy]

cool, i'll use arrayList then, since it is resizeable. Thanks a bunch

[sde]

sure np

i started with php and moved to c# too, .. i like c# a lot... then i learned some java though and now i understand how much c# took from java .. although there is nothing like developing in visual studio for me. ( well vs compared to netbeans )

[sammy]

I started with Java, but developed it in a UNIX enviornment with emacs. It is nothing like VS. Theres just so much stuff in VS that it gives me a headache. C# is very powerful, i recently learned delegates, and generics (1.2 framework). Havent put them to use yet, so i havent mastered them. Will be nice when i do though.

[sde]

generics? hmm .. i don't know of that yet.

I was referring mainly to the text editor and how it works with objects with visual studio.

the intellisense is very fast, and not case sensitive which makes accessing properties much easier .. maybe i'm just lazy lol.

[sammy]

generics are in the new framework 1.2
I got to play with the new Visual Studio (codename Whidbey) which is still in alpha build, and it used 1.2 framework.
If you want to read up on them, you can visit my professors slides.
http://www.cs.rit.edu/~ats/cs-2003-3...s/_d0e516.html

[npa]

fwiw, the general system to solve the 'dynamic variable' problem
in non-scripting langauge is a hashmap.

it seems that your design could be better, (i.e. array list
to hold your obj's, instead of strange referencing rules),
but don't forget the hashmap can provide you a nice way to
reference objects attached to strings (i.e. the dynamic variable
illusion) ... so if it is a real requirement, and you intend
to use non-increasing numbers as your variable names, consider
the hashmap, it can be appropriate here.

of course, however, optimise your design first