Question using a string to automate adding items to arrays

HI, i will be very shocked if this is possible but i have a lot of variables all with "Defaults" at the end and i want to store all of them into an array using strings to change the variable referenced in a for loop each cycle, thanks in advance.

 

What you're describing is how you might do something in a dynamically typed language such as Python or JavaScript, but not in a strongly typed language like C#.

To do something similar you need to learn how to use Dictionaries in C#. Python and JavaScript objects are basically just Dictionaries in disguise.

Here's a small tutorial on dicitonaries: https://www.tutorialsteacher.com/csharp/csharp-dictionary

 

You can but be aware that the value types (ie ints, floats, structs, etc) are boxed when converted to

object

which comes with a performance penalty and allocates memory. Additionally the approach below requires you to either come up with a way to track what type is being stored or remember what you've stored it as when you read it.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/programming-guide/types/boxing-and-unboxing

Code (csharp):

1. var dictionary = new Dictionary<string, object>();
2.  
3. dictionary.Add("x", 5);
4. dictionary.Add("y", 3.14);
5. dictionary.Add("z", new List<int>());

For example (written by GPT-4o).

Code (csharp):

1. var dictionary = new Dictionary<string, (Type, object)>();
2.  
3. dictionary.Add("x", (typeof(int), 5));
4. dictionary.Add("y", (typeof(double), 3.14));
5. dictionary.Add("z", (typeof(List<int>), new List<int>()));
6.  
7. // Checking the type
8. void CheckTypeAndPrint(string key)
9. {
10.     if (dictionary.TryGetValue(key, out var valueTuple))
11.     {
12.         Type type = valueTuple.Item1;
13.         object value = valueTuple.Item2;
14.  
15.         if (type == typeof(int))
16.         {
17.             int intValue = (int)value;
18.             Console.WriteLine($"Key: {key}, Type: int, Value: {intValue}");
19.         }
20.         else if (type == typeof(double))
21.         {
22.             double doubleValue = (double)value;
23.             Console.WriteLine($"Key: {key}, Type: double, Value: {doubleValue}");
24.         }
25.         else if (type == typeof(List<int>))
26.         {
27.             var listValue = (List<int>)value;
28.             Console.WriteLine($"Key: {key}, Type: List<int>, Value: {listValue}");
29.         }
30.         else
31.         {
32.             Console.WriteLine($"Key: {key}, Type: {type}, Value: {value}");
33.         }
34.     }
35.     else
36.     {
37.         Console.WriteLine($"Key: {key} not found in the dictionary.");
38.     }
39. }
40.  
41. // Example usage
42. CheckTypeAndPrint("x");
43. CheckTypeAndPrint("y");
44. CheckTypeAndPrint("z");

 

I read the replies but it seems to me that this is not what you are asking. Maybe an example (examples are generally a good idea). From the sounds of it my answer will be "don't do that"

 

Thanks so much!

 

Thanks but i need to use it in other classes

 

oh i just knew how