Hello all,

 

I am trying to figure out how to setup a dynamic arraylist, in which the arraylist will be variable in size depending upon the row it retrieves.  In other word the question it retreives will have variable number of answers.  One question might have 3 answers another might have 4 answers.  The columns for unused answer choices will be assigned a null value. 

 

I am using VB.NET 2005 through my ASP.NET page.  My main goal is basically this.

Step 1.  Select Answer Columns from table where Answer value is not Null

Step 2. Generate radiobutton listitems based on number of answer columns in the AnswersTable for the retrieved question.

        Step 2A: assign generated list items the values from the answerchoice columns.

I mainly need help with steps 2 and 2A.  I was looking at possibly interrating with a for  i to x  Next loop, where x is the last answer column available in the array to be assigned to the listitem   If you need anymore clarification, please let me know.

 ArrayList is dynamic by default. You can add any number of items, no need to specify the size when initializing.

Since you are using .Net 2.0, you could go one step further i.e. use Generics there you have a List<T> with which you can ensure the type safety and improved performance when compared to ArrayList.

Please let me know, did this helped 

Hi TimBue,

ArrayList is not sufficient and somehow eligent way to acomplish the task u want to do. U can use StringCollection for string Answers and Dictionary to store Question and Answers in StringCollection assuming that ur question strings are unique.

Just look at the following demo.

 

  Dim strQuestionList As New Dictionary(Of String, System.Collections.Specialized.StringCollection)
        Dim strAnswerList As New System.Collections.Specialized.StringCollection()
        strAnswerList.Add("Answer 1")
        strAnswerList.Add("Answer 2")
        strAnswerList.Add("Answer 3")
        strAnswerList.Add("Answer 4")
        strQuestionList.Add("Question 1", strAnswerList)

        strAnswerList = New System.Collections.Specialized.StringCollection()
        strAnswerList.Add("Answer 1")
        strAnswerList.Add("Answer 2")
        strQuestionList.Add("Question 2", strAnswerList)

        Dim enumQuestionList As Dictionary(Of String, System.Collections.Specialized.StringCollection).Enumerator = strQuestionList.GetEnumerator()
        While enumQuestionList.MoveNext()
            Dim strQuestion As String = enumQuestionList.Current.Key 'This Question u can add to Form Dynamically or whatever way u want
            'U can also add this RadioButtonList in Form too!!!
            Dim rdo1 As New RadioButtonList
            For Each ans As String In enumQuestionList.Current.Value
                rdo1.Items.Add(ans)
            Next
        End While

 

Thanks for the example, However in trying to define an instance of a dictionary in VB.NET 2005 through and ASP.NET 2.0 application, the system cannot seem to find the dictionary type.  Only the DictionaryEntry, and DictionarySectionHandler types are available and does not allow for parameters.  I was wondering you could recommend a remedy to this situation.

Sorry for late reply TimBue,

Well Dictionary Class is defined under System.Collections.Generic Namespace.

So u can use either Imports at the top of the Page or Directly use

Dim strQuestionList As New System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary(Of String, System.Collections.Specialized.StringCollection)