CODEWITHSUNDEEP
vb.netvisual-studio-2012
Rawr
Rawr

Reputation: 2224

Multidimensional array with both String and Integer in Visual Basic 2013

I'm wondering how to create a multidimensional array that can hold both Integers and Strings.

I'm creating an array to hold playing cards:

deck(0, 0) = 2
deck(0, 1) = Hearts

I'd also like to shuffle the array. What's the best way to do this?

Upvotes: 2

Views: 6510

Answers (2)

tinstaafl
tinstaafl

Reputation: 6948

Extending the idea of using a class, a class including an array of cards with a new constructor and a shuffle method will tidy things up:

Public Class Card
    Public Property Value As Integer = 0
    Public Property Suit As Suits
    Enum Suits
        Hearts = 1
        Clubs = 2
        Spades = 3
        Diamonds = 4
    End Enum
    Public Overrides Function ToString() As String
        Return Value.ToString + "of" + Suit.ToString
    End Function
End Class
Public Class Deck
    Public Shared Cards(51) As Card
    Shared Sub New()
        For I = 1 To 4
            Dim CurrentSuit = CType([Enum].ToObject(GetType(Card.Suits), I), Card.Suits)
            For J = 1 To 13
                Cards((((I - 1) * 13) + J) - 1) = New Card With {.Value = J, .Suit = CurrentSuit}
            Next
        Next
    End Sub
    Public Sub Shuffle()
        Dim rnd As New Random(Now.Millisecond)
        For i = 0 To 51
            Dim tempindex = rnd.Next(0, 52)
            Dim tempcard = Cards(tempindex)
            Cards(tempindex) = Cards(i)
            Cards(i) = tempcard
        Next
    End Sub
End Class

Dim CurrentDeck As New Deck() will initialize the deck will all the cards in order. Calling the Shuffle method will shuffle the cards ready for dealing(CurrentDeck.Shuffle).

Upvotes: 1

Guffa
Guffa

Reputation: 700612

You shouldn't use multidimensional arrays like that, for several reasons:

  • If you want to mix data types, the array type would be object, and you need to cast every value when you use them.

  • The relation between the values that belong together is just in the code that you write, so you have no help from the compiler to keep you from mixing values from different items.

  • The properties for an item is just identified by a number, it would be better to give it a name.

Create a custom class for the items:

Public Class Card

  Public Property Value As Integer
  Public Property Suit As String

End Class

Dim deck As New List(Of Card)

Or use one that exist:

Dim deck As New List(Of Tuple(Of Integer, String))

The Tuple class is easy to use as it already exists, however the names of the properties (Item1 and Item2) isn't very descriptive.

Upvotes: 2

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