Want a key value collection that maintains ordering

[Bruce Wood]

Going back to your original post...

is there a key value collection in .Net that maintains the
ordering in which I add items.

I would prefer just to use some collection that
maintains the ordering in which I add things (like ArrayList), but that
maps a key to a value.

So... this isn't exactly what you want after all. What you want is
something that maps a _multi-part_ key onto a value, or perhaps stores
values in a hierarchical structure but also in insertion order? Your
solution isn't "simpler" than mine... rather, it solves a different
problem.

Since your original post doesn't completely state your problem, could
you restate the problem so that we understand, completely, what it is
that you need to do?

 

[illegal.prime]

I seem to have offended you - sorry for that.

I have always wanted the same thing, but you're right I could have
provided more details on what I want.

I still want a "key value collection in .Net that maintains the
ordering in which I add items. I would prefer just to use some
collection that maintains the ordering in which I add things (like
ArrayList), but that maps a key to a value."

However, this key value collection also needs to be able to hold a
hierarchy of collections. Therefore, the values need to be able to be
traversed - since they values could themselves be key value
collections.

I have a working solution, if not an efficient one. I'm just surprised
that short of getting .Net 2 there is no generic solution.

Thanks,
Novice

 

[Bruce Wood]

Don't worry. You didn't offend me. I was just pointing out that your
requirements seemed to have changed, in hopes of getting more details.

Your solution may be efficient enough if there are few elements in your
collection. If there are very many, though, you may want to implement
Brian Gideon's class and then just use a hierarchy of them.

I don't believe that there's a generic solution even in .NET 2.0
(unless I missed something in the conversation). Yours isn't a very
common requirement: most people want either a straight hash or a
_sorted_ list of items with quick access by key.

 

[Brian Gideon]

Your solution may be efficient enough if there are few elements in your
collection. If there are very many, though, you may want to implement
Brian Gideon's class and then just use a hierarchy of them.

I should give credit where credit is due. It isn't actually my class.
Someone else wrote that article