The following code example creates an empty Dictionary of strings with string keys and uses the Add method to add some elements. The example demonstrates that the Add method throws an ArgumentException when attempting to add a duplicate key.
The example uses the Item property (the indexer in C#) to retrieve values, demonstrating that a KeyNotFoundException is thrown when a requested key is not present, and showing that the value associated with a key can be replaced.
The example shows how to use the TryGetValue method as a more efficient way to retrieve values if a program often must try key values that are not in the dictionary, and it shows how to use the ContainsKey method to test whether a key exists before calling the Add method.
The example shows how to enumerate the keys and values in the dictionary and how to enumerate the keys and values alone using the Keys property and the Values property.
Finally, the example demonstrates the Remove method.
Imports System
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Public Class Example
Public Shared Sub Main()
' Create a new dictionary of strings, with string keys.
'
Dim openWith As New Dictionary(Of String, String)
' Add some elements to the dictionary. There are no
' duplicate keys, but some of the values are duplicates.
openWith.Add("txt", "notepad.exe")
openWith.Add("bmp", "paint.exe")
openWith.Add("dib", "paint.exe")
openWith.Add("rtf", "wordpad.exe")
' The Add method throws an exception if the new key is
' already in the dictionary.
Try
openWith.Add("txt", "winword.exe")
Catch
Console.WriteLine("An element with Key = ""txt"" already exists.")
End Try
' The Item property is the default property, so you
' can omit its name when accessing elements.
Console.WriteLine("For key = ""rtf"", value = {0}.", _
openWith("rtf"))
' The default Item property can be used to change the value
' associated with a key.
openWith("rtf") = "winword.exe"
Console.WriteLine("For key = ""rtf"", value = {0}.", _
openWith("rtf"))
' If a key does not exist, setting the default Item property
' for that key adds a new key/value pair.
openWith("doc") = "winword.exe"
' The default Item property throws an exception if the requested
' key is not in the dictionary.
Try
Console.WriteLine("For key = ""tif"", value = {0}.", _
openWith("tif"))
Catch
Console.WriteLine("Key = ""tif"" is not found.")
End Try
' When a program often has to try keys that turn out not to
' be in the dictionary, TryGetValue can be a more efficient
' way to retrieve values.
Dim value As String = ""
If openWith.TryGetValue("tif", value) Then
Console.WriteLine("For key = ""tif"", value = {0}.", value)
Else
Console.WriteLine("Key = ""tif"" is not found.")
End If
' ContainsKey can be used to test keys before inserting
' them.
If Not openWith.ContainsKey("ht") Then
openWith.Add("ht", "hypertrm.exe")
Console.WriteLine("Value added for key = ""ht"": {0}", _
openWith("ht"))
End If
' When you use foreach to enumerate dictionary elements,
' the elements are retrieved as KeyValuePair objects.
Console.WriteLine()
For Each kvp As KeyValuePair(Of String, String) In openWith
Console.WriteLine("Key = {0}, Value = {1}", _
kvp.Key, kvp.Value)
Next kvp
' To get the values alone, use the Values property.
Dim valueColl As _
Dictionary(Of String, String).ValueCollection = _
openWith.Values
' The elements of the ValueCollection are strongly typed
' with the type that was specified for dictionary values.
Console.WriteLine()
For Each s As String In valueColl
Console.WriteLine("Value = {0}", s)
Next s
' To get the keys alone, use the Keys property.
Dim keyColl As _
Dictionary(Of String, String).KeyCollection = _
openWith.Keys
' The elements of the KeyCollection are strongly typed
' with the type that was specified for dictionary keys.
Console.WriteLine()
For Each s As String In keyColl
Console.WriteLine("Key = {0}", s)
Next s
' Use the Remove method to remove a key/value pair.
Console.WriteLine(vbLf + "Remove(""doc"")")
openWith.Remove("doc")
If Not openWith.ContainsKey("doc") Then
Console.WriteLine("Key ""doc"" is not found.")
End If
End Sub
End Class
' This code example produces the following output:
'
'An element with Key = "txt" already exists.
'For key = "rtf", value = wordpad.exe.
'For key = "rtf", value = winword.exe.
'Key = "tif" is not found.
'Key = "tif" is not found.
'Value added for key = "ht": hypertrm.exe
'
'Key = txt, Value = notepad.exe
'Key = bmp, Value = paint.exe
'Key = dib, Value = paint.exe
'Key = rtf, Value = winword.exe
'Key = doc, Value = winword.exe
'Key = ht, Value = hypertrm.exe
'
'Value = notepad.exe
'Value = paint.exe
'Value = paint.exe
'Value = winword.exe
'Value = winword.exe
'Value = hypertrm.exe
'
'Key = txt
'Key = bmp
'Key = dib
'Key = rtf
'Key = doc
'Key = ht
'
'Remove("doc")
'Key "doc" is not found.
'
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
public class Example
{
public static void Main()
{
// Create a new dictionary of strings, with string keys.
//
Dictionary<string, string> openWith =
new Dictionary<string, string>();
// Add some elements to the dictionary. There are no
// duplicate keys, but some of the values are duplicates.
openWith.Add("txt", "notepad.exe");
openWith.Add("bmp", "paint.exe");
openWith.Add("dib", "paint.exe");
openWith.Add("rtf", "wordpad.exe");
// The Add method throws an exception if the new key is
// already in the dictionary.
try
{
openWith.Add("txt", "winword.exe");
}
catch (ArgumentException)
{
Console.WriteLine("An element with Key = \"txt\" already exists.");
}
// The Item property is another name for the indexer, so you
// can omit its name when accessing elements.
Console.WriteLine("For key = \"rtf\", value = {0}.",
openWith["rtf"]);
// The indexer can be used to change the value associated
// with a key.
openWith["rtf"] = "winword.exe";
Console.WriteLine("For key = \"rtf\", value = {0}.",
openWith["rtf"]);
// If a key does not exist, setting the indexer for that key
// adds a new key/value pair.
openWith["doc"] = "winword.exe";
// The indexer throws an exception if the requested key is
// not in the dictionary.
try
{
Console.WriteLine("For key = \"tif\", value = {0}.",
openWith["tif"]);
}
catch (KeyNotFoundException)
{
Console.WriteLine("Key = \"tif\" is not found.");
}
// When a program often has to try keys that turn out not to
// be in the dictionary, TryGetValue can be a more efficient
// way to retrieve values.
string value = "";
if (openWith.TryGetValue("tif", out value))
{
Console.WriteLine("For key = \"tif\", value = {0}.", value);
}
else
{
Console.WriteLine("Key = \"tif\" is not found.");
}
// ContainsKey can be used to test keys before inserting
// them.
if (!openWith.ContainsKey("ht"))
{
openWith.Add("ht", "hypertrm.exe");
Console.WriteLine("Value added for key = \"ht\": {0}",
openWith["ht"]);
}
// When you use foreach to enumerate dictionary elements,
// the elements are retrieved as KeyValuePair objects.
Console.WriteLine();
foreach( KeyValuePair<string, string> kvp in openWith )
{
Console.WriteLine("Key = {0}, Value = {1}",
kvp.Key, kvp.Value);
}
// To get the values alone, use the Values property.
Dictionary<string, string>.ValueCollection valueColl =
openWith.Values;
// The elements of the ValueCollection are strongly typed
// with the type that was specified for dictionary values.
Console.WriteLine();
foreach( string s in valueColl )
{
Console.WriteLine("Value = {0}", s);
}
// To get the keys alone, use the Keys property.
Dictionary<string, string>.KeyCollection keyColl =
openWith.Keys;
// The elements of the KeyCollection are strongly typed
// with the type that was specified for dictionary keys.
Console.WriteLine();
foreach( string s in keyColl )
{
Console.WriteLine("Key = {0}", s);
}
// Use the Remove method to remove a key/value pair.
Console.WriteLine("\nRemove(\"doc\")");
openWith.Remove("doc");
if (!openWith.ContainsKey("doc"))
{
Console.WriteLine("Key \"doc\" is not found.");
}
}
}
/* This code example produces the following output:
An element with Key = "txt" already exists.
For key = "rtf", value = wordpad.exe.
For key = "rtf", value = winword.exe.
Key = "tif" is not found.
Key = "tif" is not found.
Value added for key = "ht": hypertrm.exe
Key = txt, Value = notepad.exe
Key = bmp, Value = paint.exe
Key = dib, Value = paint.exe
Key = rtf, Value = winword.exe
Key = doc, Value = winword.exe
Key = ht, Value = hypertrm.exe
Value = notepad.exe
Value = paint.exe
Value = paint.exe
Value = winword.exe
Value = winword.exe
Value = hypertrm.exe
Key = txt
Key = bmp
Key = dib
Key = rtf
Key = doc
Key = ht
Remove("doc")
Key "doc" is not found.
*/
