C# Using array format with strings

[C#] Using array format with strings - Printable Version

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+---- Thread: [C#] Using array format with strings (/showthread.php?tid=4991215)

Using array format with strings - guycheap - Sep 17, 2015

Hey Everyone,

I'm still a relatively new C# programmer but I'd love to help other programmers who may not be familiar with something like this. This is a great way to organize stings in a format where it's easily accessible instead of having to scroll through a bunch of things, it also makes things like text to command easier. Without wasting time here's the format to get started:

Code 
string soandso = String.Format("",blah,blah);

To analyze this, we are first declaring the string soandso, after that we are setting a blank value for the string although that is not the purpose. Lastly we are using the array system to link something that's currently non existent 👹. Remember the array system starts with 0.

Let's take up a normal example of this:

Code 
string soandso = String.Format("Hi {0} How's it going? It's a {1} day out today huh?", "joe", "nice");

Remember since these aren't strings we will still use quotation marks to work with the values.

Now let's use this for user input from a textbox.

Code 
string soandso = String.Format("Hey {0} I'm {1}, I am {2} years old and currently live in {3}.", textbox1.text, textbox2.text, textbox3.text, textbox4.text);

That's all. Happy programming everyone.

* - BahNahNah - Sep 17, 2015

You can actually do a whole lot more with string.format.

Code 
decimal[] prices = new decimal[] {100m, 124.99m, 1.24m };

for(int i = 0; i < prices.Length; i++)

{

    Console.WriteLine("Index {0} {1, 12:C2}", i, prices[i]);

}

Will output:

Quote:Index 0 $100.00
Index 1 $124.99
Index 2 $1.24

It uses this formatting:

Quote:{index[,alignment][ :formatString] }

So for the "{1, 12:C2}" example:
The 1 is just getting the value at index 1 (like normal)
Then the ",12" is adding a 12 character spacing
Finally the ":C2" is formatting the number as currency to two decimal points.

You can also use the :formatString to pass in .ToString arguments.

Code 
Guid id = Guid.Empty;

Console.WriteLine("{0}", id);

Will output the standard id.ToString()

Quote:000000-0000-0000-0000-000000

But we can pass in some arguments

Code 
Guid id = Guid.Empty;

Console.WriteLine("{0:n}", id);

Console.WriteLine("{0:x}", id);

outputs

Quote:000000
{0x000000,0x0000,0x0000,{0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00}}

just like this would:

Code 
Console.WriteLine(id.ToString("n"));

Console.WriteLine(id.ToString("x"));

More: MSDN

* - Odus - Sep 18, 2015

BahNahNah beat me to it, there's a lot more you can do with Format. Buuut with C# 6.0 we get some cool new interpolation sugar:

Code 
string name = "Odus";

int age = 9;

Console.WriteLine("Hey my name is \{name} and I'm \{age} years old!");

* - guycheap - Sep 18, 2015

Excellent examples guys. I'll be sure to add them all in the OP when I'm home :).

* - Carlsson94 - Sep 18, 2015

You can also use string interpolation.
This

Code 
string soandso = String.Format("Hi {0} How's it going? It's a {1} day out today huh?", "joe", "nice");

Could look like

Code 
string soandso = $"Hi {"joe"} How's it going? It's a {"nice"} day out today huh?";