如何从文本文件中获取数据并将其拆分为数组？

Question

I have a project where I need to split data from a text file into an array or an "array of structure" as my professor said, and I'm pretty confused as to how to go about doing it.

Basically I have data arranged like this in a text file (doesn't have to be like this.. can be one thing per line):

PR214;MR43T;RBL8;14K22
PR223;R43;RJ6;14K24
PR224;R43N;RN4;14K30
PR246;R46N;RN8;14K32
PR247;R46TS;RBL17Y;14K33
PR248;R46TX;RBL12-6;14K35
PR324;S46;J11;14K38
PR326;SR46E;XEJ8;14K40
PR444;47L;H12;14K44

The numbers in the first column (PR...) represent a CCC number. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th columns represent part numbers for three different companies (column 2 is one company, column 3 another, etc). The user will tell me the company, and the part number under the company by selecting a radio button and then typing in the part (ie company 3, and "RJ6") and then I'm supposed to give the customer the CCC number ("PR223").

I'm not asking you guys to do my homework for me but I have a hard time grasping arrays. Could you point me in the right as to how to go about doing this?

Answer 1

The other answers are correct. You read in each line from the text file and insert the values into a structure defined by your data. For each new line you need to use an instance of the structure, so you do that be making an array of structures which just a group of structures.

If you are struggling understanding arrays, you really need to work on that. Think of arrays like group of boxes. Let's start with 3 boxes in row. Each is the same size and can only hold what fits inside them. You can assigned type of item (data) to the boxes but all the boxes can only hold that type of item. The boxes are numbered from 0 to 2. In some languages, you can name the boxes (an associative array) but not in C# AFAIK. So that gives you a one dimensional array.

For two dimensonal array think of a Chess board. Do you know how to record a chess match? Chess notation uses A to H for the horizontal position and 1 to 8 for the vertical position. So the white queen starts in position D1. Now if I was programming a chess game I would use and 8x8 array just like the chess board. Of course the numbering on my array will be 0-7 across the top and 0-7 up the side. The Position of the white queen in my array would then be [3][0]. So placing data in a two dimensional array is like placing piece on a chess board. The game battleship is another example of a 2 dimensional array.

Adding dimensions to your array is like adding a new coordinate to your graph. You start with X , then you add Y and they add Z . So on and so forth.

Answer 2

You can use the ReadLine method of a StreamReader to read your file one line at a time. Then you can use the String.Split(char[]) method to get a string array of the values in each line. If you already know how to make structures you should be set.

Answer 3

If you look at each line of data there's a common delimiter between the 'columns', so you want to get each line split into four separate entities. As you work line by line and get those four discrete elements should can assign each to the appropriate part of the structure. You'll of course have one 'structure' for each line, so an array of structure here at the end.