Concatenating two variables into a single variable

Question

I am loading a txt file that I can split each row into an array (using "|" as the delimiter) using the split function.

However each row has a different number of elements within the array, so I cannot make a 2D array.

I'd like to somehow be able to combine a text string and an integer into a new variable.

    Dim i As Integer = 0

    Dim "row" & i As String = StringinRowi

To give

row0 = StringinRow0

And then loop this as many times as there are lines within the text file (I got this figured out)

Is this at all possible?

Answer 1

A 2D array might not work but a 2D List would work. Declare the list,

Dim data As New List(Of List(Of String))

Then cast the Split return .ToList.

data.Add(readlinestring.Split("|"c).ToList)

Now each row will be an index of data and will contain a list of strings also indexed. Since everything is indexed, this should obviate the need for numbered variables.

Answer 2

Use a DataTable . They're awesome.

Imports System.IO

Public Class Form1

  Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
    Dim dtbData As New DataTable

    Dim strFilename As String = "C:\Junk\Junk.txt"
    Using sr As New StreamReader(strFilename)
      Do Until sr.EndOfStream
        Dim strLine As String = sr.ReadLine()
        Dim strFields() As String = Split(strLine, "|")
        For i As Integer = dtbData.Columns.Count To strFields.GetUpperBound(0) 'add new columns if necessary
          dtbData.Columns.Add("Column" + i.ToString)
        Next i
        dtbData.Rows.Add(strFields)
      Loop
      MsgBox("Row 2 Column 1 = " & dtbData.Rows(1).Item("Column1").ToString)
    End Using

  End Sub
End Class