Building a custom class in c#

Question

I haven't made a custom class before so this might not be possible, I want to read a number of text files and store certain information about them to be used throughout my program.

class text
    {
        public int IDnum { get; set; }
        public string file { get; set; }
        public int lineNum { get; set; }
        public string FileText { get; set; }
        public string lineType { get; set; }
    }

    List<text> listOne = new List<text>();
    internal void ReadFile()
    {
        try
        {
            int IDtype = 0;
            foreach (string x in resultFiles)
            {
                using (StreamReader sr = new StreamReader(x))
                {
                    string s;//text line

                    int LINECOUNT = 0;
                    string type = "not defined";
                    while ((s = sr.ReadLine()) != null)// this reads the line
                    {
                        if(s.Contains("COMPUTERNAME="))
                        {
                            type = "PC Name";
                        }

                        if (s.Contains("Original Install Date:     "))
                        {
                            type = "Original Install Date";
                        }
                        if (LINECOUNT==2)
                        {
                            type = "other Date";
                        }
                        if (s.Contains("DisplayName\"="))
                        {
                                type = "Add/Remove Programs";
                        }

                        text text1 = new text { IDnum = IDtype,  lineNum=LINECOUNT, file=x, FileText=s, lineType=type}; 
                        LINECOUNT++;
                        IDtype++;
                        listOne.Add(text1);
                    }

                    sr.Close();
                }
            }
            foreach(var x in listOne)
            {
                MessageBox.Show(x.ToString());
            }
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString());
        }
    }

However when I try to read the list it just returns the same value "names of program.name of class.text"

I have never built custom classes before can anyone point me to a website where I can learn more examples?

Thanks in advance for any advice :)

Answer 1

x.ToString() doesn't work because it's a type of your class and not string.

you can access the properties of the item

foreach (var x in listOne)
{
    MessageBox.Show(x.file + " " + x.FileText);
}

or override the ToString() method in your class - then you can use x.ToString()

class text
{
    public int IDnum { get; set; }
    public string file { get; set; }
    public int lineNum { get; set; }
    public string FileText { get; set; }
    public string lineType { get; set; }

    public override string ToString()
    {
        return string.Format("{0}, {1}", this.file, this.FileText);
    }
}

Answer 2

listOne is list of the class text , so in the loop you actually print the class name and not the content. You can print the content by calling the members you defined

foreach(var x in listOne)
{
     MessageBox.Show(x.IDnum + " " + x.file + ...);
}

As a side note, class names in C# should start with capital letter.

Answer 3

To use the ToString() method you have to override it eg in the following way:

class text
{
    public int IDnum { get; set; }
    public string file { get; set; }
    public int lineNum { get; set; }
    public string FileText { get; set; }
    public string lineType { get; set; }

    public override ToString()
    {
        return fileText; // return here whatever you want to use
    }
}

You use the ToString() to get information about your Test class instances. You will get a better result, if you implement the ToString like above, or use a property of the class.