How do I create a 2d array in my class that stores names and prices as strings in C#?

Question

How do I create a 2d array in my class that stores names and prices as strings? And how do I make it accessible from my form without using an object? So far I have the following in my class.

class Name
{
    public string SpecialCakeName()
    {
        string[,] strSpecialCakeName = new string[4, 2];

        strSpecialCakeName[0, 0] = " ";
        strSpecialCakeName[0, 1] = " ";
        strSpecialCakeName[1, 0] = " ";
        strSpecialCakeName[1, 1] = " ";
        strSpecialCakeName[2, 0] = " ";
        strSpecialCakeName[2, 1] = " ";
        strSpecialCakeName[3, 0] = " ";
        strSpecialCakeName[3, 1] = " ";

        return strSpecialCakeName[0,0];
    }
}

However, I don't know that this is even the right approach. Also how would I be able to access this array without using something like 'Name cakeName = new Name();'in my form?

Answer 1

I suggest a Dictionary object. Using strings to store price information is a bad idea. A Dictionary<string,decimal> will allow you map a string cake name to a decimal price without needing to define a whole custom object (though, really, that may be what you need here).

To access the dictionary without needing an instance of your class, build it like this:

public class Names
{
    private static Dictionary<string, decimal> _specialCakes = new Dictionary<string,decimal>{
                {"Cake 1", 1.00m},
                {"Cake 2", 2.50m},
                {"Cake 3", 4.00m}
          };

    public static Dictionary<string, decimal> SpecialCakes {
           get {return _specialCakes;}
    }
}

Now you can look up a price like this:

decimal Cake1Price = Names.SpecialCakes["Cake 1"];

Or loop through a list of all cake names like this:

foreach(string name in Names.SpecialCakes.Keys)
{
    //and within the loop reference a price for that cake like this:
    decimal currentPrice = Names.SpecialCakes[name];
}

Answer 2

Make it static:

public static string SpecialCakeName()
{
...
}

then you can call it using class type:

string[,] names = Name.SpecialCakeName();

Answer 3

Use Dictionary instead.

Dictionary<string, decimal> strSpecialCakeName = new Dictionary<string, decimal>();
strSpecialCakeName.Add({"somename", 100/*some decimal price*/});