C# interpret string as variable name

[ironfistchamp]

Hey all,

New language for me this C#, have to use it for my course at Uni. Anyway I have come to a situation where the perfect solution would be if I could interpret a string as a variable name.

Example

int myInteger = 10;
string varName = "myInteger";

int returnFunc(string varName)
{
    return <whatever variable has a name the same as the value in varName>
}

Any ideas? It would be great if this is actually possible.

Thanks

Ironfistchamp

[ryno519]

I'm not sure where this kind of approach would ever be considered a perfect solution, but it is possible. I quickly coded up the following example of how to do something like this.

using System;

namespace Test
{
	class MainClass
	{
		public int myInteger = 7;
		
		public void Test()
		{
                       // Grabs the integer by the variables name
			int test = (int)this.GetType().GetField("myInteger").GetValue(this);
			
			Console.WriteLine(test);
		}
		
		public static void Main(string[] args)
		{
			MainClass mc = new MainClass();
			
			mc.Test();
		}
	}
}

[aks44]

I have come to a situation where the perfect solution would be if I could interpret a string as a variable name.

Sorry, I don't know C# so I have no idea how to do it (if it's even possible), but may I suggest that you have a design problem here?


More info about your real goal may help to sort it out...

[ryno519]

Sorry, I don't know C# so I have no idea how to do it (if it's even possible), but may I suggest that you have a design problem here?


More info about your real goal may help to sort it out...

I would have to agree here, I can't see a situation where it would be preferable to access a variable in this way. If you tell us what you are trying to do we might be able to recommend you a better way to solve the problem at hand.

[CptPicard]

IMO the solution you're really looking for is a key-value map, if you really need to do something like this... does C#'s API come with hashmaps or treemaps like Java's?

[skeeterbug]

IMO the solution you're really looking for is a key-value map, if you really need to do something like this... does C#'s API come with hashmaps or treemaps like Java's?

using System.Collections.Generic;

public class SomeClass
{
private Dictionary<string, int> list = new Dictionary<string, int>();

        public int GetValue(string varName)
        {
            return list[varName];
        }

        public void SetValue(string varName, int value)
        {
            list.Add( varName, value );
        }
}

[ironfistchamp]

Ah it's OK now. Talked with a programmer friend of mine and he sorted me right out. Thanks for the replies.

Ironfistchamp