Need help displaying an item in a list by via name

[James890]

Hi. Can someone help.
I'm working with a list (not a listBox)
I have a list of staff called staffList and add a new staff member as staffList.add(staff), where staff is an object containing the staff members name and salary.

I have a staff class and a staffList class for methods and form1.

I want to be able to display a staff member from the list by entering the name (via an inputBox).
I can do it by index/ position in the list, but I want to do it by name.
How can I do this? By searching the list until I find a match? Do I use a boolean in a while statement, or a For...statement???

I tried this:

dim length as integer
dim index as integer
dim found as boolean
dim staffWanted as string

length = staffList.items.count
staffWanted = inputBox("enter staff name")

found = false
index=0
While (found = false) And (index < length)
If staffList.items(index) = staffWanted Then
found = true
staffList.RemoveAt(wanted)
Else:
index = index + 1
End If
End While

But it won't work as it won't accept staffList.items or (index). I think that must be because you use those with listBoxes but not lists.

That's probably because staff is an object and thus comprises of two things, so you cannot say If staffList.items(index) = staffWanted .

Instead you have to create a method to match just the name.

I don't know if the below link helps
http://www.vbdotnetheaven.com/UploadFile/camurphy/VB.NetLists11142006230335PM/VB.NetLists.aspx

Let me know if you need code...

[edit] looks like the fool who wrote that article didn't test it properly, List<person>people = new List<person>(); clearly isn't vb.net!

[James890]

Could do with some code if can help.
I looked at the link but I can't see how to adapt it to my situation to find one match in the list.

Something like this:-

Public Class Form1

    Private al As New ArrayList()

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click

        Dim val As Staff

        Dim k As Integer

        Dim i As Integer = 0
        For Each val In al
            If val.theName.Equals(TextBox1.Text) Then
                MsgBox("Found and removed,their salary is " & val.theSalary)
                k = i
                i = i + 1

            End If

            i = i + 1
        Next
        
        al.RemoveAt(k)

        For Each val In al
            MsgBox(val.theName)
        Next

    End Sub


    Public Class Staff
        Private name As String
        Private salary As Double
        Public Sub New(ByVal n As String, ByVal s As Double)
            name = n
            salary = s
        End Sub

        Public ReadOnly Property theName() As String
            Get
                Return name
            End Get
        End Property

        Public ReadOnly Property theSalary() As Decimal
            Get
                Return salary
            End Get
        End Property
    End Class


    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load

        al.Add(New Staff("Gibson", 12.39))
        al.Add(New Staff("Fender", 130.21))
        al.Add(New Staff("Guild", 2382.21))
    End Sub
End Class

And the form

[James890]

That doesn't work.
My private statement is:

Private theList as new employeeList()

not arrayList.
And it doesn't like the bit dim val as Staff
as I have dim anEmployee as New Employee()

Could I email you my code rather than put it all up here? And maybe it'd be easier for you to spot my problem.

Something like this:-

Public Class Form1

    Private al As New ArrayList()

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click

        Dim val As Staff

        Dim k As Integer

        Dim i As Integer = 0
        For Each val In al
            If val.theName.Equals(TextBox1.Text) Then
                MsgBox("Found and removed,their salary is " & val.theSalary)
                k = i
                i = i + 1

            End If

            i = i + 1
        Next
        
        al.RemoveAt(k)

        For Each val In al
            MsgBox(val.theName)
        Next

    End Sub


    Public Class Staff
        Private name As String
        Private salary As Double
        Public Sub New(ByVal n As String, ByVal s As Double)
            name = n
            salary = s
        End Sub

        Public ReadOnly Property theName() As String
            Get
                Return name
            End Get
        End Property

        Public ReadOnly Property theSalary() As Decimal
            Get
                Return salary
            End Get
        End Property
    End Class


    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load

        al.Add(New Staff("Gibson", 12.39))
        al.Add(New Staff("Fender", 130.21))
        al.Add(New Staff("Guild", 2382.21))
    End Sub
End Class

It works on vb.net 2005, if you are using something else then I'm afraid I can't help you.

The arrayList would be just as flexible as a list. I'm quite busy so I won't be able to look at your code. Sorry. That's all I can offer.

[James890]

that's ok. Appreciate your help anyhow.