Question

In C#, I have a string array of values. However, based on a parameter, the array should not include two of the values, but include all the same other values. What’s the proper way to approach this? (I could use a list…but I’m hoping there’s a better way)

Example code:

bool msettingvalue=false;
string[] settings;
if(msettingvalue)
    settings = new string[]{
        "setting1","1",
        "setting2","apple",
        "msetting","true"};
else
    settings = new string[]{
        "setting1","1",
        "setting2","apple"};
//code that goes through settings

What’s the proper way to assign the array to settings. All the values will be same, it’s that if the msettingvalue is false, it should include certain settings.
(You may change the title if you think of a better one).

Edit1
Ideally, I’d like to stay with a string[] array vs a dictionary as its faster…and I’m iterating through the array in order so I don’t need a key index.

Edit2
I’ve asked a followup question in hopes of there being a way to use an inline conditional for this.

Answer 1

If you really don’t want to use dictionary, you can do take this function:

    private static string[] AddSettings(ref string[] settings, params string[] SettingsToAdd)
    {                   
        int length = SettingsToAdd.Length;

        if (length%2 !=0)
        {
            throw new ArgumentException("Invalid number of elements");
        }

        int OldLength = settings.Length;
        int NewLength = settings.Length + length;
        Array.Resize(ref settings, NewLength);
        for (int i = OldLength; i < NewLength; i++)
        {
            settings[i] = SettingsToAdd[i - OldLength];
        }
        return settings;
    }

EDIT: Or this version, based on an answer of your other post:

    private static string[] AddSettings(ref string[] settings, params string[] SettingsToAdd)
    {                   
        int length = SettingsToAdd.Length;

        if (length%2 !=0)
        {
            throw new ArgumentException("Invalid number of elements");
        }
        else
            return settings.Concat(SettingsToAdd).ToArray();
    }

and its use:

        bool msettingvalue = true;
        string[] settings;
        settings = new string[]{
            "setting1","1",
            "setting2","apple"};
        if (msettingvalue)
        {
            settings= AddSettings(ref settings,"setting1", "value1", "setting2", "value2", "setting3", "value3");
        }

You can then add as many values as you wish, and the count must be a multiple of 2, if not, it throws an exception