Question

List<authorinfo> aif = new List<authorinfo>();
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++)
{
    aif.Add(null);
}
aif[0] = new authorinfo("The Count of Monte Cristo", "Alexandre", "Dumas", 1844);
aif[1] = new authorinfo("Rendezvous with Rama", "Arthur", "Clark", 1972);
aif[2] = new authorinfo("The Three Musketeers", "Alexandre", "Dumas", 1844);
aif[3] = new authorinfo("Robinson Crusoe", "Daniel", "Defoe", 1719);
aif[4] = new authorinfo("2001: A Space Odyssey", "Arthur", "Clark", 1968); 
//authorinfo ai = new authorinfo("The Count of Monte Cristo", "Alexandre", "Dumas", 1844); 
foreach (authorinfo i in aif)
{
    Console.WriteLine(i);
}

Okay the thing is, when i remove the for-loop at the top the program wont start, why? Because i need to add null to the list.

I know I’m doing this the wrong way. I just want the aif[0-4] to be there, it doesn’t make sense that i have to add null objects to not get an outofrange error.

Help please?

Answer 1

Just add the new object instances themselves:

  List<authorinfo> aif = new List<authorinfo>();
  aif.Add(new authorinfo("The Count of Monte Cristo", "Alexandre", "Dumas", 1844));
  //... and so on

Right now you are using null as a placeholder element which you then overwrite using the indexer – you don’t have to do this (nor should you).

As an alternative and if you know your list elements in advance you could also use the collection initializer:

  List<authorinfo> aif = new List<authorinfo>()
  {
     new authorinfo("The Count of Monte Cristo", "Alexandre", "Dumas", 1844),
     new authorinfo("Rendezvous with Rama", "Arthur", "Clark", 1972),
     new authorinfo("The Three Musketeers", "Alexandre", "Dumas", 1844)
  };