Chapter 5. ARRAYS AND COLLECTIONS

IN BRIEF

This chapter explains and demonstrates the different types of arrays and collections that are available in the .NET Framework. In the first section, you will learn about the different Array types and how to use each one. Next, you will learn the basics of the .NET Collection classes and how to iterate through the collections. Finally, you will learn how to create you own collection by descending from System.Collections.CollectionBase.

WHAT YOU NEED

RECOMMENDED SOFTWARE	.NET Framework C# .NET environment
RECOMMENDED HARDWARE	.NET-enabled desktop client
SKILLS REQUIRED	C# coding

ARRAYS AND COLLECTIONS AT A GLANCE

Using Arrays		93
	Understanding Single-Dimensional and Multidimensional Arrays	93	Explaining Jagged Arrays	95
			Passing Arrays as Parameters	96
Collection Basics		98
	Understanding the Basic Collection Interfaces	98	Iterating Through Collections	98
Collections Provided by the Base Class Libraries		99
	Using an ArrayList	100	Using a BitArray	103
	Using a Stack	101	Using the Queue	104
	Using a Hashtable	102	Using a SortedList	106
Creating Custom Collections		107
	Implementing the CollectionBase Class	107	Creating a AddressList Collection	107
Summary		109
Further Reading		110