VS2010 Return multiple types from functions

[kareninstructor]

There are several ways to return multiple values from a function which range from using ByRef parameters in the function signature, arrays, classes, structures or working in tangent with global variables. VS2010 offers yet another alternate method using a new generic class called Tuple. Using Tuples if not careful as implemented in VS2010 can very well make code not easy to read/understand as the parameters can not be named or aliased. In general to return multiple values of the same type an array should be suffice as in figure 1. If you need to return multiple values of more than one type a structure (see figure 2) might be your cup of tea or a class (see figure 3). Creating the function in figure 2 and 3 without the structure or class defined VS IDE will provide an option to generate the type for you with various options so you need not have the classes already defined. On a side note, if the class will be used to populate say a DataGridView the order of the properties will also be the order of the DataGridView columns, no different than the order returned from an SQL statement.

So where do Tuples fit in? One place might be where it is overkill to create a structure or class even though as stated above the class or structure can be auto-generated for you which would be my choice yet if you want you can create a function using Tuples that returns various types as shown in figure 4. Another usage might be to populate a DataGridView on the fly where normally in a loop we might use

DataGridView1.Rows.Add(New Object() {100, "Katrina Gallagher", #8/2/1988#})

Or with Tuples which will make the row read-only

DataGridView1.Rows.Add(New Tuple(Of Integer, String, Date)(100, "Katrina Gallagher", #8/2/1988#))

It is all about what fits your needs in the end. Personally with how easy it is to create stub classes this would be my method of choice to return more than one type from a function.

Figure 1

        Dim Values() As Integer = GetDateInformation_Array(Now)
        Console.WriteLine("Month: {0} - Day: {1} - Year: {2} - Week: {3}",
                          Values(0),
                          Values(1),
                          Values(2),
                          Values(3))

    Private Function GetDateInformation_Array(ByVal sender As Date) As Integer()
        Dim Result(3) As Integer

        Dim Week As Integer = DatePart(DateInterval.WeekOfYear,
                                       sender,
                                       FirstDayOfWeek.System,
                                       FirstWeekOfYear.FirstFullWeek)

        Result(0) = sender.Month
        Result(1) = sender.Day
        Result(2) = sender.Year
        Result(3) = Week

        Return Result

    End Function

Figure 2

        Dim StructInfo As DateStruct = GetDateInformation_Structure(Now)
        Console.WriteLine("Month: {0} - Day: {1} - Year: {2} - Week: {3}",
                          StructInfo.Month,
                          StructInfo.Day,
                          StructInfo.Year,
                          StructInfo.Week)
    Public Function GetDateInformation_Structure(ByVal sender As Date) As DateStruct
        Dim Result As New DateStruct

        Dim Week As Integer = DatePart(DateInterval.WeekOfYear,
                                       sender,
                                       FirstDayOfWeek.System,
                                       FirstWeekOfYear.FirstFullWeek)

        Result.Month = sender.Month
        Result.Day = sender.Day
        Result.Year = sender.Year
        Result.Week = Week

        Return Result

    End Function

Figure 3

        Dim ClassDateInfo As DateClass = GetDateInformation_Class(Now)
        Console.WriteLine("Month: {0} - Day: {1} - Year: {2} - Week: {3}",
                          ClassDateInfo.Month,
                          ClassDateInfo.Day,
                          ClassDateInfo.Year,
                          ClassDateInfo.Week)
    Public Function GetDateInformation_Class(ByVal sender As Date) As DateClass
        Dim Result As New DateClass

        Dim Week As Integer = DatePart(DateInterval.WeekOfYear,
                                       sender, FirstDayOfWeek.System,
                                       FirstWeekOfYear.FirstFullWeek)

        Result.Month = sender.Month
        Result.Day = sender.Day
        Result.Year = sender.Year
        Result.Week = Week

        Return Result
    End Function

Figure 4

        Dim TupleDemo = GetDetails(10)
        If TupleDemo.Item4 Then
            Console.WriteLine("First={0} Last={1} Age={2}",
                              TupleDemo.Item1,
                              TupleDemo.Item2,
                              TupleDemo.Item3)
        End If
    Public Function GetDetails(ByVal Identifier As Integer) _
        As Tuple(Of String, String, Integer, Boolean)

        Select Case Identifier
            Case 10
                Return Tuple.Create("Kevin", "Gallagher", 53, True)
            Case 20
                Return Tuple.Create("Mary", "Hall", 50, True)
            Case Else
                Return Tuple.Create("", "", 0, False)
        End Select

    End Function

[Ash.Burlaczenko]

Does anyone know I time when using tuples would be better used over classes or structures. I'd like to think time wasn't wasted developing a method that has know benefits over another.

Kevin, Great explanation. Post rated.