Search Array List With Structure

Help Please---I'm a teacher and I wrote a program to help my students work on their reading skills--the gist of the problem is I have a a group of words being read into a structure then added to an array list--ReadWordList is the structure ReadWord is the array list. ---see snippet below

While mReader1.Read
With ReadWordList 'fill structure first
.Item = mReader1.GetString(1) 'word
.Sounds = mReader1.GetString(2) 'word divided into sounds
.Syll = mReader1.GetString(3) 'word divided by syllables
End With

ReadWord.Add(ReadWordList) 'fill array list with structure
End While

I know the array list gets filled and can access the structure ---problem ---how do I search for a specific word in the ReadWord array list?

I used the following function call but it won't work

Function FindTheSeekWord(ByVal stWord As String) As String
Dim i As Integer
i = ReadWord.IndexOf(stWord)
If i >= 0 Then
Return ReadWord(i).sound
Else
MessageBox.Show("no Match")
End If
End Function

any suggestions??

I think you migh be making the job harder. If you are going to use an ArrayList, then you need a structure. Just read the words in the ArrayList, then you can go like this

VB Code:

If (ReadWord.Contains("Word")) Then
    MessageBox.Show("Word found")
End If

Thanks for the response---however the code worked only when I supplied all parts of the structure (Item, SoundDiv, SyllDiv)--is there a way to search an array list when only a part of the structure is provided?

In my program the student sees a sentence, clicks on a word they do not know --the selected texts can be found in the array list divided into sounds and into syllables--and I want the entire structure returned

Any help?

Thanks

I think I solved my own problem with the function below---but will it be too slow and is there a faster/easier solution

Function FindTheSeekWord(ByVal stWord As String) As String
Dim i As Integer
Dim stCompare As String

For i = 0 To ReadWord.Count - 1
stCompare = ReadWord(i).Item.ToString
If stCompare = stWord Then
MessageBox.Show("Got it")
Return ReadWord(i).Item.ToString & "QQQ" & ReadWord(i).Sounds.ToString & "QQQ" & ReadWord(i).Syll.ToString & "QQQ"
Exit Function
End If
Next

Return MessageBox.Show("No Match")
End Function

I'll use the split function at the "QQQ" on the form

If you have a faster way --please inform
Thanks
Rick

Do you have to use an ArrayList? If you use a SortedList or Hashtable, you can use the word as the key when adding items. This makes it much easier and faster when retrieving items by word.

The hashtable seek with the word as the key works great seeking for an item ---now the dumb question---how do I get the object out of the Hash Table

Dim element As Object

If HelpTable.ContainsKey(stWord) Then
element = HelpTable.Item(stWord)
ProcessTheLetter(element(0).ToString ?????)
ProcessTheSyllables(element(1).ToString ????)
Exit Sub
End If
I want a retrieve a string so I can process it in a function

Please help
Rick

.ToString is a .net function that won't work in VB6 or under. I'm not sure which language you are suing to do this.

If yer using VB it would be

ProcessTheLetter(element(0))
ProcessTheSyllables(element(1))

assuming those are functions and return a value you would say

TheLetter = ProcessTheLetter(element(0))
TheSyllable = ProcessTheSyllables(element(1))

Ofcourse i could be way off base since i'm not sure i follow exactly what you are doing here.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by rcam
The hashtable seek with the word as the key works great seeking for an item ---now the dumb question---how do I get the object out of the Hash Table

Dim element As Object

If HelpTable.ContainsKey(stWord) Then
element = HelpTable.Item(stWord)
ProcessTheLetter(element(0).ToString ?????)
ProcessTheSyllables(element(1).ToString ????)
Exit Sub
End If
I want a retrieve a string so I can process it in a function

Please help
Rick

---

Why are you trying to use element(0) and element(1)? Is element supposed to be an array or something like that? If not, then try just using element without the "(0)" or "(1)".

Assuming that HelpTable is a Hashtable, element is getting set to the item in the Hashtable whose key matches stWord.

Thanks all for the help. I figured it out by referencing the structure within the element object.