Need help w/ loop w/in loop???

[TurboDub]

I had an earlier thread but it turns out the problem is more complicated than initially expected. This is a new updated thread.

I'm creating a vb program that uses rows from a dataset to create a text output.
However, I think I need a loop w/in a loop b/c some users have multiple rows but I want it contained w/in one record of the output.

Hope that makes sense....here's what I have so far:

For each row in ds.tables("1234").rows

A1 = String.Format("{0,5}..etc", employeeID, address etc.)
sw.writeline (A1)

A2 = String.Format("{0,5}..etc", Option, address etc.)
sw.writeline (A2)

A3 = String.Format("{0,5}..etc", dependent, address etc.)
sw.writeline (A3)

Next

Now, say that employees have more than one "Option" and can choose one or the other OR both. The way it's set up now, it will output the employee's info a second time if the employee has both options selected. Like so

Employee A
Option 1
dependent

Employee A
Option 2
dependent

Employee B
Option 1
dependent


I'm trying to get the output to look like the following (assuming first employee selects both options and the next employee only selected one):

Employee A
Option 1
Option 2
dependent

Employee B
Option 1
dependent



I was thinking I could maybe use an "if" statement but can't come up with the proper logic. I'd like to say, "If Employee Info has already been output, jump to A2"

Any help is appreciated. Let me know if my explaination is unclear and I'll do my best to clarify.

Thanks.

[techgnome]

outside the loop declare a variable to hold the employee id... set it to some default value... say, -1 for instance.
Inside the loop.... If the employee id variable does NOT match the employeeID of the record, output the employee part of the record and store the employeeID from the record in the variable.
proceed to output your options....

the dependant part of the record though..... hmmmmm....


-tg

[TurboDub]

Yeah, that's my big hangup. My initial thread only had "A1" and "A2" which would work w/ your solution. However, adding the "A3" portion is making it more complicated.

[techgnome]

I got it.... see if this works for you:

dim EmplID as Integer = -1
dim A3 as String = ""
For each row in ds.tables("1234").rows

  'Assumption: employeeID is a field from the row somewhere....
  If EmplID <> employeeID then

      If A3.Length > 0 Then
        sw.writeline(A3) 'Write the dependant from the previous row...
      End If

      'write out the employee
      sw.writeline (String.Format("{0,5}..etc", employeeID, address etc.))

      'build the dependant string
      A3 = String.Format("{0,5}..etc", dependent, address etc.)
  End If
  'Write the option
  sw.writeline (String.Format("{0,5}..etc", Option, address etc.))

Next
sw.writeline(A3) 'Write the dependant from the last row

it's a little futzy... and could probably be cleaned up some....

-tg

[ForumAccount]

What about something like this?

Public Sub Method()
    Dim table As New DataTable("Employees")
    With table
 
        With .Columns
            .Add("EmployeeID", GetType(Integer))
            .Add("EmployeeName", GetType(String))
            .Add("OptionName", GetType(String))
        End With
 
        With .Rows
            .Add(1, "David", "Option 1")
            .Add(1, "David", "Option 2")
            .Add(2, "Jack", "Option 1")
            .Add(3, "Amy", "Option 1")
            .Add(4, "Mark", "Option 1")
            .Add(4, "Mark", "Option 2")
        End With
 
    End With
 
    Dim results = From row In table.AsEnumerable() _
                  Group By employeeId = CInt(row.Item("EmployeeID")) Into groups = AsEnumerable() _
                  Select New With {.EmployeeID = employeeId, _
                                   .EmployeeName = groups.Where(Function(row) CInt(row("EmployeeID")) = employeeId) _
                                                         .Select(Function(row) row("EmployeeName").ToString()).FirstOrDefault(), _
                                   .Options = groups.Where(Function(row) CInt(row("EmployeeID")) = employeeId) _
                                                    .Select(Function(row) row("OptionName").ToString()).ToArray()}
    For Each element In results
        MessageBox.Show(String.Format("{0}{1}{2}", element.EmployeeName, _
                                      Environment.NewLine, String.Join(Environment.NewLine, element.Options)))
    Next
 
End Sub

I assumed a table structure...

[erik]

One solution might be to first declare a counter outside the loop to keep track on wich row the loop is at. So for each iteration in the loop, increase the value by one.

Now, make a new loop inside your existing loop like this (if your integer is declared as 'counter':

For x As Integer = counter To ds.tables("1234").rows.Count
 
            Next

In this loop you will have a If-statement, wich will replace your A2 = part.If the row is equal to A1, print out the A2 values. else, exit the loop. So the loop will look something like this:

For x As Integer = counter To ds.tables("1234").rows.Count
            If String.Format("{0,5}..etc", employeeID, address etc.) = A1 Then
                 A2 = String.Format("{0,5}..etc", Option, address etc.)
                 sw.writeline (A2)
            Else
                 Exit For
            End If
        Next

A bit messy, but I guess you'll get my idea

[TurboDub]

I think I found a solution based on some information I gathered from the other posts.

I decided to use a seperate data set of just the employee ID and Option. So now, when it gets to the option line, I start a new loop that checks to see if the EmplID matches the emply id from the first line, if it does, it will contiue to write the option line until it reaches an EmplID that does not match the orignial one taken from the first dataset.