Splitting string and adding contents into listview columns.

[ComYOU]

Hello everyone,

I'm looking at splitting a string which is generated and then inserting the values into a listview.

The string that I'm trying to split will look something like this;


The listview I want to input the values in looks like this;


The string is made up of 3 values which is grabbed from a php page which grabs all usernames (and their equivalent emails and ranks) from a MySQL db.
I've currently got it working slightly... and by that I mean it will split the string and insert them into ONLY the first column like above, the full code for this so far is:

 Sub getUsers()

        Dim Str As Stream
        Dim srRead As StreamReader

        Dim req As WebRequest = WebRequest.Create(url)
        Dim resp As WebResponse = req.GetResponse
        Str = resp.GetResponseStream
        srRead = New StreamReader(Str)

        Dim readStr As String = srRead.ReadToEnd

        readStr = readStr.Replace("</table>", "")
        readStr = readStr.Replace("<table>", "")
        readStr = readStr.Replace("<tr>", "")
        readStr = readStr.Replace("<td>", "")
        readStr = readStr.Replace("</tr>", "")
        readStr = readStr.Replace("</td>", "#")

        MsgBox(readStr)

        Dim splitStr() As String = readStr.Split("#")
        Dim split2 As String

        For Each split2 In splitStr

            If split2 = "" Then
            Else
                userList.Items.Add(split2)
            End If

        Next
    End Sub

Can anyone help me out?
Thanks in advanced.

[AceInfinity]

You need to use the For loop with a Step of 3 and grab indexes i, i + 1, and i + 2 as you go along. The ListViewItem constructor has an overload that takes a string array, use that to define the full ListViewItem text in each of the 3 columns.

Something like this:

Dim len As Integer = 3
For i As Integer = 0 To SplitArrayLength - len Step len
	ListView1.Items.Add(New ListViewItem(New String() {SplitArray(i), SplitArray(i + 1), SplitArray(i + 2)}))
Next

[.paul.]

try this:

Sub getUsers()

    Dim Str As Stream
    Dim srRead As StreamReader

    Dim req As WebRequest = WebRequest.Create(url)
    Dim resp As WebResponse = req.GetResponse
    Str = resp.GetResponseStream
    srRead = New StreamReader(Str)

    Dim readStr As String = srRead.ReadToEnd

    readStr = readStr.Replace("</table>", "")
    readStr = readStr.Replace("<table>", "")
    readStr = readStr.Replace("<tr>", "")
    readStr = readStr.Replace("<td>", "")
    readStr = readStr.Replace("</tr>", "")
    readStr = readStr.Replace("</td>", "#")

    MsgBox(readStr)

    Dim splitStr() As String = readStr.Split("#"c)

    For x As Integer = 0 To splitStr.GetUpperBound(0) Step 3
        userList.Items.Add(New ListViewItem() splitStr.Skip(x).Take(3).ToArray)
    Next

End Sub

[AceInfinity]

I don't see the need to use LINQ though for something simple enough to index yourself and declare the array elements manually. Otherwise you're generating an IEnumerable result calling methods to start from the beginning, skip x elements, and take 3 from that location, then cast to an array. Indexing directly is more efficient.

[ComYOU]

You need to use the For loop with a Step of 3 and grab indexes i, i + 1, and i + 2 as you go along. The ListViewItem constructor has an overload that takes a string array, use that to define the full ListViewItem text in each of the 3 columns.

Something like this:

Dim len As Integer = 3
For i As Integer = 0 To SplitArrayLength - len Step len
	ListView1.Items.Add(New ListViewItem(New String() {SplitArray(i), SplitArray(i + 1), SplitArray(i + 2)}))
Next

Bit of a late response but that's sorted it.

I've currently got

        Dim splitStr() As String = readStr.Split("#")
        Dim SplitArrayLength As Integer = 0

        Dim x As String = "#"

        For Each x In readStr
            SplitArrayLength = SplitArrayLength + 1
        Next

        Dim Len As Integer = 3
        For i As Integer = 0 To SplitArrayLength - Len Step Len
            userList.Items.Add(New ListViewItem(New String() {splitStr(i), splitStr(i + 1), splitStr(i + 2)}))
        Next

which seems to do the job!

There's probably a more efficient way but when I figure that out I'll change it.
Thanks to both of you.

[AceInfinity]

Just as a tip, you should be defining your array variables like this:

Dim splitStr As String() = readStr.Split("#")

With the parenthesis after the type, not the variable name itself. MSDN coding conventions will point this out to you, it's better practice.

[.paul.]

Split("#")

that version of split requires a char parameter:

Split("#"c)

see MSDN:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...ing.split.aspx

it's correct practice...

[AceInfinity]

that version of split requires a char parameter:

Split("#"c)

see MSDN:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...ing.split.aspx

it's correct practice...

I copied his code I didn't write that.

I currently got

Dim splitStr() As String = readStr.Split("#")
Dim SplitArrayLength As Integer = 0

Dim x As String = "#"

For Each x In readStr
	SplitArrayLength = SplitArrayLength + 1
Next

Dim Len As Integer = 3
For i As Integer = 0 To SplitArrayLength - Len Step Len
	userList.Items.Add(New ListViewItem(New String() {splitStr(i), splitStr(i + 1), splitStr(i + 2)}))
Next

[.paul.]

I copied his code I didn't write that.

i'd still like to see the MSDN article that says array parentheses should be placed after the type

[AceInfinity]

Alright, as you requested: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr.../h63fsef3.aspx

I did not mean any offense. This is coding conventions though directly from MSDN.

Put the array designator on the type, not on the variable. For example, use the following syntax:

Dim letters4 As String() = {"a", "b", "c"}

[.paul.]

There is no practical reason to follow that misguided convention.
Both parentheses on the array name + parentheses on the type work equally well.

[AceInfinity]

There is no practical reason to follow that misguided convention.
Both parentheses on the array name + parentheses on the type work equally well.

Why no practical reason? They mention things for reasons. Perhaps they are deciding to remove support for using () after the variable name in future standards of VB? The standard before (VB 2005 and I think VB 2008) mentioned () after the variable name I was told. It has changed, and there must be a reason. Yes, old VB6 methods work still too, but that's not a reason in itself to be using them in VB.net in my opinion.

In C# for instance we don't put [] after the variable name unless we are indexing.

Cheers,
~Ace

[dunfiddlin]

This is coding conventions though directly from MSDN.

Uh-uh! And what do they know?

[AceInfinity]

I'm not going to be starting a war here though... I just thought it was worth mentioning. That's all...

[dunfiddlin]

Perhaps they are deciding to remove support for using () after the variable name in future standards of VB?

In which case they'll have to remove support for sized arrays too! I'm with paul in thinking this just a bit of silly thing to even think about.

[AceInfinity]

It was an example, not my main reason for why it is good/bad as a coding convention. But I do not see MSDN changing their standard convention guidelines (since 2005/2008) without reason like this; a reason most likely exists; unknown at this point. They provide that information "as-is," and that's just the way they say it should be.

In addition to that, I think I should apologize to .paul. here for putting him on the spot like that. It was not my initial intention, and I didn't even know or see that his code reflected that same code I was pointing out in OP's code.

In which case they'll have to remove support for sized arrays too!

No... For instance:

Dim arr As String() = New String(5) {}

Dim x As Integer() = New Integer(4) {}

[.paul.]

I just found it strange that you picked up on a matter of coding style + completely ignored an implicit conversion error.

[AceInfinity]

I just found it strange that you picked up on a matter of coding style + completely ignored an implicit conversion error.

It was left to right reading instinct . I seen () before I missed seeing a c there. But yes, admittedly I didn't see it until you mentioned it. I was more focused on the loop OP was using to reflect indexing of that array instead also.

[dunfiddlin]

Well, that's even sillier!!!!!

[AceInfinity]

Well, that's even sillier!!!!!

Similar to the way you'd write it in C#:

int[] x = new int[5];

Just a character less (; is added in C# lol).

When you omit the {} in VB.net though, it thinks you are using the constructor. Granted, that page on MSDN is very odd and unclear at explaining the good conventions for fixed size declarations, which is not good at all.

For example, they say NOT to do this:

Dim letters6(2) As String
letters6(0) = "a"
letters6(1) = "b"
letters6(2) = "c"

With no alternative.

They also say this:

Do not use the following syntax:

Dim letters5() As String = {"a", "b", "c"}

Then proceed to say:

Use the { } syntax when you declare and initialize arrays of basic data types. For example, use the following syntax:

Dim letters5() As String = {"a", "b", "c"}

Notice that these are the same code...

[.paul.]

my guess is that even the mighty Microsoft are not infallible.
forums like this are invaluable for identifying + pointing out their errors

[AceInfinity]

my guess is that even the mighty Microsoft are not infallible.
forums like this are invaluable for identifying + pointing out their errors

Nobody is perfect *thumbs up* I agree.