Accessing a Dictionary.Keys Key through a numeric index

Accessing a Dictionary.Keys Key through a numeric index

"I'm using a Dictionary<string, int> where the int is a count of the key.

Now, I need to access the last-inserted Key inside the Dictionary, but I do not know the name of it. The obvious attempt:

int LastCount = mydict[mydict.keys[mydict.keys.Count]];

does not work, because Dictionary.Keys does not implement a []-indexer.

I just wonder if there is any similar class? I thought about using a Stack, but that only stores a string. I could now create my own struct and then use a Stack<MyStruct>, but I wonder if there is another alternative, essentially a Dictionary that implements an []-indexer on the Keys?"

Asked by: Guest | Views: 212

Total answers/comments: 4

Comments display order:

Guest [Entry]

"As @Falanwe points out in a comment, doing something like this is incorrect:

int LastCount = mydict.Keys.ElementAt(mydict.Count -1);

You should not depend on the order of keys in a Dictionary. If you need ordering, you should use an OrderedDictionary, as suggested in this answer. The other answers on this page are interesting as well."

Guest [Entry]

"You can use an OrderedDictionary.

Represents a collection of key/value
pairs that are accessible by the key
or index."

Guest [Entry]

"A Dictionary is a Hash Table, so you have no idea the order of insertion!

If you want to know the last inserted key I would suggest extending the Dictionary to include a LastKeyInserted value.

E.g.:

public MyDictionary<K, T> : IDictionary<K, T>
{
private IDictionary<K, T> _InnerDictionary;

public K LastInsertedKey { get; set; }

public MyDictionary()
{
_InnerDictionary = new Dictionary<K, T>();
}

#region Implementation of IDictionary

public void Add(KeyValuePair<K, T> item)
{
_InnerDictionary.Add(item);
LastInsertedKey = item.Key;

}

public void Add(K key, T value)
{
_InnerDictionary.Add(key, value);
LastInsertedKey = key;
}

.... rest of IDictionary methods

#endregion

}

You will run into problems however when you use .Remove() so to overcome this you will have to keep an ordered list of the keys inserted."

Guest [Entry]

"Why don't you just extend the dictionary class to add in a last key inserted property. Something like the following maybe?

public class ExtendedDictionary : Dictionary<string, int>
{
private int lastKeyInserted = -1;

public int LastKeyInserted
{
get { return lastKeyInserted; }
set { lastKeyInserted = value; }
}

public void AddNew(string s, int i)
{
lastKeyInserted = i;

base.Add(s, i);
}
}"