arraylist VB .Net

[zipper]

I'm having a problem with loading a file into an array.
I have managed to load the contents into an arraylist.

what i'm trying to do is have a random number generated. the number would equal the position in an array, which holds the file name to a card. from that I want want to see if the array starts with a specific string ie: red, orange, etc...

I can do this with an array, but have not been able to do with with an arraylist and a text file.

Then I'm looking to go a bit further with having the card only being picked once. This would mean deleting it from the array, which I'm slowly figuring out and copying the contents back to the file. I know this in a bit inefficient right now. I'm trying to get it down first before cleaning the code up and pushing on further in more advance coding.


This here works fine right now. This is just used for when the form loads or when the new game button is pressed.

Private Function initilaize()

Dim nowCards(14) As String, i As Integer
Dim myFile As String = "MainCards.dat"

If File.Exists(myFile) And myFile.Length > 0 Then
     'do nothing
Else
     Dim defCards As New StreamWriter(myFile, True)

     'Cards currently being used
     nowCards(0) = "red0.jpg"
     nowCards(1) = "red1.jpg"
     nowCards(2) = "red2.jpg"
     nowCards(3) = "orange0.jpg"
     nowCards(4) = "orange1.jpg"
     nowCards(5) = "orange2.jpg"
     nowCards(6) = "yellow0.jpg"
     nowCards(7) = "yellow1.jpg"
     nowCards(8) = "yellow2.jpg"
     nowCards(9) = "white0.jpg"
     nowCards(10) = "white1.jpg"
     nowCards(11) = "white2.jpg"
     nowCards(12) = "blue0.jpg"
     nowCards(13) = "blue1.jpg"
     nowCards(14) = "blue2.jpg"

     For i = 0 To 14  'copy cards to file.
          defCards.WriteLine(nowCards(i))
     Next i

     defCards.Close()

End If
end function

From here I can load the files into an arraylist but this is where i get stuck. Is there a way to have my rnd num be generated then pulled from the arraylist or would i have to copy my arraylist to a temp array and do this. I'm lost here.

'click event for drawing cards
Dim i As Short, r As Integer, fn, recCards() As String
Dim Cards As ArrayList = New ArrayList()
Dim myFile As String = "MainCards.dat"
Dim defCards As New StreamReader(myFile)
Dim ri As New Random()

defCards = File.OpenText(myFile)

While defCards.Peek <> -1
     Cards.Add(defCards.ReadLine)
End While

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[bpayne111]

you should look into serielization i think
make a card class and a card collection class that inherits from collection base
make both classes serializable and wala objects made easy
and then you can access your card collection as you would an array

i hope that helps brandon

 

[zipper]

That's the route I was going to head towards. Just wanted to see if I can try this first. I'll have to give it a try tomorrow and see where it goes. I've done something similar as you mentioned makining a customer class and data access.

Thanks again
Steve