string array - how to remove an item?

[Bugz]

I'm a beginner at C#. I have a simple string array set up where keys is set as:
string[] keys = null;

I then have a for loop with a conditional phrase. If the element meets the condition, I want to remove the element. For a one dimensional array, I was hoping to be able to use:
keys[i].Remove(i,1);

However it doesn't seem to do anything so that all elements are still included in the array. Is there a better/easier way of doing this?

Help!

[TheCPUWizard]

Use a List, nut an Array!!!!

[Bugz]

Well the thing is, I'm taking over code for someone who already wrote everything. I just need to make some updates, and I'd like to do it quickly. If I do keep the code the way it is, is there a way to make it work?

[TheCPUWizard]

There is no "good" way to make it sork, except for replacing the declaration.

You would have to actually copy all of the elements you wanted into either:

1) The same array (ie move down) and then track how many elements are "Active"

2) A new array of a smaller size.

For dynamicly sized (ie things you insert/delete to/from) you really want to use the collection classes.

[eclipsed4utoo]

Array.Clear(keys, i, 1);

the Clear method accepts 3 parameters, the first being the array, second being the starting index, and the third being the number of elements to be deleted from the starting index.

EDITED: However, this doesn't seem to actually remove the element. It seems to basically set the element to an empty string. So this probably won't work for your situation.

[TheCPUWizard]

Array.Clear(keys, i, 1);

the Clear method accepts 3 parameters, the first being the array, second being the starting index, and the third being the number of elements to be deleted from the starting index

Clear does not delete/remove....

Sets a range of elements in the Array to zero, to false, or to null, depending on the element type.

int [] a = { 1,2,3,4,5,6 }
a.Clear(a, 2, 3)
a == { 1,2,0,0,0, 6 }   // NOT: a == {1,2,6}

[Bugz]

is clear only a method of string arrays? when I use intellisense, I don't see a clear option.

[TheCPUWizard]

is clear only a method of string arrays? when I use intellisense, I don't see a clear option.

Actually is it a static method....

Array.Clear(a,2,3);

Sorry for the typo....

[BigEd781]

If you just refactor a bit and change the array to a list, you can then change the areas of your code that take that array as a parameter to use the List's .ToArray() method. It would probably only take a few minutes.

[TheCPUWizard]

If you just refactor a bit and change the array to a list, you can then change the areas of your code that take that array as a parameter to use the List's .ToArray() method. It would probably only take a few minutes.

Just ve very carefuly if the element type is a value type. ToArray() will return a COPY and changes to the COPY will NOT be reflected in the ORIGINAL.

[BigEd781]

Ahhh, that is very true.

[Bugz]

I like the way the clear method worked. Once it set my elements to null, I added in code to later ignore the null elements. Thank you so much for your help!