cant add string to list of string c#

Question

I'm reading a local csv file which has data and I will eventually use to load into a database. My question is simple in nature but I can't seem to grasp the concept. Below is my code. Pretty simple stuff.

      static void loadTables() {
        int size = new int();
        string[] empid = new string[0];
       
        //string[] empid = new string();
        List<string[]> EmployeeName = new List<string[]>();
        List<string[]> EmployeeId = new List<string[]>();
        List<string[]> Group = new List<string[]>();
        List<string[]> Org = new List<string[]>();
        List<string[]> Fund = new List<string[]>();
        try {
            using (StreamReader readFile = new StreamReader("C:\\temp\\groupFundOrgReport.csv")) 
            {
             string line;
              string[] row;
              size = 0;
              while ((line = readFile.ReadLine()) != null)
              {
                  row = line.Split(',');
                  /*resize the array up by 1*/
                  Array.Resize(ref empid,empid.Length+1);
                  /*I'm using size as a counter to add to the slot on the array.*/
                  empid[size] = row[0].Remove(0,1);
                  // here I receive error (the best overload match of system generic list?...etc) 
                  EmployeeName.Add(row[0]);
                  size++;
                  
              }

             }
           }
    
        catch(Exception e){

            Console.WriteLine(e);
        
        }
    
    
    
    
    }

I have a list of string but any attempts to add a string to it gets me an error. In other words if I try to do this EmployeeName.Add(row[0].ToString); I get an error. However if I comment the line out I can use an old fashion array. I really like to use a list but I can't seem to be able to pass the value that I want. Can someone please point me in the right direction?

i have also tried EmployeeName.Add(row[0]); with no luck — Miguel
– Miguel, Commented Jun 29, 2012 at 1:58
Error 1 The best overloaded method match for 'System.Collections.Generic.List<string[]>.Add(string[])' has some invalid arguments — Miguel
– Miguel, Commented Jun 29, 2012 at 2:01
empid should be a List<string> instead of a string[]. It's much easier to add an item to a List than an array, due to the differences in how those two types are designed. — Tim S.
– Tim S., Commented Jun 29, 2012 at 2:03
yes row[0] is a single string that changes during the while statement. if i just do row it works but then thats not really what im looking for i like to get the first column into its own array. — Miguel
– Miguel, Commented Jun 29, 2012 at 2:04

iandotkelly · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-29 02:00:36Z

2

I guess from your code that the employee name is the first field of the CSV file.

You have declared EmployeeName as a List of arrays of strings List<string[]>, not as a list of strings List<string>.

Row[0] is the first string in an array, so you are trying to add a string to a list that is expecting you to add an array of strings.

You should just declare EmployeeName as a List<string>, using a line like:

List<string> EmployeeName = new List<string>();

or

var EmployeeName = new List<string>();

answered Jun 29, 2012 at 2:00

iandotkelly

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1 Comment

Miguel Over a year ago

i get it now. i was using list of arrays when what i was trying to use is list of strings. I feel like a real big idiot. Forgive my noobness. Thanks for the response.

Alex · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-29 02:00:27Z

2

Your problem is the declaration of EmployeeName, it is a List of string arrays:

List<string[]> EmployeeName = new List<string[]>();

Change it to:

var EmployeeName = new List<string>();

Or, use the List<string[]> accordingly ...

answered Jun 29, 2012 at 2:00

Alex

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Comments

KV Prajapati · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-29 02:00:49Z

2

EmployeeName is a List<string[]> so you have to write:

EmployeeName.Add(row);

To remove empty entries while splitting a string use:

row=line.Split(New String() {","},
                     StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);

answered Jun 29, 2012 at 2:00

KV Prajapati

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Comments

Mayank · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-29 02:07:01Z

All of them are List's of String Array's

List<string[]> EmployeeName = new List<string[]>(); 
List<string[]> EmployeeId = new List<string[]>(); 
List<string[]> Group = new List<string[]>(); 
List<string[]> Org = new List<string[]>(); 
List<string[]> Fund = new List<string[]>();

Only variable you can add would be like

//Define array of strings
var strArr = new string[] {"abc", "xyz"};

then you can call

EmployeeName.Add(strArr);

although changing the List generic type to string type will solve your problem

List<string> EmployeeName = new List<string>(); 
List<string> EmployeeId = new List<string>(); 
List<string> Group = new List<string>(); 
List<string> Org = new List<string>(); 
List<string> Fund = new List<string>();

var str = "My String";

EmployeeName.Add(str);

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