>>>>>>Hi all,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I was just pondering the use of List collection versus a string array when used as a simple collection of string items. For instance how would the reliability of problems be if I did this:
>>>>>>

>>>>>>List<string> myList = new List<string>
>>>>>>myList.Add("One");
>>>>>>myList.Add("Two");
>>>>>>etc..
>>>>>>
>>>>>>if (myList.Count > 0)
>>>>>> int mycount = myList.Count;
>>>>>>
>>>>>>versus
>>>>>>
>>>>>>string[] myStrings = new string[];
>>>>>>myStrings[0] = "One";
>>>>>>myString[1] = "Two";
>>>>>>etc;
>>>>>>
>>>>>>if (myString.Length > 0)
>>>>>>  int mycount = myString.Length;
>>>>>>

>>>>>>
>>>>>>The reason for my question is I have some methods that expect a string array to be passed in. I would much rather create my arguments out of collections but I would have to convert them all some how or re-write the methods that use a string array.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>By the way, what is the best way to convert from a collection to an array - both of strings of course?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Tim
>>>>>
>>>>>Tim,
>>>>>
>>>>>You could have your methods to expect/accept an IEnumerable(String). That way they would accept both arrays and collections
>>>>>
>>>>>No need to convert anything - at all
>>>>>
>>>>>ps: the IEnumerable(T).Count is slower since it has to traverse/enumerate the whole enumerator
>>>>
>>>>Oh, now that is a great idea. Thanks. The part of the question I only eluded to was this. Is there a clear definition somewhere that would indicate when you should use which type?
>>>>Thanks again
>>>>Tim
>>>
>>>hi Tim,
>>>
>>>Only my 2 cents ...
>>>
>>>

MyMethod(IEnumerable<String> items)

works with an interface.
>>>It provides more flexibility in that it accepts arrays, lists and anything that implements IEnumerable(String). You need only MyMethod with one signature vs a signature per type (array, list, ..)
>>>
>>>If you look at the constructor of the collectiions (list/queue/stack/.. ) they all have a constructor that accepts an IEnumerable(T) to initalize
>>
>>Thanks Gregory,
>>
>>I am goin to change it over so it is more flexible. The existing methods weren't my code so I was trying to implement base class methods that ultimately use them and they were all arrays. I think I got this figured out now and thanks for your help along with others.
>>Tim
>
>
>Perhaps the code was written in C# 1 : arrays + arrayLists

Not sure but perhaps. Not saying it was bad, just wasn't my idea of how to do it.
Tim