Dynamic length of a number in a String.Format

Question

3.00/5 (2 votes)

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Hi All

I have a piece of code to create document numbers featuring, 4 variables.

Prefix, Suffix, NextNum and Length.

The first 3 are rather simple. In the past the 4th one I have hard coded but now it needs improvement. One answer is to use a switch statement to use one of a few options the user may have selected but that seems like bad coding.

Code:

C#

list = fa.SelectList("select Prefix, Suffix, NextNum, Length from docnumbers where Form = 'Invoice' limit 1", list);

t0.Text = String.Format("{0}{2:000000}{1}", list[0][0], list[1][0], Convert.ToInt32(list[2][0]), list[3][0]);

I have hardcoded that 6 characters must be displayed but now I want it to get it from the Length variable in the database.

Any ideas?

Many thanks
Andrew

Edit: Switch would look like

C#

list = fa.SelectList("select Prefix, Suffix, NextNum, Length from docnumbers where Form = 'Invoice' limit 1", list);

switch (list[3][0])
            {
                case 1:
                    t0.Text = String.Format("{0}{2:0}{1}", list[0][0], list[1][0], Convert.ToInt32(list[2][0]));
                    break;
                case 2:
                    t0.Text = String.Format("{0}{2:00}{1}", list[0][0], list[1][0], Convert.ToInt32(list[2][0]));
                    break;
                case 3:
                    t0.Text = String.Format("{0}{2:000}{1}", list[0][0], list[1][0], Convert.ToInt32(list[2][0]));
                    break;
                case 4:
                    t0.Text = String.Format("{0}{2:0000}{1}", list[0][0], list[1][0], Convert.ToInt32(list[2][0]));
                    break;
                case 5:
                    t0.Text = String.Format("{0}{2:00000}{1}", list[0][0], list[1][0], Convert.ToInt32(list[2][0]));
                    break;
                case 6:
                    t0.Text = String.Format("{0}{2:000000}{1}", list[0][0], list[1][0], Convert.ToInt32(list[2][0]));
                    break;
                case 7:
                    t0.Text = String.Format("{0}{2:0000000}{1}", list[0][0], list[1][0], Convert.ToInt32(list[2][0]));
                    break;
                case 8:
                    t0.Text = String.Format("{0}{2:00000000}{1}", list[0][0], list[1][0], Convert.ToInt32(list[2][0]));
                    break;
                case 9:
                    t0.Text = String.Format("{0}{2:000000000}{1}", list[0][0], list[1][0], Convert.ToInt32(list[2][0]));
                    break;
                case 10:
                    t0.Text = String.Format("{0}{2:0000000000}{1}", list[0][0], list[1][0], Convert.ToInt32(list[2][0]));
                    break;
                default:
                    t0.Text = String.Format("{0}{2}{1}", list[0][0], list[1][0], Convert.ToInt32(list[2][0]));
                    break;
            }

Posted 14-Jan-12 6:06am

jinxster

Updated 14-Jan-12 7:27am

v2

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Comments

[no name] 14-Jan-12 12:56pm

What switch? Your code snippet has no switch statement. Why would using a switch be bad coding?

AspDotNetDev 14-Jan-12 13:51pm

Mark, FYI, the OP added a comment, but not as a reply to your comment, so I'm sending you this reply so you will be notified.

jinxster 14-Jan-12 20:18pm

Thanks ASP, Im a bit blind and didnt see the small replies :)

jinxster 14-Jan-12 13:26pm

A switch would look like the edited bit in the question. It would only support 1-10. It would probably be suffice but it seems limited.

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AnnieMacD · Accepted Answer · 2012-01-14T07:53:00

Solution 1

You could create a string variable and use it:

string zeroes = new string('0', (list[3][0]));
string testFormat = "{0}{2:" + zeroes + "}{1}";
tx0.Text = String.Format(testFormat, list[0][0], list[1][0], Convert.ToInt32(list[2][0]));

Posted 14-Jan-12 7:53am

AnnieMacD

Updated 14-Jan-12 8:18am

v2

Comments

jinxster 14-Jan-12 20:20pm

Thanks thats what I was looking for!

[no name] 14-Jan-12 20:25pm

You're welcome!