TStringlist Name Value pair

TStringlist

Delphi provides TStringlist class to main list of strings easily. We can store, delete, find and sort list of string in a TStringlist object. With this blog I guess you have some idea and used TStringlist.

But TStringlist provides a distinct feature that allows to store Name and Value pair as a list item at a same time like 'James=1' in which James=Name and 1=Value.

And some TStringlist properties or methods used for Name and Value pair are...

NameValueSeparator 

A symbol character that used to differentiate Name and Value in the pair

Ex.. James=1

= is NameValueSeparator

Names

Store list of Names in a string list like JAMES, KYRA, PETE, RUHI, SUNNY

Values

Store list of Values assigned to Names in a string list like 1,2,3,4,5

How to add to Stringlist?

slStudent.Add('James=1'); 

// Jame as Name, = as NameValueSeparator, 1 as Value //

IndexOfName 

Returns Index of Name stored in TStringlist when using name/value pairs. 

Difference between IndexOfName and IndexOf

Both function will return Index of a TStringlist Item but when we store as  Name=value pair in TStringlist then we should use IndexOfName function with passing Name. And when we store normal string without any pair then we should use IndexOf function.

ValueFromIndex 

Returns Value from an index of an Item starting at (0) when using name/value pairs. 

Let's see with an example...

var

  slStudent: TStringList;

  iIndex : integer;

  sname, svalue, svalueindex: string;

begin

  slStudent := TStringList.Create;

  slStudent.Clear;

  slStudent.NameValueSeparator := '=';

  slStudent.Add('JAMES=1'); // name=value pair //

  slStudent.Add('KYRA=2');

  slStudent.Add('PETE=3');

  slStudent.Add('RUHI=4');

  slStudent.Add('SUNNY=5');

   

  sname := slStudent.Names[1];

  svalue := slStudent.Values[1];  

  iindex := slStudent.IndexOfName('RUHI');

  

  svalueindex:= slStudent.ValueFromIndex(iindex);

end;

results will be...

sname = KYRA

svalue = 2

iindex  = 3

svalueindex = 4