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Adding a List to SQL database (Entity Database)

I got a database with members, each member has a list of sports they do.
now I want to loop through a listbox and add every selected item to my database.
This is my database :
And this is my code :
foreach (var item in sportCheckedListBox.CheckedIndices)
{
int sportindex = Convert.ToInt32(item.ToString()) + 1;
var queryResult = from sp in context.Sports
where sp.sportnr == sportindex
select sp;
foreach (var sport in queryResult)
{
myMember.Sports.Add(sport);
}
}
This looks kinda 'shady', how could I do this better ?

One thing I'd do for sure is move the query out of the loop. Queries should never exist in loops for performance and maintainability reasons. LINQ knows how to translate a (new int[] { 0, 1, 2, ... }).Contains(column) construct into a WHERE column IN (0, 1, 2, ...) statement, so let's use that:
// Get all checked items together
var lookupIndices = sportCheckedListBox.CheckedIndices.Select(i => Convert.ToInt32(item.ToString()) + 1);
// Find all matching sport numbers
var queryResult = from sp in context.Sports
where lookupIndices.Contains(sp.sportnr)
select sp;
// Now loop over the results
foreach (var sport in queryResult)
{
myMember.Sports.Add(sport);
}
// save changes

I think you can just do AddRange:
myMember.Sports.AddRange(queryResult);
myMember.Sports.SaveChanges()
You may need to covert queryResult to an IEnumerable type if it's not already though.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with your approach, but you can achieve it more concisely with Linq.
Instead of your foreach loop, if you always want to assign a new list you could use
myMember.Sports = queryResult.ToList();
If you want to instead concatenate results to an existing list, you could use
myMember.Sports = myMember.Sports.Concat(queryResult.ToList());
If you wanted to do the same as above, but not have any duplicates (as defined by the object you are adding), instead
myMember.Sports = myMember.Sports.Union(queryResult.ToList());

Serially assign values to OrderedDictionary in C#

I have two key-value pairs, and now I want to fill up the larger one with values from the smaller one in a serial manner.
OrderedDictionary pickersPool = new OrderedDictionary(); // Small
OrderedDictionary pickersToTicketMap = new OrderedDictionary(); // Big
pickersPool.Add("emp1", 44);
pickersPool.Add("emp2", 543);
Now I need to update pickersToTicketMap to look like this:
("100", 44);
("109", 543);
("13", 44);
("23", 543);
So basically I need the pickersPool value to cycle through the keys of the pickersToTicketMap dictionary.
I need pickerPool values to keep cycling pickersToTicketMap and updating its value serially.
The pickersToTicketMap orderedlist initially has a value of:
("100", "null");
("109", "null");
("13", "null");
("23", "null");
so I need for the values of PickerPool orderedDictionary to fill up those nulls in a repeated fashion.

It sounds like you should start with a List<string> (or possibly a List<int>, given that they all seem to be integers...) rather than populating your map with empty entries to start with. So something like:
List<string> tickets = new List<string> { "100", "109", "13", "23" };
Then you can populate your pickersToTicketMap as:
var pickers = pickersPool.Values;
var pickerIterator = pickers.GetEnumerator();
foreach (var ticket in tickets)
{
if (!pickerIterator.MoveNext())
{
// Start the next picker...
pickerIterator = pickers.GetEnumerator();
if (!pickerIterator.MoveNext())
{
throw new InvalidOperationException("No pickers available!");
}
}
ticketToPickerMap[ticket] = pickerIterator.Current;
}
Note that I've changed the name from pickersToTicketMap to ticketToPickerMap because that appears to be what you really mean - the key is the ticket, and the value is the picker.
Also note that I'm not disposing of the iterator from pickers. That's generally a bad idea, but in this case I'm assuming that the iterator returned by OrderedDictionary.Values.GetEnumerator() doesn't need disposal.

There may be what you are looking for:
using System.Linq;
...
int i = 0;
// Cast OrderedDictionary to IEnumarable<DictionaryEntry> to be able to use System.Linq
object[] keys = pickersToTicketMap.Cast<DictionaryEntry>().Select(x=>x.Key).ToArray();
IEnumerable<DictionaryEntry> pickersPoolEnumerable = pickersPool.Cast<DictionaryEntry>();
// iterate over all keys (sorted)
foreach (object key in keys)
{
// Set the value of key to element i % pickerPool.Count
// i % pickerPool.Count will return for Count = 2
// 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, ...
pickersToTicketMap[key] = pickersPoolEnumarable
.ElementAt(i % pickersPool.Count).Value;
i++;
}
PS: The ToArray() is required to have a separate copy of the keys, so you don't get a InvalidOperationException due to changing the element you are iterating over.

So you want to update the large dictionary's values with consecutive and repeating values from the possibly smaller one? I have two approaches in mind, one simpler:
You can repeat the smaller collection with Enumerable.Repeat. You have to calculate the count. Then you can use SelectMany to flatten it and ToList to create a collection. Then you can use a for loop to update the larger dictionary with the values in the list via an index:
IEnumerable<int> values = pickersPool.Values.Cast<int>();
if (pickersPool.Count < pickersToTicketMap.Count)
{
// Repeat this collection until it has the same size as the larger collection
values = Enumerable.Repeat( values,
pickersToTicketMap.Count / pickersPool.Count
+ pickersToTicketMap.Count % pickersPool.Count
)
.SelectMany(intColl => intColl);
}
List<int> valueList = values.ToList();
for (int i = 0; i < valueList.Count; i++)
pickersToTicketMap[i] = valueList[i];
I would prefer the above approach, because it's more readable than my second which uses an "infinite" sequence. This is the extension method:
public static IEnumerable<T> RepeatEndless<T>(this IEnumerable<T> sequence)
{
while (true)
foreach (var item in sequence)
yield return item;
}
Now you can use this code to update the larger dictionary's values:
var endlessPickersPool = pickersPool.Cast<DictionaryEntry>().RepeatEndless();
IEnumerator<DictionaryEntry> endlessEnumerator;
IEnumerator<string> ptmKeyEnumerator;
using ((endlessEnumerator = endlessPickersPool.GetEnumerator()) as IDisposable)
using ((ptmKeyEnumerator = pickersToTicketMap.Keys.Cast<string>().ToList().GetEnumerator()) as IDisposable)
{
while (endlessEnumerator.MoveNext() && ptmKeyEnumerator.MoveNext())
{
DictionaryEntry pickersPoolItem = (DictionaryEntry)endlessEnumerator.Current;
pickersToTicketMap[ptmKeyEnumerator.Current] = pickersPoolItem.Value;
}
}
Note that it's important that I use largerDict.Keys.Cast<string>().ToList(), because I can't use the original Keys collection. You get an exception if you change it during enumeration.

Thanks to #jon skeet, although he modified my objects too much while trying to provide a hack for this.
After looking at your solution, I implemented the following, which works well for all my objects.
var pickerIterator = pickerPool.GetEnumerator();
foreach (DictionaryEntry ticket in tickets)
{
if (!pickerIterator.MoveNext())
{
// Start the next picker...
pickerIterator = pickerPool.GetEnumerator();
if (!pickerIterator.MoveNext())
{
throw new InvalidOperationException("No pickers available!");
}
}
ticketToPickerMap[ticket.Key] = pickerIterator.Value.ToString();
}

C# List Sort vs Inserting

I have a list of objects which I sort multiple times throughout code and when the user interacts with the program. I was wondering if it would be better to insert new items into the list rather than add to the end of the list and resort the entire list.
The code below is for importing browser bookmarks - Here I add a bunch of bookmarks to the List (this._MyLinks) which are Link objects and then sort the final List - Which I think is probably best in this given scenario....
public void ImportBookmarks(string importFile)
{
using (var file = File.OpenRead(importFile))
{
var reader = new NetscapeBookmarksReader();
var bookmarks = reader.Read(file);
foreach (var b in bookmarks.AllLinks)
{
bool duplicate = this._MyLinks.Any(link => link._URL == b.Url);
if(duplicate)
{
continue;
}
Link bookmark = new Link();
bookmark._URL = b.Url;
bookmark._SiteName = b.Title;
bookmark.BrowserPath = "";
bookmark.BrowserName = "";
if (bookmark.AddToConfig(true))
{
this._MyLinks.Add(bookmark);
}
}
}
this._MyLinks = this._MyLinks.OrderBy(o => o._SiteName).ToList();
}
Now a user also has the option to add their own links (one at a time). Whenever the user adds a link the ENTIRE list is sorted again using
this._MyLinks = this._MyLinks.OrderBy(o => o._SiteName).ToList();
Is it better from a preformance standpoint (or just generally) to just insert the item directly into it's specified location? If so would you have suggestions on how I can go about doing that?
Thanks!

Since you want a sorted set of data you should be using a more appropriate data structure, specifically a sorted data structure, rather than using an unsorted data structure that you re-sort every time, or that forces you to inefficiently add items to the middle of a list.
SortedSet is specifically designed to maintain a sorted set of data efficiently.

Best way of building a collection of unique ID's as well as their counts

I've looked into various different ways of array's, arraylist's, dictionaries... but as I'm used to PHP I'm not entirely sure on the best way I could collect the following information.
My program loops through each user, and if their is a location ID, I want to add that to some sort of collection / array. It's expected that different users will have the same location ID.
If the location ID is the same, I need to increase an integer of how many occurrence for that location ID.
Example:
User1 - Location1
User2 - Location3
User3 - Location3
Location1 = 1
Location3 = 2
Also I need to somehow append each user ID to this collection. So Location3 / 2 occurrences / user2/user3
I've been trying to figure out the best way of doing this for about two hours now, and all the different methods of multidimensional arrays, arraylists, dictionaries is all a little confusing as it all seems abstract to my PHP knowledge. I think C# handles arrays in an entirely different way.
Essentially, the collection with unique location ID's / occurrences / and users collection needs to be stored in something that can be passed to somewhere else in my program as an argument.
I've made a PHP script which does exactly what I'm after
foreach($call["data"] as $v)
{
// Foreach USER ($v containing their unique ID and location ID.)
$user_id = $v["id"];
$location_id = $v["location"]["id"];
// This adds the location ID as the key within the array, followed by every user who has it. I don't need a count in this case, as I could just count the number of users.
$collection[$location_id][$user_id] = null;
}
This in return creates this array when printed using print_r
[106078429431815] => Array
(
[620790873] =>
[626276302] =>
[100000152470577] =>
)
(Small part of the output). - Added PHP Example.
Anyone know how I can get C# to collect the same information in the same way my PHP array does?

using System.Linq;
var grouppingByLocation = users.GroupBy(u => u.LocationID);
foreach (var g in grouppingByLocation)
{
Console.WriteLine("Location id: {0}", g.Key);
foreach (var u in g)
{
Console.WriteLine("User id: {0}", u.ID);
}
}
See Enumerable.GroupBy() for more details.
This is an Extension Method over IEnumerable<T> interface implemented by any built-in collection (such as Array T[], List<T>, Dictionary<K,V>, etc.) which accepts a lambda expression pointing to a property of class collection of which you're grouping by.

If you want to build the list looping through initial data, you can create object like this:
var list = new Dictionary<int, Tuple<int, List<int>>();
And fill it in the loop
if(list[locationID]==null) list[locationID] = Tuple.Create(0,new List<int>());
//..
list[locationId].Item1++; // counter
list[locationId].Item2.Add(userId); //list of users

Create an object to hold each item of data.
public Class Model{
public int LocationId {get;set;}
public int Occurences{get;set;}
public IList<User> Users{get;set;}
}
Initialize the container as a list of items.
var container = List<Model>();
Process you list of users.
foreach(var user in userList){
var model = container.SingleOrDefault(x=> x.LocationId == user.LocationId);
if(model != null){
model.Users.Add(user);
} else{
model = new Model{
model.Users = new List<User>.Add(user);
model.LocationId = user.LocationId;
container.Add(model)
}
model.Occruences ++;
}
}

var byLocation = users.Where(u => !string.IsNullOrEmpty(u.Location))
.GroupBy(u => u.Location);
var stats = byLocation.Select(l => string.Format("{0} / {1} occurrences / {2}",
l.Key, l.Count(), string.Join("/", l.Select(u => u.User)));
// And just to print the result
foreach (var location in stats)
Console.WriteLine(location);

Ordering 2 list's elements, according to 1 list's elements

I have 2 lists, what are pairs:
List<int> timeStamp = new List<int>();
List<string> ownerStamp = new List<string>();
For example:
timeStamp' elements: 1, 10, 32 ...
ownerStamp' elements: John, Dave, Maria ...
The pairs are: John-1; Dave-10; Maria-32...
I have to order the timestamp list's elements, but i have to hold the context! How can i do it? Manually? Or smthng smart with factory ordering?

There is an overload of Array.Sort() method, which allow you sort one array using other array items as keys. You can convert your lists to arrays, then sort them, and then convert back:
List<int> timeStamp = new List<int>();
List<string> ownerStamp = new List<string>();
int[] timeStampArray = timeStamp.ToArray();
string[] ownerStampArray = ownerStamp.ToArray();
Array.Sort(timeStampArray, ownerStampArray);
timeStamp = new List<int>(timeStampArray);
ownerStamp = new List<string>(ownerStampArray);

You'd probably be better off making a container object, which contains both owner and timestamp, and make it comparable:
class Entry : IComparable<Entry> {
public int TimeStamp { get; set; }
public string Owner { get; set; }
public Entry(int timeStamp, string owner) {
this.TimeStamp = timeStamp;
this.Owner = owner;
}
public int CompareTo(Entry other) {
return this.TimeStamp.CompareTo(other.TimeStamp);
}
}
You could then make a list of these and sort it using the List<T> Sort() method.
To access the timestamp and owner, simply access the TimeStamp and Owner fields of the Entry.
Generally, if you want data to belong together, it's a good idea to explicitly group them together in an object or structure; then the grouping will happen automatically without you needing to take special care to keep things grouped.

Your question doesn't specify exactly what output you're expecting, but the following will give you a sorted collection of Tuple objects, whose first item is the time-stamp and second item is the owner.
timeStamp.Zip(ownerStamp, (i,s) => Tuple.Create(i,s)).OrderBy(t => t.Item1)

Best if you bring the pairs together into a 'SortedDictionary', which will automatically sort the pairs for you, or create a list of tuples for the timeStamp and ownerStamp, and then sort the elements in the tuple list based on the timeStamp key.

A sorted dictionary might help.