Dictionary objet
 

Hi all,

I wish to use the Dictionary object but with some modifications as follows:

At the "Add method" to have a third option to sum up the frequency of
that "key".

At the "Remove method" do remove the item if that third key above has
frequency of 1, otherwise reduce that key by 1.

Is this possible?
or do I have to create my own class to accommodate the above?


TIA
Zwi,

Dictionary objet
 

Zwi,

I don't think so, you will need to code it yourself.

--

HTH

Bob Phillips
... looking out across Poole Harbour to the Purbecks
(remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)

"Zwi" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I wish to use the Dictionary object but with some modifications as
follows:

At the "Add method" to have a third option to sum up the frequency of
that "key".

At the "Remove method" do remove the item if that third key above has
frequency of 1, otherwise reduce that key by 1.

Is this possible?
or do I have to create my own class to accommodate the above?


TIA
Zwi,

Dictionary objet
 

Zwi wrote in message ...

I wish to use the Dictionary object but with some modifications as follows:

At the "Add method" to have a third option to sum up the frequency of
that "key".

At the "Remove method" do remove the item if that third key above has
frequency of 1, otherwise reduce that key by 1.

Is this possible?
or do I have to create my own class to accommodate the above?


The Dictionary object is part of the Microsoft Scripting Runtime,
which is a compiled DLL. You'd need access to the (presumably C++)
source code to change its interface, all of which sounds like rather
more work than your second option!

I'd suggest you create, in fact, two new classes, one to extend the
functionality of Dictionary, ReferenceCountedDictionary, say (!) and
ReferenceCountedItem.

So you might have (I'm typing this off the top of my head, no
guarantees as to perfection!)

Class ReferenceCountedDictionary:

Private dict As Dictionary

Public Sub Add(key, newobject)

dim o as ReferenceCountedItem

If dict.Exists(key) Then
dict.Item(key).IncrementCount
Else
Set o = New ReferenceCountedItem
set o.Obj = newobject
End If

End Sub

Public Sub Remove(key)
If dict.Exists(key) Then
If dict.Item(key).Count = 1 Then
dict.Remove key
Else
dict.Item(key).DecrementCount
End If
End If
End Sub

.... and Class ReferenceCountedItem:

Public Count As Long ' you might prefer to use Private declarations
and
Public Obj As Object ' access them via Properties...

Public Sub IncrementCount
Count = Count + 1
End Sub

Public Sub DecrementCount
Count = Count - 1
End Sub

Private SUb Class_Initialize
Count=1
End Sub

.... I hope that gives an idea of how you might accomplish it!