Data structure behind T9 type of dictionary

Question

How does a T9 dictionary work? What is the data structure behind it. If we type \'4663\' we get \'good\' when we press down button we get \'gone\' then \'home\' etc...

Answer 1

C# implementation using Trie

        public interface ICellT9
        {
            void Add(string a_name);

            List GetNames(string a_number);
        }

        public class Cell : ICellT9
        {
            private Dictionary m_nodeHolder;
            private List m_nameList;

            public Cell()
            {
                m_nameList = new List();
                m_nodeHolder = new Dictionary();

                for (int i = 2; i < 10; i++)
                {
                    m_nodeHolder.Add(i, null);
                }
            }

            public void Add(string a_name)
            {
                Add(a_name, a_name);
            }

            private void Add(string a_name, string a_originalName)
            {
                if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(a_name) && 
                   (string.IsNullOrEmpty(a_originalName) == false))
                {
                    m_nameList.Add(a_originalName);
                }
                else
                {
                    int l_firstNumber = CharToNumber(a_name[0].ToString());

                    if (m_nodeHolder[l_firstNumber] == null)
                    {
                        m_nodeHolder[l_firstNumber] = new Cell();
                    }

                    m_nodeHolder[l_firstNumber].Add(a_name.Remove(0, 1), a_originalName);
                }
            }

            public List GetNames(string a_number)
            {
                List l_result = null;

                if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(a_number))
                {
                    return l_result;
                }

                int l_firstNumber = a_number[0] - '0';

                if (a_number.Length == 1)
                {
                    l_result = m_nodeHolder[l_firstNumber].m_nameList;
                }
                else if(m_nodeHolder[l_firstNumber] != null)
                {
                    l_result = m_nodeHolder[l_firstNumber].GetNames(a_number.Remove(0, 1));
                }

                return l_result;

            }

            private int CharToNumber(string c)
            {
                int l_result = 0;

                if (c == "a" || c == "b" || c == "c")
                {
                    l_result = 2;
                }
                else if (c == "d" || c == "e" || c == "f")
                {
                    l_result = 3;
                }
                else if (c == "g" || c == "h" || c == "i")
                {
                    l_result = 4;
                }
                else if (c == "j" || c == "k" || c == "l")
                {
                    l_result = 5;
                }
                else if (c == "m" || c == "n" || c == "o")
                {
                    l_result = 6;
                }
                else if (c == "p" || c == "q" || c == "r" || c == "s")
                {
                    l_result = 7;
                }
                else if (c == "t" || c == "u" || c == "v")
                {
                    l_result = 8;
                }
                else if (c == "w" || c == "x" || c == "y" || c == "z")
                {
                    l_result = 9;
                }

                return l_result;
            }
        }