How can I compare multiple variables to a single condition?

Question

I have this:

if (input.Text.ToUpper() == \"STOP\")

But there are so many possible values that I wouldn\'t be able to specify them all sepa

Answer 1

You can hold an array of the possible words and match it with the Contains method:

string[] validInput = new string[] { "STOP", "END", "NO", "YES" };

// input is the input you have
if (validInput.Contains(input.Text.ToUpper()))
{
    // Do something
}

Answer 2

        var tasks = new List<string> { "STOP", "END", "NO", "YES" };
        tasks.Contains(input.Text.ToUpper());

looks better

        var tasks = new List<string> { "stop", "end", "no", "yes" };
        tasks.Exists(x => string.Equals(x, input.Text, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase));

Answer 3

You could use LINQ to do this. That way if you have both STOP and END in your string, it will pick up on both of them:

var myStringArray= new[]{ "STOP", "END", "NO", "YES" };
var query = myString.Any(x => myStringArray.Contains(x));

Answer 4

Perfect situation for a string extension

Add this to a new file

namespace appUtils
{
    public static class StringExtensions
    {
        public static bool In(this string s, params string[] values)
        {
            return values.Any(x => x.Equals(s));
        }
    }
}

and call from your code in this way

if(input.Text.In("STOP", "END", "NO", "YES") == true)
   // ... do your stuff

Answer 5

create extension:

public static class Extension
{
    public static bool EqualsAny(this string item, params string[] array)
    {
        return array.Any(s => item.ToUpper() == s.ToUpper());
    }
}

using:

if (inputText.EqualsAny("STOP", "END", "NO", "YES"))

Answer 6

You could use a collection like array and Enumerable.Contains:

var words = new[]{ "STOP", "END", "NO", "YES" };
if(words.Contains(input.Text.ToUpper()))
{
     // ...      
}