Variable in the dynamic string in C#

Question

I have a module to send message with the SMS. I can put the variable in the string if the message is a static, but the user request the message can be changed whatever their want.

I created this variable

CompanyName
CustomerName
BillNumber
Payment

Example :

From {Company}. Hi Mr/Mrs {CustomerName}, your bill number is {BillNumber} with a total payment of {Payment}. We want to inform you the items has been completed and ready for collection.

My current code is work for static message,

string messageSms = "From " +Company+ ". Hi Mr/Mrs "+{CustomerName}+", your bill number is "+{BillNumber}+" with a total payment of "+{Payment}+". We want to inform you the items has been completed and ready for collection.";

But how can be done with dynamic message? How can I detect the variable in the string and set the data on the variable?

I also following with this article but not help so much.

can you clearify more about the case that you want to handle ? — Mzf
– Mzf, Commented Jun 10, 2013 at 17:08

Brad Christie · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-10 17:17:47Z

8

Assuming I'm understanding, i think the String.Inject class could be helpful. Picture a named String.Format:

"Hello, {company}!".Inject(new { company = "StackOverflow" });
// "Hello, StackOverflow!"

The other benefit is you can have a hard-coded model and reference direct properties of it. e.g.

class Contact
{
    string FirstName;
    string LastName;
}

String greeting = "Mr. {FirstName} {LastName}, Welcome to the site ...";
String result = greeting.Inject(new Contact
{
    FirstName = "Brad",
    LastName = "Christie"
});

edited Jun 10, 2013 at 17:17

answered Jun 10, 2013 at 17:08

Brad Christie

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5 Comments

Azri Zakaria Over a year ago

May I know what framework to allow use String.Inject property? I'm use version 3.5 where the String.Inject property is not avaible

Brad Christie Over a year ago

@Chuki2: You need to include the class listed on that page in your project, then add it as a using statement.

Azri Zakaria Over a year ago

@BradChristie, sorry, I did not realize about that. Let me try

Azri Zakaria Over a year ago

@BradChristie, Simple and awesome.. Thanks for help!

VSB Over a year ago

@AzriZakaria this method is a custom class and it is not part of C# String class methods.

Robert Harvey · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-10 17:35:06Z

8

var newString = messageSms.Replace("{Company}", CompanyName)
                          .Replace("{CustomerName}", CustomerName) // ...etc

Should do it.

edited Jun 10, 2013 at 17:35

answered Jun 10, 2013 at 17:08

Robert Harvey

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Comments

katronai · Accepted Answer · 2017-09-08 13:01:48Z

6

You could also use interpolated strings using C# 6.0

var messageSms = $"From {companyName}. Hi {customerName}, your bill number is {billNumber} with a total payment of {payment}.";

edited Sep 8, 2017 at 13:01

answered Mar 22, 2017 at 12:06

katronai

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Comments

radiopad · Accepted Answer · 2017-09-26 13:09:28Z

4

I would approach with the following :

string Company;
string CustomerName;
string BillNumber;
string Payment;

string messageSms = $@"
From {Company}. Hi Mr/Mrs {CustomerName}, your bill number is {BillNumber} 
with a total payment of {Payment}. We want to inform you the items has been 
completed and ready for collection.
";

answered Sep 26, 2017 at 13:09

radiopad

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Comments

Indi · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-10 17:15:38Z

2

Try String.Format Method, for example:

string messageSms = String.Format("From {0}. Hi ..{1}, Your..{2} with..{3}. We..", 
                                  CompanyName, CustomerName, BillNumber, Payment);

edited Jun 10, 2013 at 17:15

answered Jun 10, 2013 at 17:10

Indi

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2 Comments

Moo-Juice Over a year ago

This doesn't match the OPs' "named parameter" requirement.

Azri Zakaria Over a year ago

Yes that true, as programmer easy to understand it but not for user. That's why i need use named parameter. By the way thanks for help.

wojtuch · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-10 17:13:34Z

1

I assume that the easiest way to achieve this (you did not clarify your question) is to use string.Format(). Just use it like this:

string company = ...;
string name= ...;
string billNr= ...;
string payment= ...;
string output = string.Format("From {0}. Hi Mr/Mrs {1}, your bill number is {2} with a total payment of {3}. We want to inform you the items has been completed and ready for collection.", company, name, billNr, payment);

answered Jun 10, 2013 at 17:13

wojtuch

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1 Comment

Azri Zakaria Over a year ago

For user,with this way is not friendly and can make confuse. Thanks for help

Bhushan Firake · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-10 17:18:52Z

0

Why not use a StringBuilder instead?

StringBuilder stringBuilder = new StringBuilder("From {Company}.Hi Mr/Mrs {CustomerName}, your bill number is {BillNumber} with a total payment of {Payment}. We want to inform you the items has been completed and ready for collection.");
stringBuilder.Replace("{Company}",CompanyName);
stringBuilder.Replace("{CustomerName}",CustomerName);
stringBuilder.Replace("{BillNumber}",BillNumber);
stringBuilder.Replace("{Payment}",Payment);
string messageSms = stringBuilder.ToString();

answered Jun 10, 2013 at 17:18

Bhushan Firake

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Comments

Martin Liversage · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-10 17:33:07Z

To make a reusable solution you could start by declaring an object that contains the replacement values as properties. In this case I simply declare an anonymous object but a normal class would work just as well:

var data = new {
  Company = "Stack Overflow",
  CustomerName = "Martin Liversage",
  BillNumber = 123456,
  Payment = 1234.567M.ToString("N2")
};

Notic how I "cheat" and assign a string to Payment. Number and date/time formatting is always a complex issue and I have decided to do the formatting up-front when I declare the data object. You could instead build some more or less elaborate formatting rules into the formatting engine.

Having a data object with properties I can build a dictionary of name/value pairs:

var dictionary = data
  .GetType()
  .GetProperties()
  .ToDictionary(
    propertyInfo => propertyInfo.Name,
    propertyInfo => propertyInfo.GetValue(data, null)
  );

Assuming that format contains the formatting template it is simply a matter of looping over the elements in the dictionary to create the replacement string:

var buffer = new StringBuilder(format);
foreach (var name in dictionary.Keys) {
  var value = dictionary[name].ToString();
  buffer.Replace("{" + name + "}", value);
}
var message = buffer.ToString();

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