Simple problem with replacing string value C#

Question

i'm in a bit of a bind with a problem that's supposed to mediocre, but seemingly i can't implement the solution.

I have buttons, with a single char on each of them, 26 to be exact (english alphabet), When i click any of them, the loop iterates through the string for the text value on the buttons and replaces it with quotation marks.

The code works, and it prints out the newAlphabet without the clicked character. But when i click another button, it returns the newAlphabet albeit with the previously removed character and removes the new clicked character.

The code is as follows

static string alphabet = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz";
static string newAlphabet = string.Empty;
Button tempBtn = (Button)sender;

for (int i = 0; i < alphabet.Length; i++)
{
  if (alphabet[i].ToString().Contains(tempBtn.Text))
  {
    newAlphabet = alphabet.Replace(tempBtn.Text, ""); 

    MessageBox.Show(newAlphabet);
  }
}

Sorry for grammar or spelling errors, english is not my first language.

Regards, HC

Do you really want to show the messagebox inside the loop in this event handler? — Anders Forsgren
– Anders Forsgren, Commented Jul 22, 2011 at 22:44
Are you wanting to concatenate each new letter onto newAlphabet? — Jonathan M
– Jonathan M, Commented Jul 22, 2011 at 22:45
No, just write out the string without the entered character. — Ólafur Aron
– Ólafur Aron, Commented Jul 22, 2011 at 22:52
Unless I'm mistaken, your entire for loop could be replaced with the single line: newAlphabet = newAlphabet.Replace(tempBtn.Text, "");. — StriplingWarrior
– StriplingWarrior, Commented Jul 22, 2011 at 22:53

Peter K. · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-22 22:45:47Z

2

This line

 newAlphabet = alphabet.Replace(tempBtn.Text, "");

means you're always getting back to "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz" and replacing that.

If you want to keep replacing letters, you need to replace on newAlphabet.

answered Jul 22, 2011 at 22:45

Peter K.

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Comments

Sani Huttunen · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-22 23:04:04Z

1

A simpler solution would be:

static string alphabet = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz";

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
  var tempBtn = (Button)sender;
  alphabet = alphabet.Replace(tempBtn.Text, "");
  MessageBox.Show(alphabet);
}

Note 1:
If the code you posted is in your button click event method then it would not compile. In C# you cannot declare variables static inside methods.

Note 2:
Strings are immutable so alphabet.Replace() returns a new string without affecting the original.

edited Jul 22, 2011 at 23:04

answered Jul 22, 2011 at 22:57

Sani Huttunen

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1 Comment

Ólafur Aron Over a year ago

Yes i know i cannot declare static variables inside methods, all of the code was simplified respectively to minimize confusion.

Jonathan M · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-22 22:48:33Z

0

If the goal is to remove the clicked letter from the list:

static string newAlphabet = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz";
Button tempBtn = (Button)sender;

newAlphabet = newAlphabet.Replace(tempBtn.Text, ""); 

MessageBox.Show(newAlphabet);

answered Jul 22, 2011 at 22:48

Jonathan M

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Comments

feathj · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-22 22:50:47Z

0

Please note that strings are immutable in C#. "newAlphabet" is being continuously replaced by a modified "alphabet". It will never stick.

answered Jul 22, 2011 at 22:50

feathj

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