C# comparing and extracting data from 2 list<>

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I'm having trouble structuring my code to do what I want.

The goal is to purge an inventory database and replace it with only the computers that have been in use the last year

I am comparing 2 lists of computers, one from Active Directory and one from an inventory database. I've made the tables into List<>'s, and my idea was that the "valid" list of computers in Active Directory, would be checked item by item against the entire inventory list, then if there was a match, information from both lists would be consolidated into a third list. I am not getting that result

My code

C#

int i = 0;
foreach (MachineAD ADmachine in machinesAD)
{
    foreach (Machine machine in machines)
    {
        if (ADmachine.Name.Contains(machine.BarCode))
        {
            machinesUnified.Add(new MachineUnified() { IDad = ADmachine.ID, NameFromAD = ADmachine.Name, NameFromInventory = machine.BarCode });
            Console.WriteLine(machinesUnified[i].NameFromAD);
            i++;
        }
    }
}

Output excerpt, (it's 1700 lines compared with 4500, resulting in this pattern):

What I have tried:

Reading documentation, forum posts, articles on list cross-referencing etc. etc. etc.

Posted 14-Jul-16 7:18am

Frank R. Haugen

Updated 14-Jul-16 8:16am

Maciej Los

v2

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Maciej Los 14-Jul-16 13:31pm

Seems, you want to compare two deifferent objects. So, you have to implement Equals method to be able to compare those objects.

Frank R. Haugen 14-Jul-16 13:53pm

I need the x.contains()

Maciej Los 14-Jul-16 15:19pm

No, you don't. All what you need is to define method to compare objects. See OriginalGriff's answer.

Frank R. Haugen 14-Jul-16 15:40pm

Yes I have, and he didn't modify my code

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OriginalGriff · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-14T08:16:00

If I do a dummy setup and test on your code:

C#

public class MachineAD
    {
    public string Name;
    public int ID;
    }
public class Machine
    {
    public string BarCode;
    }
public class MachineUnified
    {
    public int IDad;
    public string NameFromAD;
    public string NameFromInventory;
    }
private void myButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
    List<MachineAD> machinesAD = new List<MachineAD>();
    machinesAD.Add(new MachineAD() { Name = "M1", ID = 33333 });
    machinesAD.Add(new MachineAD() { Name = "M2", ID = 33435 });
    machinesAD.Add(new MachineAD() { Name = "M3", ID = 32673 });
    List<Machine> machines = new List<Machine>();
    machines.Add(new Machine() { BarCode = "1" });
    machines.Add(new Machine() { BarCode = "3" });
    List<MachineUnified> machinesUnified = new List<MachineUnified>();
    int i = 0;
    foreach (MachineAD ADmachine in machinesAD)
        {
        foreach (Machine machine in machines)
            {
            if (ADmachine.Name.Contains(machine.BarCode))
                {
                machinesUnified.Add(new MachineUnified() { IDad = ADmachine.ID, NameFromAD = ADmachine.Name, NameFromInventory = machine.BarCode });
                Console.WriteLine(machinesUnified[i].NameFromAD);
                i++;
                }
            }
        }
    }

Then what I get is two rows:

33333, M1, 1
32673, M3, 3

Which is what I would expect. To get more rows than that, I need to change the Barcode so it is a subset of several machine names:

C#

List<MachineAD> machinesAD = new List<MachineAD>();
machinesAD.Add(new MachineAD() { Name = "M1", ID = 33333 });
machinesAD.Add(new MachineAD() { Name = "M2", ID = 33435 });
machinesAD.Add(new MachineAD() { Name = "M3", ID = 32673 });
List<Machine> machines = new List<Machine>();
machines.Add(new Machine() { BarCode = "M" });
machines.Add(new Machine() { BarCode = "3" });

Then I get 4 rows:

33333, M1, M
33435, M2, M
32673, M3, M
32673, M3, 3

So...I'd start by looking at your data and specifically what is in the BarCode field - if any of them are "odd" then they could match quite a few of your names instead of just one, which would cause your problem.