C# 3.0 Cookbook, 3rd Edition

2.13. Creating a Delimited String

Problem

You have an array of strings to format as delimited text and possibly to store in a text file.

Solution

Using the static Join method of the String class, the array of strings can be easily joined in as little as one line of code. For example:

	string[] infoArray = {"11", "12", "Checking", "111", "Savings"};
	string delimitedInfo = string.Join(",", infoArray);

This code sets the value of delimitedInfo to the following:

	11,12,Checking,111,Savings

Discussion

The Join method concatenates all the strings contained in a string array. Additionally, a specified delimiting character(s) is inserted between each string in the array. This method returns a single string object with the fully joined and delimited text.

Unlike the Split method of the String class, the Join method accepts only one delimiting character at a time. In order to use multiple delimiting characters within a string of values, subsequent Join operations must be performed on the information until all of the data has been joined together into a single string. For example:

	string[] infoArray = {"11", "12", "Checking", "Savings"};
	string delimitedInfoBegin = string.Join(",", infoArray, 0, 2);
	string delimitedInfoEnd = string.Join(",", infoArray, 2, 2);
	string[] delimitedInfoTotal = {delimitedInfoBegin,
	         delimitedInfoEnd};
	string delimitedInfoFinal = string.Join(":", delimitedInfoTotal);
	Console.WriteLine(delimitedInfoFinal);

produces the following delimited string:

	11,12:Checking,Savings

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