about dictionaries.

General
#1

I needed to get a unique list of names.
I used a dictionary to build this list.
I used d.keys to get the list back.
I need to be sure the list is in the order in which the names were added.
It indeed is.
I’m surprised.
I thought it might be sorted.

#2

Order is not guaranteed. If there is no value associated with the keys, I suggest you store the index to so you can restore the order yourself, if that’s what you need.

#3 
dim d as new dictionary

//values are order added.
d.value("Brian")=0
d.value("Andrew")=1
keys = d.keys

How do I now ensure the order as by the value?

dim values() as integer
values = d.values
for i=0 to values.ubound
  print keys(values(i))
  // val = d(i) //???
next i

This seems a bit inefficient.
How do I know that the values are not re-ordered by the keys…

#4

stuff the indexes in one array & the names in another & use sort with

#5

just use the dictionary to store the keys, not the data.

In other words (in pseudo code):

iterate over your list
if the item does not exist in the dictionary
append it to the outgoing array
add it to the dictionary
end if

#6

apparently one cannot edit posts?

My previous post lost it’s light formatting. here it is again:

iterate over your list
     if the item does not exist in the dictionary
          append it to the outgoing array
          add it to the dictionary
     end if
#7