Extracting data from dictionary in dictionary

General
1

This is in the Xojo Framework
I have a Dictionary (Xojo.Core) Called parentDict

parentDict has three members: integerA, integerB, and daughterDict

daughterDict has two members: someDoubleA, someOtherDoubleB

If I want to access integerA this works fine

Dim acceptA As Integer acceptA = parentDict.Value("integerA")

If I want to access someOtherDoubleB I can do the following:

Dim receiveDoubleB As Double Dim receiveDaughterDict As New Xojo.Core.Dictionary receiveDaughterDict = parentDict.Value("daughterDict") receiveDoubleB = receiveDaughter.Value(someOtherDoubleB)

But I do not seem to be able to “simply” do this:

Dim receiveDoubleB As Double receiveDoubleB = parentDict.Value("daughterDict").Value.("someOtherDoubleB")

Therefore, I end up creating a new Dictionary ( receiveDaughterDict) for the sole purpose of extracting this Double - receiveDoubleB. Is this the accepted way of doing things? Do you have to go through the step of creating the new Dictionary? And why is my “simple” way not allowed?

2

Your original code is creating a new Dictionary, then immediately destroying it in favor of a reference to an existing Dictionary. Instead:

dim daughterDict as Xojo.Core.Dictionary = parentDict.Value( "daughterDict" )

Your simple way doesn’t work as written because Value returns an Auto, not a Dictionary. However, casting might work:

receiveDoubleB = _
  Xojo.Core.Dictionary( parentDict.Value( "daughterDict" ) ).Value( "someOtherDoubleB" )

I haven’t tested this and, frankly, for debugging and readability, I’d do it the first way.

3

I did test it and it did work.

Thanks, because if nothing else it cleared a few cobwebs from my Xojo worldview.

And I actually prefer it, off hand,