FileInfo Array Problem

[Doug]

This morning is just not my morning. This seems pretty straight forward but for some reason I just can't get the syntax correct.

Here are the lines of code that I am having issue with:

Private _moveFiles() As FileInfo

'Inside the subroutine the code follows
Dim counter As Integer
Dim pathHold As String

If IO.File.Exists(pathHold) Then
            Dim fileHold As New FileInfo(pathHold)
            _moveFiles(counter) = fileHold
End If

I am getting "Object reference not set to an instance of an object." error on the line: _moveFiles(counter) = fileHold

Normally I would initialize a FileInfo variable using "New" but New cannot be used with an array which is why I tried creating a new FileInfo then making an element in the array equal to it.

How do I assign specific paths to my FileInfo array?

 

[Doug]

Nevermind. I found the problem. _moveFiles() did not have any elements in it. I initialized it with 0 elements and it works now.

This is one of those bad morning for me. I think I'll go for a walk to clear my head.

 

[jmcilhinney]

You really shouldn't be using an array in that situation. Arrays are not resizable (despite what you might think, the appearance of resizing an array actually involves creating a new array and copying the elements from one to the other) so if you intend to be adding and/or removing items then you should be using a collection. That code should read:

Private _moveFiles As New List(Of FileInfo)

'Inside the subroutine the code follows
Dim counter As Integer
Dim pathHold As String

If IO.File.Exists(pathHold) Then
            Dim fileHold As New FileInfo(pathHold)
            _moveFiles.Add(fileHold)
End If

 

[Doug]

You are right. I switched to a collection and it simplified my code considerably.

Thank you.