Pass in Array to Select Case

Question

this may be a dense question and I'm not finding it to be a dup of this one, but I need some help with understanding if an array can be used in a Select Case statement.

I have a sub routine that I will create a string array dynamically. The XML is also listed, but it could be any of the values listed below. It will be something like this:

Dim offensiveLine() As String = New String() {"center", "right wing", "left wing"}
Dim defensiveLine As String = "defense"
Dim playerInfo = <Player><Name>John</Name><Position val="right wing"/></Player>

What I want to do is see if this player is in one of the offensiveLine. So I say:

Dim playerPosition = playerInfo.Position.@val
Select Case playerPosition
Case offensiveLine
'do something
Case defensiveLine
'do something
Case Else 
'do nothing
End Select

Here is lies the issue: Case offensiveLine is invalid. I know I could write out Case "center", "right wing", "left wing", but that would defeat the purpose of what I'm trying to do, which is to make a generalized variable that is an array that can be read from in a Case statement. Secondly, I know I can't create a variable like Dim offensiveLine = ""center", "right wing", "left wing"" and pass that in.

Any insight on how I may be able to pass in an array to a Case statement and have each one evaluated?

Answer 1

The Select..Case construct does not work like that. However, it is easy to test if an element exists in an array:

If offensiveLine.Contains(playerPosition) Then
    'Do something
ElseIf defensiveLine.Contains(playerPosition) Then
    'Do something else
End If

Answer 2

You may want to consider using an if clause here rather than a switch. Try this logic: if offensiveLine contains playerPosition, then offensive line, etc.

Answer 3

You actually can use a Select/Switch:

Dim playerPosition = playerInfo.Position.@val
Select Case True
Case offensiveLine.Contains(playerPosition)
    'do something
Case defensiveLine.Contains(playerPosition)
    'do something
Case Else 
    'do *something* - otherwise you don't need the 'Case Else'
End Select

The trick is the 'True' in the first line of the Select.