List<T>.Contains(T) Method

Reference

Definition

Namespace:: System.Collections.Generic

Assembly:: System.Collections.dll

Assembly:: mscorlib.dll

Assembly:: netstandard.dll

Source:: List.cs

Source:: List.cs

Source:: List.cs

Important

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Determines whether an element is in the List<T>.

public:
 virtual bool Contains(T item);

public bool Contains (T item);

abstract member Contains : 'T -> bool
override this.Contains : 'T -> bool

Public Function Contains (item As T) As Boolean

Parameters

item: T

The object to locate in the List<T>. The value can be null for reference types.

Returns

Boolean

true if item is found in the List<T>; otherwise, false.

Implements

Contains(T)

Examples

The following example demonstrates the Contains and Exists methods on a List<T> that contains a simple business object that implements Equals.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
// Simple business object. A PartId is used to identify a part
// but the part name can change.
public class Part : IEquatable<Part>
{
    public string PartName { get; set; }
    public int PartId { get; set; }

    public override string ToString()
    {
        return "ID: " + PartId + "   Name: " + PartName;
    }
    public override bool Equals(object obj)
    {
        if (obj == null) return false;
        Part objAsPart = obj as Part;
        if (objAsPart == null) return false;
        else return Equals(objAsPart);
    }
    public override int GetHashCode()
    {
        return PartId;
    }
    public bool Equals(Part other)
    {
        if (other == null) return false;
        return (this.PartId.Equals(other.PartId));
    }
    // Should also override == and != operators.
}
public class Example
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        // Create a list of parts.
        List<Part> parts = new List<Part>();

        // Add parts to the list.
        parts.Add(new Part() { PartName = "crank arm", PartId = 1234 });
        parts.Add(new Part() { PartName = "chain ring", PartId = 1334 });
        parts.Add(new Part() { PartName = "regular seat", PartId = 1434 });
        parts.Add(new Part() { PartName = "banana seat", PartId = 1444 });
        parts.Add(new Part() { PartName = "cassette", PartId = 1534 });
        parts.Add(new Part() { PartName = "shift lever", PartId = 1634 }); ;

        // Write out the parts in the list. This will call the overridden ToString method
        // in the Part class.
        Console.WriteLine();
        foreach (Part aPart in parts)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(aPart);
        }

        // Check the list for part #1734. This calls the IEquatable.Equals method
        // of the Part class, which checks the PartId for equality.
        Console.WriteLine("\nContains: Part with Id=1734: {0}",
            parts.Contains(new Part { PartId = 1734, PartName = "" }));

        // Find items where name contains "seat".
        Console.WriteLine("\nFind: Part where name contains \"seat\": {0}",
            parts.Find(x => x.PartName.Contains("seat")));

        // Check if an item with Id 1444 exists.
        Console.WriteLine("\nExists: Part with Id=1444: {0}",
            parts.Exists(x => x.PartId == 1444));

        /*This code example produces the following output:

        ID: 1234   Name: crank arm
        ID: 1334   Name: chain ring
        ID: 1434   Name: regular seat
        ID: 1444   Name: banana seat
        ID: 1534   Name: cassette
        ID: 1634   Name: shift lever

        Contains: Part with Id=1734: False

        Find: Part where name contains "seat": ID: 1434   Name: regular seat

        Exists: Part with Id=1444: True
         */
    }
}

Imports System.Collections.Generic

' Simple business object. A PartId is used to identify a part 
' but the part name can change. 
Public Class Part
    Implements IEquatable(Of Part)
    Public Property PartName() As String
        Get
            Return m_PartName
        End Get
        Set(value As String)
            m_PartName = Value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private m_PartName As String
    Public Property PartId() As Integer
        Get
            Return m_PartId
        End Get
        Set(value As Integer)
            m_PartId = Value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private m_PartId As Integer

    Public Overrides Function ToString() As String
        Return Convert.ToString("ID: " & PartId & "   Name: ") & PartName
    End Function
    Public Overrides Function Equals(obj As Object) As Boolean
        If obj Is Nothing Then
            Return False
        End If
        Dim objAsPart As Part = TryCast(obj, Part)
        If objAsPart Is Nothing Then
            Return False
        Else
            Return Equals(objAsPart)
        End If
    End Function
    Public Overrides Function GetHashCode() As Integer
        Return PartId
    End Function
    Public Overloads Function Equals(other As Part) As Boolean _
        Implements IEquatable(Of Part).Equals
        If other Is Nothing Then
            Return False
        End If
        Return (Me.PartId.Equals(other.PartId))
    End Function
    ' Should also override == and != operators.
End Class
Public Class Example
    Public Shared Sub Main()
        ' Create a list of parts.
        Dim parts As New List(Of Part)()

        ' Add parts to the list.
        parts.Add(New Part() With { _
             .PartName = "crank arm", _
             .PartId = 1234 _
        })
        parts.Add(New Part() With { _
             .PartName = "chain ring", _
             .PartId = 1334 _
        })
        parts.Add(New Part() With { _
             .PartName = "regular seat", _
             .PartId = 1434 _
        })
        parts.Add(New Part() With { _
             .PartName = "banana seat", _
             .PartId = 1444 _
        })
        parts.Add(New Part() With { _
             .PartName = "cassette", _
             .PartId = 1534 _
        })
        parts.Add(New Part() With { _
             .PartName = "shift lever", _
             .PartId = 1634 _
        })



        ' Write out the parts in the list. This will call the overridden ToString method
        ' in the Part class.
        Console.WriteLine()
        For Each aPart As Part In parts
            Console.WriteLine(aPart)
        Next


        ' Check the list for part #1734. This calls the IEquatable.Equals method
        ' of the Part class, which checks the PartId for equality.
        Console.WriteLine(vbLf & "Contains: Part with Id=1734: {0}",
                          parts.Contains(New Part() With { _
             .PartId = 1734, _
             .PartName = "" _
        }))

        ' Find items where name contains "seat".
        Console.WriteLine(vbLf & "Find: Part where name contains ""seat"": {0}",
                          parts.Find(Function(x) x.PartName.Contains("seat")))

        ' Check if an item with Id 1444 exists.
        Console.WriteLine(vbLf & "Exists: Part with Id=1444: {0}",
                          parts.Exists(Function(x) x.PartId = 1444))

        'This code example produces the following output:
        '        
        '        ID: 1234   Name: crank arm
        '        ID: 1334   Name: chain ring
        '        ID: 1434   Name: regular seat
        '        ID: 1444   Name: banana seat
        '        ID: 1534   Name: cassette
        '        ID: 1634   Name: shift lever
        '
        '        Contains: Part with Id=1734: False
        '
        '        Find: Part where name contains "seat": ID: 1434   Name: regular seat
        '
        '        Exists: Part with Id=1444: True 
        '         

    End Sub
End Class

The following example contains a list of complex objects of type Cube. The Cube class implements the IEquatable<T>.Equals method so that two cubes are considered equal if their dimensions are the same. In this example, the Contains method returns true, because a cube that has the specified dimensions is already in the collection.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        List<Cube> cubes = new List<Cube>();

        cubes.Add(new Cube(8, 8, 4));
        cubes.Add(new Cube(8, 4, 8));
        cubes.Add(new Cube(8, 6, 4));

        if (cubes.Contains(new Cube(8, 6, 4))) {
            Console.WriteLine("An equal cube is already in the collection.");
        }
        else {
            Console.WriteLine("Cube can be added.");
        }

        //Outputs "An equal cube is already in the collection."
    }
}

public class Cube : IEquatable<Cube>
{

    public Cube(int h, int l, int w)
    {
        this.Height = h;
        this.Length = l;
        this.Width = w;
    }
    public int Height { get; set; }
    public int Length { get; set; }
    public int Width { get; set; }

    public bool Equals(Cube other)
    {
        if (this.Height == other.Height && this.Length == other.Length
            && this.Width == other.Width) {
            return true;
        }
        else {
            return false;
        }
    }
}

Imports System.Collections.Generic

Class Program
    Public Shared Sub Main(ByVal args As String())
        Dim cubes As New List(Of Cube)()

        cubes.Add(New Cube(8, 8, 4))
        cubes.Add(New Cube(8, 4, 8))
        cubes.Add(New Cube(8, 6, 4))

        If cubes.Contains(New Cube(8, 6, 4)) Then
            Console.WriteLine("An equal cube is already in the collection.")
        Else
            Console.WriteLine("Cube can be added.")
        End If

        'Outputs "An equal cube is already in the collection."
    End Sub
End Class

Public Class Cube
    Implements IEquatable(Of Cube)

    Public Sub New(ByVal h As Integer, ByVal l As Integer, ByVal w As Integer)
        Me.Height = h
        Me.Length = l
        Me.Width = w
    End Sub
    Private _Height As Integer
    Public Property Height() As Integer
        Get
            Return _Height
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Integer)
            _Height = value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private _Length As Integer
    Public Property Length() As Integer
        Get
            Return _Length
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Integer)
            _Length = value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private _Width As Integer
    Public Property Width() As Integer
        Get
            Return _Width
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Integer)
            _Width = value
        End Set
    End Property

    Public Overloads Function Equals(ByVal other As Cube) _
            As Boolean Implements IEquatable(Of Cube).Equals
        If Me.Height = other.Height And Me.Length = other.Length _
                And Me.Width = other.Width Then
            Return True
        Else
            Return False
        End If
    End Function
End Class

Remarks

This method determines equality by using the default equality comparer, as defined by the object's implementation of the IEquatable<T>.Equals method for T (the type of values in the list).

This method performs a linear search; therefore, this method is an O(n) operation, where n is Count.

Applies to

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