Return multiple values from one method C#

Question

Apologies on the duplicate question, I viewed similar Qs and just got confused. I have a method that is prompting a user to enter 5 different attribute values and would like to return the values chosen to be used for later decisions in the program.

while (true)
{
    Console.Write("Please enter a value between 0-10 for ingenuity: ");
    inputIngenuity = Console.ReadLine();
    if (!UInt32.TryParse(inputIngenuity, out validIngenuity))
    {
        Console.WriteLine();
        Console.WriteLine("Input was not a valid value for ingenuity.");
    }
    else if (validIngenuity < 0 || validIngenuity > 10)
    {
        Console.WriteLine();
        Console.WriteLine("Input was not a valid value for ingenuity.");
    }
    else if (validIngenuity > (attributePoints - validStrength - validIntelligence - validPersonality - validSpeed))
    {
        Console.WriteLine();
        Console.WriteLine("You do not have enough attribute points remaining.");
    }
    else break;
}
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("You have " + (attributePoints - validStrength - validSpeed - validPersonality - validIntelligence - validIngenuity) + " attribute points remaining");
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine(String.Format("Strength Value     =   {0}", validStrength));
Console.WriteLine(String.Format("Speed Value        =   {0}", validSpeed));
Console.WriteLine(String.Format("Intelligence Value =   {0}", validIntelligence));
Console.WriteLine(String.Format("Personaility Value =   {0}", validPersonality));
Console.WriteLine(String.Format("Ingenuity Value    =   {0}", validIngenuity));
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("These are your attributes!");

while (true)
{

    Console.Write("Do you accept these? Type 1 for Yes, Type 2 for No. If No then choose again:  ");
    areYouHappyWithChoices = Console.ReadLine();
    if (!UInt32.TryParse(areYouHappyWithChoices, out validChoices))
        Console.WriteLine("Please try again. Enter 1 for Yes and 2 for No");
    else if (validChoices > 2 || validChoices < 1)
        Console.WriteLine("Please try again. Enter 1 for Yes and 2 for No");
    else if (areYouHappyWithChoices == "2")
        chooseAttributePoints(); //this method contains the whole routine
    else
        Console.WriteLine("We may now begin the game!");
    break;
}
UInt32[] attributePointArray = new UInt32[5] { validStrength, validSpeed, validIntelligence, validPersonality, validIngenuity };
return attributePointArray;

The while statement for ingenuity is repeated in the method for the other 4 attributes and works without issues. I'm envisioning later code that would have different results based on how strong the user is for example. Am I going in the right direction by trying to put the values into an array? Thank you.

Answer 1

That would be one way to do it, however I think you'd be better off having a class or struct created to represent the data. This way you'll keep the "strong typey ness" and context of what your data is, rather than simply an array index.

example:

public class Person
{
    public int Strength { get; private set; }
    public int Speed { get; private set; }
    public int Intel { get; private set; }
    public int Personality { get; private set; }
    public int Ingenuity { get; private set; }

    public Person (int strength, int speed, int intel, int personality, int ingenuity)
    {
        this.Strength = strength;
        this.Speed = speed;
        this.Intel = intel;
        this.Personality = personality;
        this.Ingenuity = ingenuity;
    }
}

Then your assignment to array:

UInt32[] attributePointArray = new UInt32[5] { validStrength, validSpeed, validIntelligence, validPersonality, validIngenuity };
        return attributePointArray;

Gets updated to:

return new Person(validStrength, validSpeed, validIntelligence, validPersonality, validIngenuity);

and your return type needs to be changed from uint[] to Person

This way, rather than having to remember that returnedArray[1] is Speed (or whatever) - you would simply use returnedPerson.Speed.

Answer 2

You should create an object type that wraps the attributes you want to return. The return type of your method will be your newly-created object type.