Representing a Char with equivalent string

Question

I have the following class as a DataSource for a ListBox:

class SeparatorChars
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Text to describe character
    /// </summary>
    public string Text { get; set; }

    /// <summary>
    /// Char value of the character
    /// </summary>
    public char Value { get; set; }

    /// <summary>
    /// Represent object as string
    /// </summary>
    /// <returns>String representing object</returns>
    public override string ToString()
    {
        return Text + " '" + Value + "'";
    }
}

The problem is, this by default will use the Value just as a regular character added to a string, for example if I define this class for Tab like this:

var TabSeparator = new SeparatorChars {Text = "Tab", Value = '\t'}

The string representation will be:

Tab '     '

But I need it to be

Tab '\t'

How to do this?!

`\t` is the tab character. Looks like you are getting a tab between the `''`. Looks right to me. Am I missing something? Why do you want to output the string `\t`? — Oded, Jan 03 '12 at 11:37
Thing is, I want it in ToString method to show \t instead of a normal tab. — Dumbo, Jan 03 '12 at 11:38
No I need to use the real character for Value property, since I am going to pass it to another class. If I do for example `var comma = new SeparatorChars {Text = "Comma", Value = ','}` This will be fine. — Dumbo, Jan 03 '12 at 11:44
Take a look at this question. The accepted answer may be able to help you. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/323640/can-i-convert-a-c-sharp-string-value-to-an-escaped-string-literal — Jason Down, Jan 03 '12 at 11:47

score 6 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:27

6

Admittedly ripped mostly from this post and untested.

public override string ToString()
{
    return ToLiteral(Text + " '" + Value + "'");
}

private string ToLiteral(string input)
{
    var writer = new StringWriter();
    CSharpCodeProvider provider = new CSharpCodeProvider();
    provider.GenerateCodeFromExpression(new CodePrimitiveExpression(input), writer, null);
    return writer.ToString();
}

edited May 23 '17 at 12:27

Community

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answered Jan 03 '12 at 11:54

Jason Down

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Hmmm thanks, this works somehow...the representation for tab is now `"Tab \'\t\"'` Seems like everyting is escaped :P – Dumbo Jan 03 '12 at 12:06
@Sean87: What if you use it like this: `return ToLiteral(Value.ToString());`? (I'd test it myself, but I'm about to leave for work and on a linux box). – Jason Down Jan 03 '12 at 12:09
I think it will be the same thing, since it is going to translted to string automaticly...that will be again `' TAAAAAB! '` instead of '\t' – Dumbo Jan 03 '12 at 12:13
OK ok ...I had to use `return Text + " -> " + ToLiteral(Value.ToString()).Replace("\"", "");` :P Thanks! – Dumbo Jan 03 '12 at 12:18

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 03 '12 at 11:46

4

Here's a blog post with some sample code: Mark Gu: Escape Sequences in C#

answered Jan 03 '12 at 11:46

H H

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Looks similar to the approach I would take... A simple lookup table. – Oded Jan 03 '12 at 11:47

Representing a Char with equivalent string

2 Answers2