Iterator¶
- Iterator
- UML class diagram
- Participants
- Structural code in C# .{10}
- Real-world code in C#. {10}
- .NET Optimized code in C# .{10}
Summary: Provide a way to access the elements of an aggregate object sequentially without exposing its underlying representation.
Frequency of use: High
UML class diagram¶
Participants¶
The classes and objects participating in this pattern are:
- Iterator (
AbstractIterator) - defines an interface for accessing and traversing elements.
- ConcreteIterator (
Iterator) - implements the Iterator interface.
- keeps track of the current position in the traversal of the aggregate.
- Aggregate (
AbstractCollection) - defines an interface for creating an Iterator object
- ConcreteAggregate (
Collection) - implements the Iterator creation interface to return an instance of the proper ConcreteIterator
Structural code in C# .{10}¶
This structural code demonstrates the Iterator pattern which provides for a way to traverse (iterate) over a collection of items without detailing the underlying structure of the collection.
using System;
using System.Collections;
namespace DoFactory.GangOfFour.Iterator.Structural
{
/// <summary>
/// MainApp startup class for Structural
/// Iterator Design Pattern.
/// </summary>
class MainApp
{
/// <summary>
/// Entry point into console application.
/// </summary>
static void Main()
{
ConcreteAggregate a = new ConcreteAggregate();
a[0] = "Item A";
a[1] = "Item B";
a[2] = "Item C";
a[3] = "Item D";
// Create Iterator and provide aggregate
ConcreteIterator i = new ConcreteIterator(a);
Console.WriteLine("Iterating over collection:");
object item = i.First();
while (item != null)
{
Console.WriteLine(item);
item = i.Next();
}
// Wait for user
Console.ReadKey();
}
}
/// <summary>
/// The 'Aggregate' abstract class
/// </summary>
abstract class Aggregate
{
public abstract Iterator CreateIterator();
}
/// <summary>
/// The 'ConcreteAggregate' class
/// </summary>
class ConcreteAggregate : Aggregate
{
private ArrayList _items = new ArrayList();
public override Iterator CreateIterator()
{
return new ConcreteIterator(this);
}
// Gets item count
public int Count
{
get { return _items.Count; }
}
// Indexer
public object this[int index]
{
get { return _items[index]; }
set { _items.Insert(index, value); }
}
}
/// <summary>
/// The 'Iterator' abstract class
/// </summary>
abstract class Iterator
{
public abstract object First();
public abstract object Next();
public abstract bool IsDone();
public abstract object CurrentItem();
}
/// <summary>
/// The 'ConcreteIterator' class
/// </summary>
class ConcreteIterator : Iterator
{
private ConcreteAggregate _aggregate;
private int _current = 0;
// Constructor
public ConcreteIterator(ConcreteAggregate aggregate)
{
this._aggregate = aggregate;
}
// Gets first iteration item
public override object First()
{
return _aggregate[0];
}
// Gets next iteration item
public override object Next()
{
object ret = null;
if (_current < _aggregate.Count - 1)
{
ret = _aggregate[++_current];
}
return ret;
}
// Gets current iteration item
public override object CurrentItem()
{
return _aggregate[_current];
}
// Gets whether iterations are complete
public override bool IsDone()
{
return _current >= _aggregate.Count;
}
}
}
Output¶
Real-world code in C#.¶
This real-world code demonstrates the Iterator pattern which is used to iterate over a collection of items and skip a specific number of items each iteration.
using System;
using System.Collections;
namespace DoFactory.GangOfFour.Iterator.RealWorld
{
/// <summary>
/// MainApp startup class for Real-World
/// Iterator Design Pattern.
/// </summary>
class MainApp
{
/// <summary>
/// Entry point into console application.
/// </summary>
static void Main()
{
// Build a collection
Collection collection = new Collection();
collection[0] = new Item("Item 0");
collection[1] = new Item("Item 1");
collection[2] = new Item("Item 2");
collection[3] = new Item("Item 3");
collection[4] = new Item("Item 4");
collection[5] = new Item("Item 5");
collection[6] = new Item("Item 6");
collection[7] = new Item("Item 7");
collection[8] = new Item("Item 8");
// Create iterator
Iterator iterator = new Iterator(collection);
// Skip every other item
iterator.Step = 2;
Console.WriteLine("Iterating over collection:");
for (Item item = iterator.First();
!iterator.IsDone; item = iterator.Next())
{
Console.WriteLine(item.Name);
}
// Wait for user
Console.ReadKey();
}
}
/// <summary>
/// A collection item
/// </summary>
class Item
{
private string _name;
// Constructor
public Item(string name)
{
this._name = name;
}
// Gets name
public string Name
{
get { return _name; }
}
}
/// <summary>
/// The 'Aggregate' interface
/// </summary>
interface IAbstractCollection
{
Iterator CreateIterator();
}
/// <summary>
/// The 'ConcreteAggregate' class
/// </summary>
class Collection : IAbstractCollection
{
private ArrayList _items = new ArrayList();
public Iterator CreateIterator()
{
return new Iterator(this);
}
// Gets item count
public int Count
{
get { return _items.Count; }
}
// Indexer
public object this[int index]
{
get { return _items[index]; }
set { _items.Add(value); }
}
}
/// <summary>
/// The 'Iterator' interface
/// </summary>
interface IAbstractIterator
{
Item First();
Item Next();
bool IsDone { get; }
Item CurrentItem { get; }
}
/// <summary>
/// The 'ConcreteIterator' class
/// </summary>
class Iterator : IAbstractIterator
{
private Collection _collection;
private int _current = 0;
private int _step = 1;
// Constructor
public Iterator(Collection collection)
{
this._collection = collection;
}
// Gets first item
public Item First()
{
_current = 0;
return _collection[_current] as Item;
}
// Gets next item
public Item Next()
{
_current += _step;
if (!IsDone)
return _collection[_current] as Item;
else
return null;
}
// Gets or sets stepsize
public int Step
{
get { return _step; }
set { _step = value; }
}
// Gets current iterator item
public Item CurrentItem
{
get { return _collection[_current] as Item; }
}
// Gets whether iteration is complete
public bool IsDone
{
get { return _current >= _collection.Count; }
}
}
}
Output¶
.NET Optimized code in C# .{10}¶
using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
namespace DoFactory.GangOfFour.Iterator.NETOptimized
{
/// <summary>
/// MainApp startup class for .NET optimized
/// Iterator Design Pattern.
/// </summary>
class MainApp
{
/// <summary>
/// Entry point into console application.
/// </summary>
static void Main()
{
// Create and item collection
var collection = new ItemCollection<Item>
{
new Item{ Name = "Item 0"},
new Item{ Name = "Item 1"},
new Item{ Name = "Item 2"},
new Item{ Name = "Item 3"},
new Item{ Name = "Item 4"},
new Item{ Name = "Item 5"},
new Item{ Name = "Item 6"},
new Item{ Name = "Item 7"},
new Item{ Name = "Item 8"}
};
Console.WriteLine("Iterate front to back");
foreach (var item in collection)
{
Console.WriteLine(item.Name);
}
Console.WriteLine("\nIterate back to front");
foreach (var item in collection.BackToFront)
{
Console.WriteLine(item.Name);
}
Console.WriteLine();
// Iterate given range and step over even ones
Console.WriteLine("\nIterate range (1-7) in steps of 2");
foreach (var item in collection.FromToStep(1, 7, 2))
{
Console.WriteLine(item.Name);
}
Console.WriteLine();
// Wait for user
Console.ReadKey();
}
}
/// <summary>
/// The 'ConcreteAggregate' class
/// </summary>
/// <typeparam name="T">Collection item type</typeparam>
class ItemCollection<T> : IEnumerable<T>
{
private List<T> _items = new List<T>();
public void Add(T t)
{
_items.Add(t);
}
// The 'ConcreteIterator'
public IEnumerator<T> GetEnumerator()
{
for (int i = 0; i < Count; i++)
{
yield return _items[i];
}
}
public IEnumerable<T> FrontToBack
{
get { return this; }
}
public IEnumerable<T> BackToFront
{
get
{
for (int i = Count - 1; i >= 0; i--)
{
yield return _items[i];
}
}
}
public IEnumerable<T> FromToStep(int from, int to, int step)
{
for (int i = from; i <= to; i = i + step)
{
yield return _items[i];
}
}
// Gets number of items
public int Count
{
get { return _items.Count; }
}
// System.Collections.IEnumerable member implementation
IEnumerator IEnumerable.GetEnumerator()
{
return GetEnumerator();
}
}
/// <summary>
/// The collection item
/// </summary>
class Item
{
// Gets or sets item name
public string Name { get; set; }
}
}