Question : How can C# match substrings very fast?

In the problem example below, each item in "usableItems" is looked for in the "originalItems" data structure. Each item that is not found is placed in the discardedItems string array.

PROBLEM EXAMPLE
string[] usableItems = {"1", "b7", "13" };
string[] originalItems = {"1", "3", "5", "b7", "9", "11", "13" };
string[] discardedItems = { "3", "5", "9", "11" }; //final result

How should a C# program structure the data and logic to minimize the time to build the final string array named "discardedItems"?

I think Regex and IndexOf would probably be slow. And I'm not sure about using char[] arrays somehow. Also, there might be consideration of a dictionary for quick lookup, but then establishing the dictionary will also require time. Hmmm.

SOME RULES (just want to explain clearly):
(1) The items numerically represent the notes in common piano chords. There are hundreds of chords, with variations in sharps, flats, and number of items to match and/or be matched. Typical items are "3", "#5", "7", "b7", "#9", "b11", "11", "#11", "b13", etc.
(2) The items always increase numerically from left to right.
(3) Items do not repeat.
(4) There can be from 1 to 7 "originalItems".
(5) There can be from 1 to 7 "usableItems".
(6) There will never be more "usableItems" than "originalItems".
(7) Each item in "usableItems" ALWAYS DOES EXIST in "originalItems".

NOTE: To present this problem, string arrays are used for "usableItems" and "originalItems", but only the final result "discardedItems" must be a string array.

I would sincerely appreciate some code ideas.

Answer : How can C# match substrings very fast?

Hi chaffinsjc;

If you are using Visual Studio .Net 2008 or 2010 then you can use the set operator Except to get what you need.

Fernando

                       
             // Making the originals as List<string> will be more effecent
List<string> usableItems = new List<string>() { "1", "b7", "13" };
List<string> originalItems = new List<string>() { "1", "3", "5", "b7", "9", "11", "13" };

// Result string Array
string[] discardedItems = originalItems.Except(usableItems).ToArray();