interpret string as variable in C# - c#-4.0

Question

I have some public const strings in c# console application as shown below:
//Account one
public const string POP_USER1 = "abc#abcd.com";
public const string POP_PWD1 = "abc";
//Account two
public const string POP_USER2 = "xyz#abcd.com";
public const string POP_PWD2 = "xyz";
//Account three
public const string POP_USER3 = "pqr#abcd.com";
public const string POP_PWD3 = "pqr;
We are using c# MailMan to retrieve emails present in those accounts.
I simply wrote a for loop 3 times:
for (int i = 1; i <= 3; i++)
{
eEmails obj = new eEmails (i);
}
In the constructor of eEmails, I am writing the below logic:
public eEmails (int counter)
{
MailMan obj = new MailMan()
obj.PopUsername = "POP_USER" + counter;
obj.PopPassword = "POP_PWD" + counter;
}
The lines where I am assigning user name and passwords, I need to fetch the exact const variable (i.e., POP_USER1, POP_USER2, POP_USER3 etc.,)
However I am not able to get the variable dynamically.
I can simply write 3 if blocks in eEmails (int counter), but I didnt like that way.
can somebody advise a better way of handling this situation without using separate if blocks for each user??

Answer 1

Use a class instead of strings, then your code becomes more redable and maintainable and it'll also be less error-prone. Here is an example using a List<PopServerAccount> as container:
public class PopServerAccount
{
public string Username {get;set;}
public string Password {get;set;}
public override bool Equals(object obj)
{
PopServerAccount p2 = obj as PopServerAccount;
if (p2 == null) return false;
return Username == p2.Username;
}
public override int GetHashCode()
{
return Username.GetHashCode();
}
public override string ToString()
{
return Username;
}
}
now change the signature of your method:
public eEmails (PopServerAccount pop)
{
MailMan obj = new MailMan()
obj.PopUsername = pop.Username;
obj.PopPassword = pop.Password;
}
Sample data:
var myPopServers = new List<PopServerAccount>
{
new PopServerAccount{ Username = "abc#abcd.com", Password = "abc"},new PopServerAccount{ Username = "xyz#abcd.com", Password = "xyz"}
};
Use a loop and call your method:
foreach (PopServerAccount pop in myPopServers)
{
eEmails(pop);
}