From raw parameters to structured data

To avoid stringly-typed processing, convert string-based parameters to structured data. Then do further processing on that internal data structure, where the information can be easily processed.

public class Node
{
    public Node ChildOf { get; set; }
    public string Path { get; set; }

    public IList<Node> Children { get; set; }

}



public static class Helper
{

    public static Node ArrayToTree(params string[] paths)
    {
        Node root = new Node
        {
            ChildOf = null,
            Path = null,
            Children = new List<Node>()
        };

        

        foreach (string path in paths)
        {
            string[] subPaths = path.Split('.');

            Node addTo = root;

            foreach (string subPath in subPaths)
            {
                Node child = addTo.Children.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Path == subPath);

                if (child == null)
                {
                    child = new Node
                    {
                        ChildOf = addTo,
                        Path = subPath,
                        Children = new List<Node>()
                    };

                    addTo.Children.Add(child);
                }//if

                addTo = child;
            }//foreach

        }//foreach


        return root;
    }
}

Unit test:

public void TestStructuredData()
{
    Node n = Helper.ArrayToTree(
        new[]
        { 
            "Answers", 
            "Answers.Comments", 
            "Answers.Greats", 
            "Answers.Balls.Of.Fire", 
            "Comments" 
        
        });


    Assert.AreEqual(2, n.Children.Count);
    Assert.AreEqual(3, n.Children[0].Children.Count);


    Assert.AreEqual("Answers", n.Children[0].Path);

    Assert.AreEqual("Comments", n.Children[0].Children[0].Path);
    Assert.AreEqual("Greats", n.Children[0].Children[1].Path);
    Assert.AreEqual("Balls", n.Children[0].Children[2].Path);
    Assert.AreEqual("Of", n.Children[0].Children[2].Children[0].Path);
    Assert.AreEqual("Fire", n.Children[0].Children[2].Children[0].Children[0].Path);

    Assert.AreEqual("Comments", n.Children[1].Path);
}

Avoid stringly-typed programming, use proper data structure.

http://www.google.com/search?q=stringly-typed+programming+-strongly