[Specical] Design Pattern - Behavioral Patterns - Iterator Pattern

2007

Section 4, Chapter 3

Iterator Pattern

Concept

Iterators allow sequential access of elements in a collection of objects without exposing its underlying code.

Use

If you have a list object and you wish to move through each element in the list sequentially and maintain your current place in the list, an iterator seems appropriate.

Design

• Aggregate: a collection or aggregate object of some type whose elements we wish to iterate through.
  
• Iterator: a tool to move through the aggregate elements and keep track of the progress.
  

Illustration

class List
{
  private ArrayList _listItems = new ArrayList();

  public Iterator CreateIterator()
  {
    return new Iterator(this);
  }
  
  public int Count
  {
    get{ return _listItems.Count; }
  }

  public void Append(object item)
  {
    _listItems.Add(item);
  }
  
  public void Remove(object item)
  {
    _listItems.Remove(item);
  }

  public void RemoveAt(int index)
  {
    _listItems.RemoveAt(index);
  }

  public object this[int index]
  {
    get{ return _listItems[index]; }
    set{ _listItems[index] = value; }
  }
}

class Iterator
{
  private List _collection;
  private int _currentIndex = 0;
  private int _stepCount = 1;

  public Iterator(List collection)
  {
    this._collection = collection;
  }

  public int Step
  {
    get{ return _stepCount; }
    set{ _stepCount = value; }
  }

  public object First()
  {
    _currentIndex = 0;
    return _collection[_currentIndex];
  }
  
  public object Next()
  {
    _currentIndex += _stepCount;
    if(!IsDone())
      return _collection[_currentIndex];
    else
      return null;
  }
  
  public object Last()
  {
    _currentIndex = _collection.Count - 1;
    return _collection[_currentIndex];
  }

  public object Current()
  {
    return _collection[_currentIndex];
  }

  public bool IsDone()
  {
    return _currentIndex >= _collection.Count ? true : false ;
  }
}

Iterator skipIterator = list.CreateIterator();
skipIterator.Step = 3;

for(object item = skipIterator.First(); !skipIterator.IsDone(); item = skipIterator.Next())