List<T>.Insert(Int32, T) Method

Definition

Inserts an element into the List<T> at the specified index.

public void Insert (int index, T item);

Parameters

index
Int32

The zero-based index at which item should be inserted.

item
T

The object to insert. The value can be null for reference types.

Implements

Exceptions

index is less than 0.

-or-

index is greater than Count.

Examples

The following example demonstrates how to add, remove, and insert a simple business object in a List<T>.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
// Simple business object. A PartId is used to identify the type of part
// but the part name can change.
public class Part : IEquatable<Part>
    {
        public string PartName { get; set; }

        public int PartId { get; set; }

        public override string ToString()
        {
            return "ID: " + PartId + "   Name: " + PartName;
        }
        public override bool Equals(object obj)
        {
            if (obj == null) return false;
            Part objAsPart = obj as Part;
            if (objAsPart == null) return false;
            else return Equals(objAsPart);
        }
        public override int GetHashCode()
        {
            return PartId;
        }
        public bool Equals(Part other)
        {
            if (other == null) return false;
            return (this.PartId.Equals(other.PartId));
        }
    // Should also override == and != operators.
    }
public class Example
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        // Create a list of parts.
        List<Part> parts = new List<Part>();

        // Add parts to the list.
        parts.Add(new Part() { PartName = "crank arm", PartId = 1234 });
        parts.Add(new Part() { PartName = "chain ring", PartId = 1334 });
        parts.Add(new Part() { PartName = "regular seat", PartId = 1434 });
        parts.Add(new Part() { PartName = "banana seat", PartId = 1444 });
        parts.Add(new Part() { PartName = "cassette", PartId = 1534 });
        parts.Add(new Part() { PartName = "shift lever", PartId = 1634 });

        // Write out the parts in the list. This will call the overridden ToString method
        // in the Part class.
        Console.WriteLine();
        foreach (Part aPart in parts)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(aPart);
        }

        // Check the list for part #1734. This calls the IEquatable.Equals method
        // of the Part class, which checks the PartId for equality.
        Console.WriteLine("\nContains(\"1734\"): {0}",
        parts.Contains(new Part { PartId = 1734, PartName = "" }));

        // Insert a new item at position 2.
        Console.WriteLine("\nInsert(2, \"1834\")");
        parts.Insert(2, new Part() { PartName = "brake lever", PartId = 1834 });

        //Console.WriteLine();
        foreach (Part aPart in parts)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(aPart);
        }

        Console.WriteLine("\nParts[3]: {0}", parts[3]);

        Console.WriteLine("\nRemove(\"1534\")");

        // This will remove part 1534 even though the PartName is different,
        // because the Equals method only checks PartId for equality.
        parts.Remove(new Part() { PartId = 1534, PartName = "cogs" });

        Console.WriteLine();
        foreach (Part aPart in parts)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(aPart);
        }
        Console.WriteLine("\nRemoveAt(3)");
        // This will remove the part at index 3.
        parts.RemoveAt(3);

        Console.WriteLine();
        foreach (Part aPart in parts)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(aPart);
        }

            /*

             ID: 1234   Name: crank arm
             ID: 1334   Name: chain ring
             ID: 1434   Name: regular seat
             ID: 1444   Name: banana seat
             ID: 1534   Name: cassette
             ID: 1634   Name: shift lever

             Contains("1734"): False

             Insert(2, "1834")
             ID: 1234   Name: crank arm
             ID: 1334   Name: chain ring
             ID: 1834   Name: brake lever
             ID: 1434   Name: regular seat
             ID: 1444   Name: banana seat
             ID: 1534   Name: cassette
             ID: 1634   Name: shift lever

             Parts[3]: ID: 1434   Name: regular seat

             Remove("1534")

             ID: 1234   Name: crank arm
             ID: 1334   Name: chain ring
             ID: 1834   Name: brake lever
             ID: 1434   Name: regular seat
             ID: 1444   Name: banana seat
             ID: 1634   Name: shift lever

             RemoveAt(3)

             ID: 1234   Name: crank arm
             ID: 1334   Name: chain ring
             ID: 1834   Name: brake lever
             ID: 1444   Name: banana seat
             ID: 1634   Name: shift lever


         */
    }
}

The following example demonstrates the Insert method, along with various other properties and methods of the List<T> generic class. After the list is created, elements are added. The Insert method is used to insert an item into the middle of the list. The item inserted is a duplicate, which is later removed using the Remove method.

List<string> dinosaurs = new List<string>();

Console.WriteLine("\nCapacity: {0}", dinosaurs.Capacity);

dinosaurs.Add("Tyrannosaurus");
dinosaurs.Add("Amargasaurus");
dinosaurs.Add("Mamenchisaurus");
dinosaurs.Add("Deinonychus");
dinosaurs.Add("Compsognathus");
Console.WriteLine();
foreach(string dinosaur in dinosaurs)
{
    Console.WriteLine(dinosaur);
}

Console.WriteLine("\nCapacity: {0}", dinosaurs.Capacity);
Console.WriteLine("Count: {0}", dinosaurs.Count);

Console.WriteLine("\nContains(\"Deinonychus\"): {0}",
    dinosaurs.Contains("Deinonychus"));

Console.WriteLine("\nInsert(2, \"Compsognathus\")");
dinosaurs.Insert(2, "Compsognathus");

Console.WriteLine();
foreach(string dinosaur in dinosaurs)
{
    Console.WriteLine(dinosaur);
}

// Shows accessing the list using the Item property.
Console.WriteLine("\ndinosaurs[3]: {0}", dinosaurs[3]);

Console.WriteLine("\nRemove(\"Compsognathus\")");
dinosaurs.Remove("Compsognathus");

Console.WriteLine();
foreach(string dinosaur in dinosaurs)
{
    Console.WriteLine(dinosaur);
}

dinosaurs.TrimExcess();
Console.WriteLine("\nTrimExcess()");
Console.WriteLine("Capacity: {0}", dinosaurs.Capacity);
Console.WriteLine("Count: {0}", dinosaurs.Count);

dinosaurs.Clear();
Console.WriteLine("\nClear()");
Console.WriteLine("Capacity: {0}", dinosaurs.Capacity);
Console.WriteLine("Count: {0}", dinosaurs.Count);

/* This code example produces the following output:

Capacity: 0

Tyrannosaurus
Amargasaurus
Mamenchisaurus
Deinonychus
Compsognathus

Capacity: 8
Count: 5

Contains("Deinonychus"): True

Insert(2, "Compsognathus")

Tyrannosaurus
Amargasaurus
Compsognathus
Mamenchisaurus
Deinonychus
Compsognathus

dinosaurs[3]: Mamenchisaurus

Remove("Compsognathus")

Tyrannosaurus
Amargasaurus
Mamenchisaurus
Deinonychus
Compsognathus

TrimExcess()
Capacity: 5
Count: 5

Clear()
Capacity: 5
Count: 0
 */

Remarks

List<T> accepts null as a valid value for reference types and allows duplicate elements.

If Count already equals Capacity, the capacity of the List<T> is increased by automatically reallocating the internal array, and the existing elements are copied to the new array before the new element is added.

If index is equal to Count, item is added to the end of List<T>.

This method is an O(n) operation, where n is Count.

Applies to

Product Versions
.NET Core 1.0, Core 1.1, Core 2.0, Core 2.1, Core 2.2, Core 3.0, Core 3.1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
.NET Framework 2.0, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 4.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, 4.8, 4.8.1
.NET Standard 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 2.0, 2.1
UWP 10.0

See also