For Loop: changing the loop condition while it is looping - vb.net

Question

What I want to do is replace all 'A' in a string with "Bb". but it will only loop with the original string not on the new string.
for example:
AAA
BbAA
BbBbA
and it stops there because the original string only has a length of 3. it reads only up to the 3rd index and not the rest.
Dim txt As String
txt = output_text.Text
Dim a As String = a_equi.Text
Dim index As Integer = txt.Length - 1
Dim output As String = ""
For i = 0 To index
If (txt(i) = TextBox1.Text) Then
output = txt.Remove(i, 1).Insert(i, a)
txt = output
TextBox2.Text += txt + Environment.NewLine
End If
Next
End Sub

Answer 1

I think this leaves us looking for a String.ReplaceFirst function. Since there isn't one, we can just write that function. Then the code that calls it becomes much more readable because it's quickly apparent what it's doing (from the name of the function.)
Public Function ReplaceFirst(searched As String, target As String, replacement As String) As String
'This input validation is just for completeness.
'It's not strictly necessary.
'If the searched string is "null", throw an exception.
If (searched Is Nothing) Then Throw New ArgumentNullException("searched")
'If the target string is "null", throw an exception.
If (target Is Nothing) Then Throw New ArgumentNullException("target")
'If the searched string doesn't contain the target string at all
'then just return it - were done.
Dim foundIndex As Integer = searched.IndexOf(target)
If (foundIndex = -1) Then Return searched
'Build a new string that replaces the target with the replacement.
Return String.Concat(searched.Substring(0, foundIndex), replacement, _
searched.Substring(foundIndex + target.Length, searched.Length - (foundIndex + target.Length)))
End Function
Notice how when you read the code below, you don't even have to spend a moment trying to figure out what it's doing. It's readable. While the input string contains "A", replace the first "A" with "Bb".
Dim input as string = "AAA"
While input.IndexOf("A") > -1
input = input.ReplaceFirst(input,"A","Bb")
'If you need to capture individual values of "input" as it changes
'add them to a list.
End While
You could optimize or completely replace the function. What matters is that your code is readable, someone can tell what it's doing, and the ReplaceFirst function is testable.
Then, let's say you wanted another function that gave you all of the "versions" of your input string as the target string is replaced:
Public Function GetIterativeReplacements(searched As String, target As String, replacement As String) As List(of string)
Dim output As New List(Of String)
While searched.IndexOf(target) > -1
searched = ReplaceFirst(searched, target, replacement)
output.Add(searched)
End While
Return output
End Function
If you call
dim output as List(of string) = GetIterativeReplacments("AAAA","A","Bb")
It's going to return a list of strings containing
BbAAA, BbBbAA, BbBbBbA, BbBbBbBb
It's almost always good to keep methods short. If they start to get too long, just break them into smaller methods with clear names. That way you're not trying to read and follow and test one big, long function. That's difficult whether or not you're a new programmer. The trick isn't being able to create long, complex functions that we understand because we wrote them - it's creating small, simpler functions that anyone can understand.

Answer 2

Check your comments for a better solution, but for future reference you should use a while loop instead of a for loop if your condition will be changing and you're wanting to take that change into account.
I've made a simple example below to help you understand. If you tried the same with a for loop, you'd only get "one" "two" and "three" printed because the for loop doesn't 'see' that vals was changed
Dim vals As New List(Of String)
vals.Add("one")
vals.Add("two")
vals.Add("three")
Dim i As Integer = 0
While i < vals.Count
Console.WriteLine(vals(i))
If vals(i) = "two" Then
vals.Add("four")
vals.Add("five")
End If
i += 1
End While

Answer 3

If you do want to replace one by one instead of using the Replace function, you could use a while loop to look for the index of your search character/string, and then replace/insert at that index.
Sub Main()
Dim a As String = String.Empty
Dim b As String = String.Empty
Dim c As String = String.Empty
Dim d As Int32 = -1
Console.Write("Whole string: ")
a = Console.ReadLine()
Console.Write("Replace: ")
b = Console.ReadLine()
Console.Write("Replace with: ")
c = Console.ReadLine()
d = a.IndexOf(b)
While d > -1
a = a.Remove(d, b.Length)
a = a.Insert(d, c)
d = a.LastIndexOf(b)
End While
Console.WriteLine("Finished string: " & a)
Console.ReadLine()
End Sub
Output would look like this:
Whole string: This is A string for replAcing chArActers.
Replace: A
Replace with: Bb
Finished string: This is Bb string for replBbcing chBbrBbcters.

Answer 4

I was going to write a while loop to answer your question, but realized (with assistance from others) that you could just .replace(x,y)
Output.Text = Input.Text.Replace("A", "Bb")
'Input = N A T O
'Output = N Bb T O
Edit: There is probably a better alternative, but i quickly jotted this loop down, hope it helps.
You've said your new and don't fully understand while loops. So if you don't understand functions either or how to pass arguments to them, I'd suggest looking that up too.
This is your Event, It can be a Button click or Textbox text change.
'Cut & Paste into an Event (Change textboxes to whatever you have input/output)
Dim Input As String = textbox1.Text
Do While Input.Contains("A")
Input = ChangeString(Input, "A", "Bb")
' Do whatever you like with each return of ChangeString() here
Loop
textbox2.Text = Input
This is your Function, with 3 Arguments and a Return Value that can be called in your code
' Cut & Paste into Code somewhere (not inside another sub/Function)
Private Function ChangeString(Input As String, LookFor As Char, ReplaceWith As String)
Dim Output As String = Nothing
Dim cFlag As Boolean = False
For i As Integer = 0 To Input.Length - 1
Dim c As Char = Input(i)
If (c = LookFor) AndAlso (cFlag = False) Then
Output += ReplaceWith
cFlag = True
Else
Output += c
End If
Next
Console.WriteLine("Output: " & Output)
Return Output
End Function