Vb.net all combinations

Question

I have 6 items which have to be combinated,

items listed: ( this is an example)

• Ape
• Cow
• Deer | Small deer | Big deer

Answer 1

Want the input as strings? and no recursion? then here's the final solution, a simple adaptation of my previous sample:

    Dim Lines As New List(Of List(Of String))
    AddItem(Lines, "a ")
    AddItem(Lines, "b ")
    AddItem(Lines, "c1|c2|c3 ")
    AddItem(Lines, "d ")
    AddItem(Lines, "e1|e2")
    AddItem(Lines, "f ") ' etc
    Dim i As Integer
    Dim j As Integer
    Dim ItemnrInLine(Lines.Count - 1) As Integer
    Dim NrCombinations = 1
    For i = 0 To (Lines.Count - 1)
        ItemnrInLine(i) = 0
        NrCombinations *= Lines(i).Count
    Next
    ItemnrInLine(Lines.Count - 1) = -1 ' to get first combination as solution
    For i = 1 To NrCombinations
        ItemnrInLine(Lines.Count - 1) += 1
        For j = Lines.Count - 1 To 0 Step -1
            If ItemnrInLine(j) = Lines(j).Count Then
                ItemnrInLine(j) = 0
                ItemnrInLine(j - 1) += 1
            End If
        Next
        printOut(Lines, ItemnrInLine)
    Next

Sub printOut(ByVal Lines As List(Of List(Of String)), ByVal ItemnrInLine() As Integer)
    Dim Result As String = ""
    For k = 0 To Lines.Count - 1
        Result = Result & Lines(k)(ItemnrInLine(k)).Trim & " "
    Next
    Debug.WriteLine(Result)
End Sub

Sub AddItem(ByVal Lines As List(Of List(Of String)), ByVal inputString As String)
    Dim words() As String = inputString.Split("|"c)
    Dim wordList As New List(Of String)
    For i As Integer = 0 To words.Count - 1
        wordList.Add(words(i))
    Next
    Lines.Add(wordList)
End Sub