How to create an empty local List<of String> ?

[ObtuseAngle]

I would like to create a local List<of String> within a method, initially empty, to which I can then add items from information extracted from an Oracle database.

So far I've got:

Code: Select all

returnList as List<of String> = ["junk"]
returnList.clear

which works but seems somewhat clunky.

I'm still not very familiar with .NET - what am I missing?
All the other alternatives I've tried end up with a List<of object>, but I'd like to be clear that it only contains strings.

[Charles]

list = List<of String>()
list.add('foo')
assert list.count == 1
trace list

# if you already have something enumerable from which
# your list derives, then you can use a for-expression:
records = .fetch('select Name from Customer where Balance > 0')
names = for record in records get record['Name']

[hopscc]

The current kludgy answer is

returnList = List<of String>()

See this forum discussion

Theres a ticket:230 for this also which includes a pending patch
Maybe it'll get applied for the next release....

[ObtuseAngle]

Many thanks!

While I like the look of the suggested enhancement, the current syntax is still better than my clumsy workaround.