Pass in Array to Select Case

this may be a dense question and I'm not finding it to be a dup of this one, but I need some help with understanding if an array can be used in a Select Case statement.

I have a sub routine that I will create a string array dynamically. The XML is also listed, but it could be any of the values listed below. It will be something like this:

Dim offensiveLine() As String = New String() {"center", "right wing", "left wing"}
Dim defensiveLine As String = "defense"
Dim playerInfo = <Player><Name>John</Name><Position val="right wing"/></Player>

What I want to do is see if this p开发者_开发技巧layer is in one of the offensiveLine. So I say:

Dim playerPosition = playerInfo.Position.@val
Select Case playerPosition
Case offensiveLine
'do something
Case defensiveLine
'do something
Case Else 
'do nothing
End Select

Here is lies the issue: Case offensiveLine is invalid. I know I could write out Case "center", "right wing", "left wing", but that would defeat the purpose of what I'm trying to do, which is to make a generalized variable that is an array that can be read from in a Case statement. Secondly, I know I can't create a variable like Dim offensiveLine = ""center", "right wing", "left wing"" and pass that in.

Any insight on how I may be able to pass in an array to a Case statement and have each one evaluated?

You may want to consider using an if clause here rather than a switch. Try this logic: if offensiveLine contains playerPosition, then offensive line, etc.

You actually can use a Select statement:

Dim playerPosition = playerInfo.Position.@val
Select Case True
    Case offensiveLine.Contains(playerPosition)
        'do something
    Case defensiveLine.Contains(playerPosition)
        'do something
    Case Else 
        'do something - otherwise you don't need the 'Case Else'
End Select

The trick is the True in the first line of the Select.

The Select..Case construct does not work like that. However, it is easy to test if an element exists in an array:

If offensiveLine.Contains(playerPosition) Then
    'Do something
ElseIf defensiveLine.Contains(playerPosition) Then
    'Do something else
End If