C# Elegant way to handle checking for an item in a collection -

i've posted code sample below. firstly let me explain

termstore.groups in code below collection of group objects (the exact class irrelevant).

checking null : if (termstore.groups[groupname] == null) seems logical (clean) approach, if groups collection empty exception produced.

using termstore.groups.contains not option either because expects strong type i.e: .contains(group)... not .contains(groupname string)

can recommend clean / generic way can check if item exists in collection .

thank you....

termstore termstore = session.termstores.where(ts => ts.name == termstorename).firstordefault();                 if (termstore.groups[groupname] == null)                 {                     termstore.creategroup(groupname);                     termstore.commitall();                 } 

update: exact class sharepoint taxonomy classes. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/microsoft.sharepoint.taxonomy.group.aspx

update 2, exact collection : http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/microsoft.sharepoint.taxonomy.groupcollection.aspx

microsoft.sharepoint.taxonomy.groupcollection implements ienumerable<group>, bit of linq doctor ordered:-

if(termstore.groups.any(x => x.name == "mygroup")) {    // group contains @ least 1 item matching predicate. } else {    // group contains no items matching predicate. } 

you'll need using .net 3.5 or better , add "using system.linq;" top of file.

edit

if don't have linq available, or if offends you, or if you've genuinely profiled , found iterating on groups killing performance compared string indexer, use groupcollection.count avoid error state:-

if (termstore.groups.count == 0 || termstore.groups[groupname] == null) {   // group doesn't exist. }