When ``++switch++`` statements have large sets of case clauses, it is usually an attempt to map two sets of data. A ``++Dictionary++`` should be used instead to make the code more readable and maintainable.

== Noncompliant Code Example

With a "Maximum number of case" set to 4

----
public class TooManyCase
{
    public int switchCase(char ch)
    {
        switch(ch) {  // Noncompliant
            case 'a':
                return 1;
            case 'b':
            case 'c':
                return 2;
            case 'd':
                return 3;
            case 'e':
                return 4;
            case 'f':
            case 'g':
            case 'h':
                return 5;
            default:
                return 6;
        }
    }
}
----

== Compliant Solution

----
using System.Collections.Generic;

public class TooManyCase
{
    Dictionary<char, int> matching = new Dictionary<char, int>()
    {
        {'a', 1}, {'b', 2}, {'c', 2}, {'d', 3},
        {'e', 4}, {'f', 5}, {'g', 5}, {'h', 5}
    };

    public int withDictionary(char ch)
    {
        int value;
        if (this.matching.TryGetValue(ch, out value)) {
            return value;
        } else {
            return 6;
        }
    }
}
----

== Exceptions

This rule ignores ``++switch++``es over ``++Enum++``s and empty, fall-through cases.