GetRandomArrayItem - Return a random item from an array or collection

' Return a random item from a mono/bi/tri-dimensional array or collection
' 
' Example:
'   Dim arr1 As String() = {"this is string 0", "this is string 1",
'  '       "this is string 2", "this is string 3", "this is string 4"}
'   Dim i As Integer
'   For i = 1 To 10
'       Debug.WriteLine(GetRandomArrayItem(arr1))
'   Next

'   Dim arr2 As String(,) = {{"this is string 0-0", "this is string 0-1"},
'  '       {"this is string 1-0", "this is string 1-1"},
'  '       {"this is string 2-0", "this is string 2-1"},
'  '       {"this is string 3-0", "this is string 3-1"},
'  '       {"this is string 4-0", "this is string 4-1"}}
'   For i = 1 To 10
'       Debug.WriteLine(GetRandomArrayItem(arr2))
'   Next
'
'   ' print the name of random controls on the form
'   For i = 1 To 10
'       Debug.WriteLine(DirectCast(GetRandomArrayItem(Me.Controls),
'  Control).Name)
'   Next

Function GetRandomArrayItem(ByVal coll As ICollection) As Object
    Static randGen As New System.Random
    ' if this is an array, convert to Array, and handle mono/bi/tri-dimensional 
    ' arrays
    If TypeOf coll Is Array Then
        Dim arr As Array = CType(coll, Array)
        If arr.Rank = 1 Then
            Dim minIndex0 As Integer = arr.GetLowerBound(0)
            Dim maxIndex0 As Integer = arr.GetUpperBound(0)
            Dim randomIndex0 As Integer = randGen.Next(minIndex0, maxIndex0 + 1)
            Return arr(randomIndex0)
        ElseIf arr.Rank = 2 Then
            Dim minIndex0 As Integer = arr.GetLowerBound(0)
            Dim maxIndex0 As Integer = arr.GetUpperBound(0)
            Dim randomIndex0 As Integer = randGen.Next(minIndex0, maxIndex0 + 1)
            Dim minIndex1 As Integer = arr.GetLowerBound(1)
            Dim maxIndex1 As Integer = arr.GetUpperBound(1)
            Dim randomIndex1 As Integer = randGen.Next(minIndex1, maxIndex1 + 1)
            Return arr(randomindex0, randomIndex1)
        ElseIf arr.Rank = 3 Then
            Dim minIndex0 As Integer = arr.GetLowerBound(0)
            Dim maxIndex0 As Integer = arr.GetUpperBound(0)
            Dim randomIndex0 As Integer = randGen.Next(minIndex0, maxIndex0 + 1)
            Dim minIndex1 As Integer = arr.GetLowerBound(1)
            Dim maxIndex1 As Integer = arr.GetUpperBound(1)
            Dim randomIndex1 As Integer = randGen.Next(minIndex1, maxIndex1 + 1)
            Dim minIndex2 As Integer = arr.GetLowerBound(2)
            Dim maxIndex2 As Integer = arr.GetUpperBound(2)
            Dim randomIndex2 As Integer = randGen.Next(minIndex2, maxIndex2 + 1)
            Return arr(randomindex0, randomIndex1, randomIndex2)
        End If
    Else
        ' otherwise get a random element from the collection
        Dim max As Integer = coll.Count
        Dim randomIndex As Integer = randGen.Next(0, max)
        Dim list As IList = CType(coll, IList)
        Return list.Item(randomIndex)
    End If
End Function