Okay, so I wrote this program from an exercise in a C# programming book (I'm trying to learn here) and it asks for "Override the ToString() method to return all data members".
Have I done this correctly? Or have I just successfully written code that compiles but does nothing? What is the purpose of ToString?
I have spent about 30 minutes looking at other posts on this and haven't figured it out, so I decided to make this.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
namespace ConsoleApplication297
{
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
String name = "Stormtrooper";
Employee s = new Employee(name);
Console.WriteLine("The type of hire is a {0}", s.Name);
Console.WriteLine("The identification number is {0}", s.Number);
Console.WriteLine("The date of hire is {0} ABY", s.Date);
Console.WriteLine("The standard galactic salary is...{0:C}", s.Salary);
}
class Employee
{
private string _name;
private string _number;
private int _date;
private int _salary;
public string Name
{
get
{
return _name;
}
}
public string Number
{
get
{
return _number;
}
}
public int Date
{
get
{
return _date;
}
}
public int Salary
{
get
{
return _salary;
}
}
public Employee(string n)
{
_name = n;
_number = "AA23TK421";
_date = 4;
_salary = 800;
}
}
public override string ToString()
{
return "_name + _number + _date + _salary".ToString();
}
}
}
You are returning a string that just says the phrase _name + _number + _date + _salary.
What you likely wanted to do is build a string using those fields. If you wanted them all mushed together Concat would work, but it would be highly un-readable
public override string ToString()
{
return String.Concat(_name, _number, _date, _salary);
}
However what would be better is to use Format and include labels with the values
public override string ToString()
{
return String.Format("Name:{0}, Number:{1}, Date:{2}, Salary:{3}",_name, _number, _date, _salary);
}
If you are using C# 6 or newer you can use the following cleaner format
public override string ToString()
{
return $"Name:{_name}, Number:{_number}, Date:{_date}, Salary:{_salary}";
}
Which is the exact same logic as the previous String.Format version.
The reason people override the ToString() method is to have a default string representation of your object, usually for display to the user or in a log or console, like this:
Console.WriteLine(yourClassObject);
If you do not override the ToString(), then its default implementation is to return the fully qualified name of your object, like this:
YourNamespace.YourClassName
By changing the inherited implementation (from System.Object), then you can make a nicer (read: prettier) representation, like this:
public override string ToString()
{
return String.Format("This instance of my object has the following: Name = {0}, Number = {1}, Date = {2}, Salary = ${3}", _name, _number, _date, _salary);
}
If you are using C# 6 (or later) use the nameof() method for the property names in the string in case the property names change. You can also use the $"" notation instead of using string.Format().
For example:
public override string ToString()
{
return $"{nameof(Name)}: {_name}";
}
Rather try something like
public override string ToString()
{
return String.Format("Name : {0}, number {1}, date {2}, salary {3}",_name,_number,_date,_salary);
}
But it neads to be part of the class
so
class Employee
{
private string _name;
private string _number;
private int _date;
private int _salary;
.....
public override string ToString()
{
return String.Format("Name : {0}, number {1}, date {2}, salary {3}",_name,_number,_date,_salary);
}
}
Have a look at String.Format Method
Replaces each format item in a specified string with the text
equivalent of a corresponding object's value.
You could try to format the output in a nice format. (not tested, though)
public override string ToString()
{
return string.Format("Name: {0} Number: {1:n0} Date: {2:yyyy-MM-dd} Salary: {3:n2}", _name, _number, _date, _salary);
}
there are a lot of purposes overwriting .ToString(), depending on the context. for example,
some developers like to have nicely formatted object description when doing debug, overwriting .ToString() would allow them to have meaningful description with some identifier (for example, the Id of a object);
Some developers like to put some serialization code into the ToString() method;
Some developers even put some debug code into the .ToString() method, though it might not be a good practice.
it really depending on the context of your needs. you may find some good practices to follow online - believe there are plenty of resources online.
Without overiding ToString, if you tried to "get" the string value of an Employee, e.g.
var employee1= new Employee();
Console.WriteLine(employee1);
What you'd get is:
ConsoleApplication1.Program+Employee
Which provides no information at all to help you (or a UI) display relevant information.
I use
return _name + _number + _date + _salary;
Which defaults to string,
or a more verbose
return "Name:" + _name + " Number:" + _number + " etc...";
class Program
{
static void Main( )
{
int Number = 10;
Console.WriteLine(Number.ToString());
Customer cc = new Customer();
cc.FirstName = "Rakibuz";
cc.LastName = "Sultan";
Console.WriteLine(Convert.ToString(cc));
}
}
public class Customer
{
public string FirstName;
public string LastName;
public override string ToString()
{
return FirstName + " " + LastName;
}
}
Related
So, i have a method
public void AddToSearch(List<FullName> fullNames)
{
foreach (var fullName in fullNames)
{
if (fullName.Surname != null)
_sb.Append(fullName.Surname.Trim() + " ");
if (fullName.Name != null)
_sb.Append(fullName.Name.Trim() + " ");
if (fullName.Patronymic != null)
_sb.Append(fullName.Patronymic.Trim());
fullNamesList.Add(_sb.ToString().TrimEnd());
_sb.Clear();
}
it takes a list of FullName and by using StringBuilder instance converts each element into a string(which format is "$Surname $Name $Patronymic"). At the end i put the result into my list. The Question is - how can i optimize all of that "Trim" stuff. It bothers me that i use it in multiple occassions and i am pretty sure it effects the time.
how can i optimize all of that "Trim" stuff
Very simple, simply don't call Trim() on those strings. What spaces are you worried about? Who's entering those values in your business objects? Because short of solar flares randomly flipping bits enough to append spaces to your strings, you're in full control from beginning to end, so simply don't add the spaces.
You also don't need the two string builders, just insert in your main one. There's no need for yet another Trim() here either, because simply decrementing the Length property of your string builder is a constant operation (it literally decrements one integer with guaranteed no extra allocations).
the strings normalization process should be done in the data layer (in application or database) for stored strings. While dynamic strings such as user input, needs to be normalized as soon as you get them to prepare them for the next task.
For your current code, you can modify the FullName class, adjust the setters to trim the value before it's been stored, and override the ToString to return the full name.
Example :
public class FullName
{
public string Name
{
get => Name;
set => Name = value?.Trim();
}
public string Surname
{
get => Surname;
set => Surname = value?.Trim();
}
public string Patronymic
{
get => Patronymic;
set => Patronymic = value?.Trim();
}
public override string ToString()
{
return $"{GetValueOrEmpty(Surname)}{GetValueOrEmpty(Name)}{GetValueOrEmpty(Patronymic, false)}";
}
private string GetValueOrEmpty(string name, bool addSpaceAfter = true)
{
if(!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(name))
{
return name + (addSpaceAfter ? " " : string.Empty);
}
return string.Empty;
}
}
Then, you can do this :
fullNamesList.AddRange(fullNames.Select(x=> x.ToString()));
UPDATE :
Thanks to #olivier-jacot-descombes, the above code is missing the use of backing fields, which will avoid causing overflow exception by the properties infinite recursions. The following adjustments will do the trick.
public class FullName
{
private string _name;
private string _surname;
private string _patronymic;
public string Name
{
get => _name;
set => _name = value?.Trim();
}
public string Surname
{
get => _surname;
set => _surname = value?.Trim();
}
public string Patronymic
{
get => _patronymic;
set => _patronymic = value?.Trim();
}
public override string ToString()
{
return $"{GetValueOrEmpty(Surname)}{GetValueOrEmpty(Name)}{GetValueOrEmpty(Patronymic, false)}";
}
private string GetValueOrEmpty(string name, bool addSpaceAfter = true)
{
if(!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(name))
{
return name + (addSpaceAfter ? " " : string.Empty);
}
return string.Empty;
}
}
Try and extension something like this.
public static class Helper
{
public static StringBuilder AppendValue(this StringBuilder builder,string value)
{
if(!string.IsNullOrEmpty(value))
{
builder.Append(value.Trim());
return builder;
}
}
}
call as follows:
sb.AppendValue(fullName.Name);
sb.AppendValue(fullName.Surname);
...
You will get the StringBuilder back with the value if it is not empty otherwise nothing will be added to it.
I need add objects to list, but I can't understand how to do it correctly.
Every new object I get from console.
How to fix it?
My try:
namespace ExampleCars
{
public class Car
{
public string name;
public int speed;
public Car(string name, int speed)
{
this.name = name;
this.speed = speed;
}
}
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
string name;
int speed, elements;
List<Object> cars = new List<Object>();
elements = Convert.ToInt32(Console.ReadLine());
if (elements > 0)
{
for (int i = 0; i < n; i++)
{
name = Convert.ToString(Console.ReadLine());
speed = Convert.ToInt32(Console.ReadLine());
Car newCar = new Car(name, speed);
cars.Add(newCar);
}
}
foreach (var oneCar in cars)
Console.WriteLine(oneCar);
}
}
}
In console I get this (elements == 1):
ExampleCars.Car
First of all, it would be better to create a List of Cars, instead of list of Objects. So change this:
List<Object> cars = new List<Object>();
To this:
List<Car> cars = new List<Car>();
Also it would be great, if you use properties instead of fields. And finally as the solution for your question, and based on what you need to show in your last Console.Writeline method, you can override the ToString method. Your class should be something like this:
public class Car
{
public string Name { get; set; }
public int Speed { get; set; }
public Car(string name, int speed)
{
Name = name;
Speed = speed;
}
public override string ToString()
{
return $"Name = {Name}, Speed = {Speed} ";
}
}
And if you are using the older versions of C#:
return String.Format("Name = {0}, Speed = {1}", Name, Speed);
The $ is called String Interpolation and is available from C#6+. I have provided an equivalent of it using String.Format that is available in older versions of C#.
when you write your Car object in the console, Car.ToString method call in background.
Object.ToString is the major formatting method in the .NET Framework.
It converts an object to its string representation so that it is
suitable for display. Default implementations of the Object.ToString
method return the fully qualified name of the object's type.
Object.ToString Method
if you want to change default string presentation of your object, you have to override the method.
public class Car
{
public string name;
public int speed;
public Car(string name, int speed)
{
this.name = name;
this.speed = speed;
}
public override string ToString()
{
return $"{name} {speed}";
}
}
Console.WriteLine, is responsible of printing text.
In case of Console.WriteLine(string) is actually returns the string value;
In any other case, it tries to convert the value into a string by invoking the instance object .ToString() method.
Any type in C# inherits from System.Object, and thus, it has the .ToString() method.
By using Inheritance, many types override the actual inherited method and implement their perception of what their value should look like as a string.
This can be easily done, by using method overriding and apply your own logic.
Example taken from MSDN
class Person
{
public string Name { get; set; }
public int Age { get; set; }
public override string ToString()
{
return "Person: " + Name + " " + Age;
}
}
Test code
Person person = new Person { Name = "John", Age = 12 };
Console.WriteLine(person);
// Output:
// Person: John 12
So you may ask, why do i get ExampleCars.Car ? you're getting it, because you didn't implement your own representation of the object .ToString method. Thus, the System.Object implementation is to actually return the instance type as string, which is exactly what you're getting.
System.Object.ToString() Source code.
public virtual String ToString()
{
return GetType().ToString();
}
System.Int32 implement by changing the value of 1 to "1"
While other type can implement their own. e.g: new DateTime(2018, 12, 31) can return "12/31/2018"
I am new to C# and I am creating a Form that is supposed to give the user the opportunity to enter name and age. Then, by submitting this information, there should be a summary(a new form) that shows what the user their input.
I finally got it working with the name, as it's a string and it's not a big deal, but I am stuck with the age.
I've tried casting, however, it does not work. I also looked at the documentation, but I do not find anything useful. Well, probably because I don't know where to look.
Anyway, I would strongly appreciate if someone give me an example for this.
Thanks in advance.
FormEnterDetails.cs
PersonStatic.LName = this.textBoxLastName.Text;
PersonStatic.Age = this.textBoxAge.Text;
DetailsHolder.cs
private string lName;
public string LName
{
get { return lName; }
set { lName = value; }
}
string age;
public String Age
{
get { return age; }
set { age = value; }
}
FormSummary.cs
private void FormSummary_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
//we need to do this work on form load and not on creation
this.labelFirstNameSummary.Text = dh.FName;
this.labelLastNameSummary.Text = dh.LName;
this.labelAge.Text = Int32.Parse(dh.Age);
}
PersonStatic.cs
static string lName;
public static string LName
{
get { return PersonStatic.lName; }
set { PersonStatic.lName = value; }
}
static string age;
public static string Age
{
get { return PersonStatic.age;}
set { PersonStatic.age = value; }
}
I hope you want something like this
string ageString = ageInt.ToString();
Use the ToString() built-in function to convert anything to a string:
Int x=5;
String y;
y=x.ToString();
From the code you've posted, all places related to age appear to already be using string, not int (note that these are keywords that shorten the real type names, System.String and System.Int32). So you should be getting an error on this line:
this.labelAge.Text = Int32.Parse(dh.Age);
The Int32.Parse static method converts from a string to an int. (If you want to convert the other way, then as other answers have mentioned, you can call the ToString() instance method on your int.)
But in this case dh.Age, assuming dh is an instance of DetailsHolder, is already a string. And labelAge.Text, assuming labelAge is an instance of System.Windows.Forms.Label, is also a string. So you don't need to do any conversion:
this.labelAge.Text = dh.Age;
I have 2 classes. My question is, how can I call ToString from first class called Racer in my second class called Time.
Simplified version: class B To string (return class A ToString + something from class B)
class Racer
{
public string name, surname;
public void ReadingSeparatorsRacer(string line) //Rozdělení separatorem
{
char[] separators = new char[] { ';' };
string[] field = line.Split(separators, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);
surname = field[0]; //Příjmení
name = field[1]; //Jméno
}
public override string ToString()
{
return surname + name;
}
}
class Time
{
DateTime startTime, finishTime, result;
public void ReadingSeparatorsTime(string line)
{
char[] separators = new char[] { ';', ':', '.' };
string[] field = line.Split(separators, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);
}
public override string ToString()
{
string s = Racer.ToString
return "" result;
}
}
Iam thinking about something like this:
public override ToString()
{
return Racer.ToString + result;
}
But sadly, this does not work :(
Any ideas?
Thanks for help
As ToString() is not static, you can't call Racer.ToString().
You have to instanciate a Racer object an then call ToString() on it.
Edit: this probably nearer to what you are intending:
class Racer
{
public string name, surname;
public Time Time { get; set; }
public override string ToString()
{
return surname + name + "(" + Time.ToString() + ")";
}
}
class Time
{
DateTime startTime, finishTime, result;
public override string ToString()
{
TimeSpan elapsedTime = finishTime - startTime;
return elapsedTime.ToString();
}
}
Each Racer was a Time property which represents how long they took to run the race. The Racer.ToString method calls the Time.ToString method to include the race time, along with the Racer's name.
Generally, the easiest way to get self-maintainable ToString methods is to use a library for just exactly that. eg. from https://github.com/kbilsted/StatePrinter/blob/master/doc/AutomatingToStrings.md
class AClassWithToString
{
string B = "hello";
int[] C = {5,4,3,2,1};
// Nice stuff ahead!
static readonly Stateprinter printer = new Stateprinter();
public override string ToString()
{
return printer.PrintObject(this);
}
}
notice how the ToString will automatically update itself when you introduce new fields into the class.
i was need to write 2 methods in my student class which do the following
hasPassed() Should return True if the student has a year mark >= 40 or
false if the marks is <40
toString() Should return a single string containing a summary of the
student details held within the class
e.g.
“12345 Basil Fawlty, 23/08/1946”
here's the code i have for the above to methods, is what i have correct for what its asking for the above?
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
namespace CourseWork
{
public class Student
{
private static string firstname;
private string secondname;
private string dateofbirth;
private string course;
private int matricnumber;
private double yearmark;
public bool hasPassed()
{
if (yearmark >= 40)
return true;
else
return false;
}
public void toString()
{
firstname = "Basil";
secondname = "Fawlty";
dateofbirth = "23/08/1946";
course = "MA Hotel Management";
matricnumber = 12345;
yearmark = 55;
}
public Student()
{
}
public string FirstName
{
get { return firstname; }
set { firstname = value; }
}
public string SecondName
{
get { return secondname; }
set { secondname = value; }
}
public string DateOfBirth
{
get { return dateofbirth; }
set { dateofbirth = value; }
}
public string Course
{
get { return course; }
set { course = value; }
}
public int MatricNumber
{
get { return matricnumber; }
set
{
if (value <= 99999 && value >= 10000)
{
matricnumber = value;
}
else
{
Console.WriteLine("Invalid Matric Number: {0}", value);
}
matricnumber = value;
}
}
public double YearMark
{
set
{
if (value <= 100 && value >= 0)
{
yearmark = value;
}
else
{
Console.WriteLine("Invalid Year Mark: {0}", value);
}
yearmark = value;
}
}
}
i then need the above methods to be used in a get button that does the following
Get: Uses the values of the Student class methods to update the text boxes. The
Student.hasPassed() method should be used to update the pass/fail label. The
Student details summary should be updated by using Student.toString ().
but I'm having trouble coding it and i cant seam to call hasPassed() method or toString() method from my student class
so I've doing something wrong but cant see what it is
any ideas how to go about fixing this?
i have a set button that basically lets me save update vaules in the student class, though i dont think thats saving them correcty, but wont know until i get the Get button working i have used Student student = new student() in the set button in the get button i need to use the toString method to show the eg 12345 Basil Fawlty, 23/08/194 in the txt boxes and in a label, i then need to use hasPassed() method in the Get button so that when a yearmark is >= 40 another label says Pass or fail if < 40
I dont completely read your question because there are lots of errors.
For example
public void toString()
{
firstname = "Basil";
secondname = "Fawlty";
dateofbirth = "23/08/1946";
course = "MA Hotel Management";
matricnumber = 12345;
yearmark = 55;
}
where is your object?
you should create an object like this:
Student stu = new Student();
Be careful and ask your question more understandable!
Have a look :
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/902994/how-to-ask-programming-questions-correctly
The firstName variable is static. This will make all instances of Student share the same first name, which is not correct. Each Student object should have it's own first name.
The class's instance variables are private and have no way of being set. You probably want to create a constructor that takes these variables as arguments.
public Student(string firstName, string secondName, ...)
{
this.firstName = firstName;
this.secondName = secondName;
...
}
The hasPassed() method is correct. You can verify that the behavior is working by instantiating an instance of the Student class and calling hasPassed() on the instantiated object.
double goodYearMark = 85;
Student goodStudent = new Student("Basil", "Fawlty", ..., goodYearMark);
Console.WriteLine("Good Student Passed? " + goodStudent.hasPassed());
double badYearMark = 35;
Student badStudent = new Student("Bad", "Student", ..., badYearMark);
Console.WriteLine("Bad Student Passed? " + badStudent.hasPassed());
The ToString() method should return a string value. Every object in .NET has a ToString() method, and you can override the default behavior using the override keyword.
See the MSDN documentation for the Object.ToString Method.
public override string ToString()
{
return string.format("{0} {1}, {2}", firstName, secondName, dateOfBirth);
}
The code examples above may not compile because I typed them directly into the response window, but hopefully they will be useful as guidance. Hope this helps!
Read the toString requirement one more time, you're doing this wrong. What happens to your existing values when you call toString in your code now?
Also, check the two last property setters. Currently you're not preventing the user setting an invalid value.
You also need to create an instance of your class, and set initial values on it that you can return from toString.
Good luck, you're almost there :-)