We Keep Coding

Multiple generic event publishers?

I have this simple interface:
public interface IEventPublisher<T>
{
public delegate void EventHandler(T report);
public event EventHandler OnEventReceived;
}
Then I can write a class to subscribe to events of type int and string:
public class Subscriber
{
public Subscriber(IEventPublisher<int> intPublisher, IEventPublisher<string> stringPublisher)
{
intPublisher.OnEventReceived += OnIntEventReceived;
stringPublisher.OnEventReceived += OnStringEventReceived;
}
private void OnIntEventReceived(int report)
{
}
private void OnStringEventReceived(string report)
{
}
}
Now comes the challenge: I would like to write a class to be a publisher of events of type int and string, so I start with:
public class Publisher : IEventPublisher<int>, IEventPublisher<string>
{
}
How do I implement this in order to satisfy both interfaces? The problem is that the event handler names are identical (OnEventReceived).
This is how I would have written it for a publisher just implementing one of the interfaces:
public interface IEventPublisher<T>
{
public delegate void EventHandler(T report);
public event EventHandler OnEventReceived;
}
public class Subscriber
{
public Subscriber(IEventPublisher<int> intPublisher)
{
intPublisher.OnEventReceived += OnIntEventReceived;
}
private void OnIntEventReceived(int report)
{
}
}
public class Publisher : IEventPublisher<int>
{
public event IEventPublisher<int>.EventHandler? OnEventReceived;
public Publisher()
{
Subscriber subscriber = new Subscriber(this);
}
private void GenerateEvents()
{
while (true)
{
...
OnEventReceived?.Invoke(number);
}
}
}

Did you try it? My IDE (with ReSharper) gives this implementation:
public class Publisher : IEventPublisher<int>, IEventPublisher<string>
{
event IEventPublisher<int>.EventHandler? IEventPublisher<int>.OnEventReceived
{
add
{
// Your code here.
}
remove
{
// Your code here.
}
}
event IEventPublisher<string>.EventHandler? IEventPublisher<string>.OnEventReceived
{
add
{
// Your code here.
}
remove
{
// Your code here.
}
}
}
And the Subscriber class would subscribe like this.
public class Subscriber
{
public Subscriber()
{
var publisher = new Publisher();
IEventPublisher<int> intPublisher = publisher;
IEventPublisher<string> stringPublisher = publisher;
intPublisher.OnEventReceived += OnIntEventReceived;
stringPublisher.OnEventReceived += OnStringEventReceived;
}
private void OnIntEventReceived(int report)
{
}
private void OnStringEventReceived(string report)
{
}
}
Note: I haven't actually tried compiling/running this.

Visual C# returning value from an event handler

I have a form that has a button to get a method executed in another class.
Code on the form:
public delegate void CustomPreviewCreate();
public static event CustomPreviewCreate CustomPreviewCreate_Do;
private void CreatePreview()
{
if (CustomPreviewCreate_Do !=null)
{
CustomPreviewCreate_Do();
}
}
This event then gets handled in another class. What I would like to achieve is that I can feed back to the form some form of return value if the method correctly executed.
What I tried so far does not get me the result.
Here is the code:
public void Initialize()
{
SubAsstViewPartControl.CustomPreviewCreate_Do += SubAsstViewPartControl_CustomPreviewCreate_Do;
// this gives me a the compiler error that the return type is wrong
}
private bool SubAsstViewPartControl_CustomPreviewCreate_Do()
{
// do stuff
return false;
}
Is there any direct way to return value from an event handler or I need to use a separate static field to store the event result in?
Update:
Per #Jon's comment, which seemed the simplest to me, I added an answer below demonstrating the simplest approach.

The common approach is to encapsulate your value in the type of EventArgs your event expects. For example, the Framework's CancelEventArgs contains a settable bool Cancel property, allowing each CancelEventHandler to assign a value. The sender can then read the property after the event has been invoked. You could also use a container-like EventArgs class if you want to collect separate values from individual event handlers. For example:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
namespace ConsoleApplication1
{
public class SingleValueEventArgs : EventArgs
{
public int Value { get; set; }
}
public class MultiValueEventArgs : EventArgs
{
private List<int> _values = new List<int>(); // Private to prevent handlers from messing with each others' values
public IEnumerable<int> Values
{
get { return _values; }
}
public void AddValue(int value) { _values.Add(value); }
}
public class Exposer
{
public event EventHandler<SingleValueEventArgs> WantSingleValue;
public event EventHandler<MultiValueEventArgs> WantMultipleValues;
public void Run()
{
if (WantSingleValue != null)
{
var args = new SingleValueEventArgs();
WantSingleValue(this, args);
Console.WriteLine("Last handler produced " + args.Value.ToString());
}
if (WantMultipleValues != null)
{
var args = new MultiValueEventArgs();
WantMultipleValues(this, args);
foreach (var value in args.Values)
{
Console.WriteLine("A handler produced " + value.ToString());
}
}
}
}
public class Handler
{
private int _value;
public Handler(Exposer exposer, int value)
{
_value = value;
exposer.WantSingleValue += exposer_WantSingleValue;
exposer.WantMultipleValues += exposer_WantMultipleValues;
}
void exposer_WantSingleValue(object sender, SingleValueEventArgs e)
{
Console.WriteLine("Handler assigning " + _value.ToString());
e.Value = _value;
}
void exposer_WantMultipleValues(object sender, MultiValueEventArgs e)
{
Console.WriteLine("Handler adding " + _value.ToString());
e.AddValue(_value);
}
}
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
var exposer = new Exposer();
for (var i = 0; i < 5; i++)
{
new Handler(exposer, i);
}
exposer.Run();
}
}
}

Per Jon Skeet's comment, which seemed the simplest to me, the simplest approach seems to be as follows:
public delegate bool CustomPreviewCreate(); // here we declare a return type
public static event CustomPreviewCreate CustomPreviewCreate_Do;
private void CreatePreview()
{
if (CustomPreviewCreate_Do !=null)
{
bool returnval = CustomPreviewCreate_Do();
}
}
And then:
// the method is declared to return the same type
bool SubAsstViewPartControl_CustomPreviewCreate_Do()
{
// do stuff
return true; // return the value of the type declared
}

Why is a "forwarded" event not raised when assigning a method group but is when assigning a delegate?

Given the following code:
public delegate void Signal();
public static class SignalExtensions
{
public static void SafeInvoke(this Signal signal)
{
Signal copy = signal;
if (copy != null)
{
copy();
}
}
}
public class RootEventSource
{
public event Signal RootEvent;
public void Raise()
{
this.RootEvent.SafeInvoke();
}
}
public class EventForwarder
{
private readonly RootEventSource rootEventSource;
public EventForwarder(RootEventSource rootEventSource)
{
this.rootEventSource = rootEventSource;
// this is the critical part
this.rootEventSource.RootEvent
+= () => this.AnotherEvent.SafeInvoke();
}
public event Signal AnotherEvent;
// just an example of another method which is using the root event source
public override string ToString()
{
return this.rootEventSource.ToString();
}
}
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
var rootEventSource = new RootEventSource();
var eventForwarder = new EventForwarder(rootEventSource);
eventForwarder.AnotherEvent += HandleAnotherEvent;
rootEventSource.Raise();
Console.WriteLine("done");
Console.ReadKey();
}
private static void HandleAnotherEvent()
{
Console.WriteLine("received AnotherEvent");
}
}
This results in the output:
received AnotherEvent
done
Now I make a slight change to the implementation of EventForwarder to use a method group for forwarding the event:
public EventForwarder(RootEventSource rootEventSource)
{
this.rootEventSource = rootEventSource;
this.rootEventSource.RootEvent += this.AnotherEvent.SafeInvoke;
}
The output becomes:
done
So AnotherEvent is not raised.
Until now i would have considered the two lines:
this.rootEventSource.RootEvent += this.AnotherEvent.SafeInvoke;
this.rootEventSource.RootEvent += () => this.AnotherEvent.SafeInvoke();
as being equivalent. It seems they're not.
So what is the difference? Plus why is the event not being raised?
PS: while usually R# suggests to replace () => this.AnotherEvent.SafeInvoke(); by this.AnotherEvent.SafeInvoke it doesn't do so here. So apparently it knows that it should not do it here.

When you assign a method group to event like this:
this.rootEventSource.RootEvent += this.AnotherEvent.SafeInvoke;
you in fact create a delegate from method SignalExtensions.SafeInvoke which as a parameter takes your this.AnotherEventdelegate object. Since it is initially null, you create a delegate with null parameter. This null value will of course never change, since delegates are immutable.
If you want to forward an event you should maybe do it like this:
public class EventForwarder
{
private readonly RootEventSource rootEventSource;
public EventForwarder(RootEventSource rootEventSource)
{
this.rootEventSource = rootEventSource;
}
public event Signal AnotherEvent
{
add { this.rootEventSource.RootEvent += value; }
remove { this.rootEventSource.RootEvent -= value; }
}
}

Understanding generics and Func arguments

I would not be surprised if this has been answered somewhere, the problem is I am not sure how to phrase a search to find what I need. The things I have already found have either been too simplistic to be usable or poorly explained such that I cannot translate it into my own project. I had no formal instruction with event handlers, delegates, and the like (heck, I didn't even learn about Entity-Component Systems--or other design patterns--until long after I graduated college and was already employed as a programmer, and even then it wasn't something I learned at, or for, my job).
Essentially what I want to know is, what does the definition of Array.Sort<T>(T[] array, Comparison<T> comparison) look like?
There's clearly some kind of generalization going on, as myCompareDelegate(...) takes two arguments of any type. In almost everything I've found relating to Func arguments, a Func<> parameter requires explicitly declared types, with the exception of some sample code using an operator I am unfamiliar with:
SomeUtility(arg => new MyType());
public void SomeUtility<T>(Func<object, T> converter) {
var myType = converter("foo");
}
It compiles but I have no idea what it does and as such, I do not know how to utilize it to create code that will run or do what I want to do.
My goal here is to be able to create an event system (yes, I'm aware that C# has an event system built in, but again, all the sample code I've seen is either simplified to the point of uselessness--listeners contained in the same class as the dispatcher--or complicated and unexplained). I want the following to be true:
a single function to register an event listener (for any Type of event and its subtypes)
a single function to dispatch an event (calling only the relevant listeners)
to be able to create new event types without having to modify the functions for registration and handling (no explicit types in the dispatcher beyond the base event class) provided the new event type extends the allowable event type (i.e. an Entity will only dispatch EntityEvents not WorldEvents).
I have a system that works currently, but it requires that all my handlers pass through a single "onEvent" function which takes a base event object and figures out what it's actual type is, passing that off to the true handler.
Eg:
//Entity implements IEventDispatcher
public SomeConstructor(Entity ent) {
//public delegate void EventListener(EventBase eventData); is declared
//in the IEventDispatcher interface.
ent.attachEvent(typeof(EntityEventPreRender), new EventListener(onEvent));
ent.attachEvent(typeof(EntityEventPostRender), new EventListener(onEvent));
}
//EntityEventPreRender extends EntityEventRender extends EntityEvent extends EventBase
//EntityEventPostRender extends EntityEventRender extends EntityEvent extends EventBase
public void onEvent(EventBase data) {
if(data is EntityEventPreRender)
onPre((EntityEventPreRender)data);
if(data is EntityEventPostRender)
onPost((EntityEventPostRender)data);
}
public void onPre(EntityEventPreRender evt) {}
public void onPost(EntityEventPostRender evt) {}
attachEvent() here is a function that takes a Type (used as a HashMap key) and a Delegate and stores it in a list (the HashMap value). Dispatching the event just needs to pass the EventData object, which is queried for its type (via evt.GetType()) to retrieve the list of listeners, then invoking them: listItem(evt)
But I'd rather be able to just do this:
public SomeConstructor(Entity ent) {
ent.attachEvent(onPre);
ent.attachEvent(onPost);
}
public void onPre(EntityEventPreRender evt) {}
public void onPost(EntityEventPostRender evt) {}
But I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how to do this because I do not know how to declare the attachEvent() function to take a generic function parameter the way Array.Sort<T>(T[] array, Comparison<T> comparison) does. I get the error:
"The type arguments for method doSomething<T>(SomeClass.Thing<T>)' cannot be inferred from the usage. Try specifying the type arguments explicitly."

I think you might be looking for something like the following:
public static class PubSub<TMessage>
{
private static List
<
Action
<
TMessage
>
> listeners = new List<Action<TMessage>>();
public static void Listen(Action<TMessage> listener)
{
if (listener != null) listeners.Add(listener);
}
public static void Unlisten(Action<TMessage> listener)
{
if (listeners.Contains(listener)) listeners.Remove(listener);
}
public static void Broadcast(TMessage message)
{
foreach(var listener in listeners) listener(message);
}
}
In the above code, using PubSub and specifying a type for TMessage creates a new static class in memory with its own memory space allocated for storing a separate list of listeners. The compiler will ensure that only the substituted type for TMessage and its subclasses will be allowed in that list, provided you consistently use the base type as the type argument for the TMessage type parameter.
You would then use it like so:
public class SomeMessageType
{
public int SomeId;
public string SomeDescription;
}
public class SomePublisher
{
public void DoSomethingCool(string description)
{
var randomizer = new Random();
...
PubSub<SomeMessageType>.Broadcast(new SomeMessageType(){SomeId = randomizer.Next(), SomeDescription = description});
}
}
public class SomeListener
{
static SomeListener()
{
PubSub<SomeMessageType>.Listen(SomeMessageEvent);
}
private static void SomeMessageEvent(SomeMessageType message)
{
// do something with the message
}
}
If you then create another class SomeOtherMessageType which does not inherit from SomeMessageType and make similar calls to it, it will only broadcast to listeners of that specific type.
EDITED:
Here is a full proof of concept that compiles that you can run in a console app to allay any remaining concerns you may have over efficacy of this technique.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
namespace TestPubSub
{
public class Program
{
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
Program.startListeners();
Program.sendTestMessages();
Program.stopConsoleFromExitingImmediately();
}
private static void startListeners()
{
SomeListener.Listen();
SomeOtherListener1.Listen();
SomeOtherListener2.Listen();
}
private static void sendTestMessages()
{
var publisher1 = new SomePublisher();
var publisher2 = new SomeOtherPublisher();
publisher1.DoSomethingCool("Hello world");
publisher2.DoSomethingElse(DateTime.Now);
}
private static void stopConsoleFromExitingImmediately()
{
Console.ReadKey();
}
}
public static class PubSub<TMessage>
{
private static List
<
Action
<
TMessage
>
> listeners = new List<Action<TMessage>>();
public static void Listen(Action<TMessage> listener)
{
if (listener != null) listeners.Add(listener);
}
public static void Unlisten(Action<TMessage> listener)
{
if (listeners.Contains(listener)) listeners.Remove(listener);
}
public static void Broadcast(TMessage message)
{
foreach(var listener in listeners) listener(message);
}
}
public class SomeMessageType
{
public int SomeId;
public string SomeDescription;
}
public class SomeOtherMessageType
{
public DateTime SomeDate;
public Double SomeAmount;
}
public class SomePublisher
{
public void DoSomethingCool(string description)
{
var randomizer = new Random();
PubSub<SomeMessageType>.Broadcast(new SomeMessageType(){SomeId = randomizer.Next(), SomeDescription = description});
}
}
public class SomeOtherPublisher
{
public void DoSomethingElse(DateTime when)
{
var randomizer = new Random();
PubSub<SomeOtherMessageType>.Broadcast(new SomeOtherMessageType(){SomeAmount = randomizer.NextDouble(), SomeDate = when});
}
}
public class SomeListener
{
public static void Listen()
{
PubSub<SomeMessageType>.Listen(SomeMessageEvent);
}
private static void SomeMessageEvent(SomeMessageType message)
{
Console.WriteLine("Attention! SomeMessageType receieved by SomeListener with\r\nid: {0}\r\ndescription: {1}\r\n", message.SomeId, message.SomeDescription);
}
}
public class SomeOtherListener1
{
public static void Listen()
{
PubSub<SomeOtherMessageType>.Listen(SomeMessageEvent);
}
private static void SomeMessageEvent(SomeOtherMessageType message)
{
Console.WriteLine("Heads up! SomeOtherMessageType receieved by SomeOtherListener1 with\r\namount: {0}\r\ndate: {1}\r\n", message.SomeAmount, message.SomeDate);
}
}
public class SomeOtherListener2
{
public static void Listen()
{
PubSub<SomeOtherMessageType>.Listen(SomeMessageEvent);
}
private static void SomeMessageEvent(SomeOtherMessageType message)
{
Console.WriteLine("Yo! SomeOtherMessageType receieved by SomeOtherListener2 withr\namount: {0}\r\ndate: {1}\r\n", message.SomeAmount, message.SomeDate);
}
}
}
EDITED AGAIN (Alternate proof of concept using an instance based pubs):
Here is a proof of concept using an instance based PubSub.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
namespace TestPubSub
{
public class Program
{
private static PubSub<SomeMessageType> pubSub1 = new PubSub<SomeMessageType>();
private static PubSub<SomeOtherMessageType> pubSub2 = new PubSub<SomeOtherMessageType>();
private static SomeListener listener1 = new SomeListener();
private static SomeOtherListener1 listener2 = new SomeOtherListener1();
private static SomeOtherListener2 listener3 = new SomeOtherListener2();
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
Program.startListeners();
Program.sendTestMessages();
Program.stopConsoleFromExitingImmediately();
}
private static void startListeners()
{
Program.listener1.Listen(Program.pubSub1);
Program.listener2.Listen(Program.pubSub2);
Program.listener3.Listen(Program.pubSub2);
}
private static void sendTestMessages()
{
var publisher1 = new SomePublisher(Program.pubSub1);
var publisher2 = new SomeOtherPublisher(Program.pubSub2);
publisher1.DoSomethingCool("Hello world");
publisher2.DoSomethingElse(DateTime.Now);
}
private static void stopConsoleFromExitingImmediately()
{
Console.ReadKey();
}
}
public class PubSub<TMessage>
{
private List
<
Action
<
TMessage
>
> listeners = new List<Action<TMessage>>();
public void Listen(Action<TMessage> listener)
{
if (listener != null) this.listeners.Add(listener);
}
public void Unlisten(Action<TMessage> listener)
{
if (listeners.Contains(listener)) this.listeners.Remove(listener);
}
public void Broadcast(TMessage message)
{
foreach(var listener in this.listeners) listener(message);
}
}
public class SomeMessageType
{
public int SomeId;
public string SomeDescription;
}
public class SomeOtherMessageType
{
public DateTime SomeDate;
public Double SomeAmount;
}
public class SomePublisher
{
private PubSub<SomeMessageType> pubSub;
public SomePublisher(PubSub<SomeMessageType> pubSub) { this.pubSub = pubSub; }
public void DoSomethingCool(string description)
{
var randomizer = new Random();
this.pubSub.Broadcast(new SomeMessageType(){SomeId = randomizer.Next(), SomeDescription = description});
}
}
public class SomeOtherPublisher
{
private PubSub<SomeOtherMessageType> pubSub;
public SomeOtherPublisher(PubSub<SomeOtherMessageType> pubSub) { this.pubSub = pubSub; }
public void DoSomethingElse(DateTime when)
{
var randomizer = new Random();
this.pubSub.Broadcast(new SomeOtherMessageType(){SomeAmount = randomizer.NextDouble(), SomeDate = when});
}
}
public class SomeListener
{
public void Listen(PubSub<SomeMessageType> pubSub)
{
pubSub.Listen(this.SomeMessageEvent);
}
private void SomeMessageEvent(SomeMessageType message)
{
Console.WriteLine("Attention! SomeMessageType receieved by SomeListener with\r\nid: {0}\r\ndescription: {1}\r\n", message.SomeId, message.SomeDescription);
}
}
public class SomeOtherListener1
{
public void Listen(PubSub<SomeOtherMessageType> pubSub)
{
pubSub.Listen(this.SomeMessageEvent);
}
private void SomeMessageEvent(SomeOtherMessageType message)
{
Console.WriteLine("Heads up! SomeOtherMessageType receieved by SomeOtherListener1 with\r\namount: {0}\r\ndate: {1}\r\n", message.SomeAmount, message.SomeDate);
}
}
public class SomeOtherListener2
{
public void Listen(PubSub<SomeOtherMessageType> pubSub)
{
pubSub.Listen(this.SomeMessageEvent);
}
private void SomeMessageEvent(SomeOtherMessageType message)
{
Console.WriteLine("Yo! SomeOtherMessageType receieved by SomeOtherListener2 withr\namount: {0}\r\ndate: {1}\r\n", message.SomeAmount, message.SomeDate);
}
}
}

C# Generics or Reflection - calling a function of unknown class

I'm making a game where workers perform actions based on a current Task. Each worker will be assigned a list of tasks, in a preferred order (which is influenced by the player's decisions).
When a task is completed (e.g. take item from X to Y), the worker needs to start a new task by checking through their list of possible tasks, see if each can be performed, and if so, set their current task to that task and start it (the last task - "Wander Around" is always going to be available).
I currently have this working using a big switch statement and Enums, but now want to generalise this code to create a Task class, and give the workers a list of preferred Tasks, a GetNextTask() function, and in the worker's Update() method, call currentTask.update() (this will get the worker to do whatever he's required to do under the current task, and which will call worker.GetNextTask() when the task is complete).
What I'm unclear on is the best way to store Tasks in the worker.
Should I use:
1) Reflection. Store the possible Tasks as a list of types, then use reflection to a) call a static method public static virtual bool CanPerformThisTask() which is overridden in each subclass, and b) Create an instance of that task for the worker?
(example attempt at code for this below - but unable to test yet)
2) Instantiate all the Tasks whenever a worker needs to get a new task (probably using Activator), and check (Task)task.CanPerformThisTask() for each one - if true, do that task. Instantiating them all seems inefficient though?
3) Generics. Can this be done using generics? If so, how?
Here is a snippet of my classes to give the idea of what I'm trying to do:
Worker Class:
protected List<Point> waypoints = new List<Point>();
public bool reachedDestination { get { return waypoints.Count == 0; } }
protected Task task;
public List<Type> possibleTasks;
public Worker(Task initialTask, List<Type> initialPossibleTasks ...)
: base(...)
{
task = initialTask;
possibleTasks = initialPossibleTasks;
}
public override void Update()
{
base.Update();
if (!reachedDestination) Move();
task.Update();
}
public void GetNextTask()
{
foreach (Type t in possibleTasks)
{
//reflection code here - will this work and can we do this with generics instead?
Bool canDoT = (bool)t.GetMethod("CanPerformThisTask", BindingFlags.Static | BindingFlags.Public).Invoke(null, null);
if (canDoT)
{
task = Activator.CreateInstance(t);
return;
}
}
}
Here is some incomplete code for my base Task class (which shouldn't be instantiated):
public class Task
{
public Worker worker;
public virtual static bool CanPerformThisTask()
{
//never call this from here - always from subclasses
return false;
}
public Task()
{
//set up code here
}
public virtual void Update()
{
//make worker do relevant activities here
//call finish task when done
}
public void FinishTask()
{
worker.GetNextTask();
}
}
and here is an example of a Task the worker will have in its list of possible tasks:
public class T_WorkerWander : Task
{
public static override bool CanPerformThisTask()
{
//can always wander (other Tasks will have conditions here)
return true;
}
public T_WorkerWander()
: base()
{
}
override public void Update()
{
//make the worker wander here
if (worker.reachedDestination) FinishTask();
}
}
Update: here is the code I've now got working
Task Class:
public abstract class Task
{
//the entity holding this task
public TaskableEntity taskEntity;
public List<TaskStage> taskStages;
public TaskStage currentTaskStage { get { return taskStages[0]; } }
public Task(TaskableEntity t) { taskEntity = t; }
/// <summary>
/// the conditions for the Task to be started
/// </summary>
public virtual bool CanStart()
{
return true;
}
public void Start()
{
taskStages = new List<TaskStage>();
InitialiseTaskStages();
taskStages[0].Start();
}
public abstract void InitialiseTaskStages();
public void Update()
{
currentTaskStage.Update();
if (currentTaskStage.IsComplete()) TaskStageComplete();
}
public void TaskStageComplete()
{
taskStages.RemoveAt(0);
if (taskStages.Count == 0) taskEntity.TaskComplete();
else currentTaskStage.Start();
}
public void SetTaskStages(params TaskStage[] t)
{
taskStages = t.ToList();
}
public void Interrupt()
{
currentTaskStage.Interrupt();
}
}
TaskStage class:
public sealed class TaskStage
{
private Task task;
private List<Point> pointsToMoveTo;
public void SetPointsToMoveTo(Point p) { pointsToMoveTo = new List<Point>() { p }; }
public void SetPointsToMoveTo(params Point[] p) { pointsToMoveTo = p.ToList(); }
public void SetPointsToMoveTo(List<Point> p) { pointsToMoveTo = p; }
public Action actionToApply;
private float timeToWait;
public void SetWait(float wait) { timeToWait = wait; }
private IReservable[] itemsToReserve;
public void SetItemsToReserve(params IReservable[] items) { itemsToReserve = items; }
private IReservable[] itemsToUnreserve;
public void SetItemsToUnreserve(params IReservable[] items) { itemsToUnreserve = items; }
private Emotion emotionToSet;
public void SetEmotionToSet(Emotion e) { emotionToSet = e; }
private TaskStage _interrupt;
public void SetInterruptAction(TaskStage t) { _interrupt = t; }
public void Interrupt() { _interrupt.Start(); }
public TaskStage(Task t)
{
task = t;
}
public void Start()
{
if (actionToApply != null) actionToApply();
if (itemsToUnreserve != null) UnreserveItems();
if (itemsToReserve != null) ReserveItems();
if (pointsToMoveTo != null)
{
//this will need changing after pathfinding sorted out...
if (pointsToMoveTo.Count == 1) task.taskEntity.SetWaypoints(pointsToMoveTo[0]);
else task.taskEntity.waypoints = pointsToMoveTo;
}
if (emotionToSet != null) emotionToSet.StartEmotion();
}
public void Update()
{
if (timeToWait > 0) timeToWait -= GV.elapsedTime;
}
public bool IsComplete()
{
if (pointsToMoveTo != null && !task.taskEntity.reachedDestination) return false;
if (timeToWait > 0) return false;
return true;
}
public void ReserveItems()
{
foreach (IReservable i in itemsToReserve)
{
i.reserved = true;
}
}
public void UnreserveItems()
{
foreach (IReservable i in itemsToUnreserve)
{
i.reserved = false;
}
}
}
Example Task:
public class T_WorkerGoToBed : Task
{
public FactoryWorker worker { get { return taskEntity as FactoryWorker; } }
public T_WorkerGoToBed(TaskableEntity t)
: base(t) { }
public override bool CanStart()
{
return Room.Available<Bed>(GV.Bedrooms);
}
public override void InitialiseTaskStages()
{
Bed bedToSleepIn = Room.NearestAvailableFurniture<Bed>(GV.Bedrooms, taskEntity.X, taskEntity.Y);
//stage 1 - reserve bed and move there
TaskStage ts1 = new TaskStage(this);
ts1.SetItemsToReserve(bedToSleepIn);
ts1.SetPointsToMoveTo(bedToSleepIn.XY);
//stage 2 - sleep in bed
TaskStage ts2 = new TaskStage(this);
ts2.SetWait((worker.maxEnergy - worker.energy) / worker.energyRegeneratedPerSecondWhenSleeping);
ts2.SetEmotionToSet(new E_Sleeping(worker, false));
//stage 3 - unreserve bed
TaskStage ts3 = new TaskStage(this);
ts3.SetItemsToUnreserve(bedToSleepIn);
ts3.SetEmotionToSet(new E_Happy(worker, false));
SetTaskStages(ts1, ts2, ts3);
}
}

It sounds like you need to reverse responsibility between task and worker. Instead of asking whether the task can be performed, ask the worker if he can perform a given task:
class Worker
{
bool CanPerformTask<T>() where T : Task
{
var type = typeof(T);
// code to determine whether worker can perform the task T
}
// alternative with instance parameter
bool CanPerformTask<T>( T task ) where T : Task
{
// code to determine whether worker can perform the task passed in
}
}
This solution avoids the "instantiate all tasks or call static method" problem.
Also, consider using the built-in collection classes. Things such as queues and stacks can greatly simplify the code needed to schedule execution of things.

I think you are abusing the point of static classes. The "Task" class should be standard (not static). Your "Worker" class is not static therefore implying that there is more than one "Worker" instance. Given this paradigm, these workers can probably have the same task assigned to them.
Your "Worker" class needs to have this property modified from:
public List possibleTasks;
to
public List _possibleTasks;
You probably should not have public access to this property either. You can modify "CanPerformThisTask" as necessary.