Calling Generic Method on Generic Field? - c#

I have the following and at some point I need to create Failures for Validations. We suppose each type deriving from Validation has one and only one type deriving from Failure<T> where T is the aforementioned implementation of Validation.
As I have a growing number of implementations of Validation, I need to be able to instantiate the right type deriving from Failure<T>, and call the link method on it within a method that looks like
void recordFailureForValidation(Validation v) {
Type failureType = dict[v.GetType()];
Object failure = Activator.CreateInstance(failureType);
// how do I call failure.link(v) ?
}
At Runtime, a dictionary gives me the type deriving from Failure<T> given T.
I am able to instantiate Failure<T> (Failure1, Failure2, etc...), but I can't find how to call link on the public field reference of my newly created Failure instance (by making all uses that made sense to me of GetMethod, MakeGenericMethod, Invoke, etc...)
public class MyReferenceClass<T>
where T : Object, new() {
public void link(T arg) { ... }
}
public abstract class Failure<T>
where T : ValidationRule, new() {
...
public MyReferenceClass<T> reference;
...
}
public class Failure1 : Failure<Validation1> {
}
public class Failure2 : Failure<Validation2> {
}
public abstract class ValidationRule {
...
}
public class ValidationRule1 : ValidationRule {
...
}
public class ValidationRule2 : ValidationRule {
...
}

link is private since you do not specify a different accessibility. Make it public or internal:
public class MyReferenceClass<T>
where T : Object, new() {
public void link(T arg) { ... }
}
then you can call it from Failure<T> through the reference property:
public abstract class Failure<T>
where T : ValidationRule, new()
{
protected T Validation {get; set;};
public MyReferenceClass<T> reference;
}
public class Failure1 : Failure<Validation1>
{
public void Test()
{
this.reference.link(Validation);
}
}

Let Failures implement a non generic IFailure interface as well as a generic one in the same manner as IEnumerable and IEnumerable<T>
Create an abstract factory method within ValidationRule that has to be implemented by each concrete Validation
public ValidationRule1 : ValidationRule
{
public override IFailure ToFailure()
{
return new Failure1(this);
}
...
}

Related

'Type' cannot satisfy the 'new()' constraint on parameter 'TParam' because 'Type' has required members

I have this class structure (simplified):
public class InducingMedium
{
public required string File { get; set; }
}
public class InducingVideo : InducingMedium {}
public class InducingAudio : InducingMedium {}
Now, I want to generically instantiate an instance of a specific type:
public abstract class BaseInducingTests<TMedium>
where TMedium : InducingMedium, new()
{
protected async Task<IEnumerable<TMedium>> CreateInducingMedia(IEnumerable<string> files)
{
return files.Select(file =>
{
// Do some processing...
return new TMedium
{
File = file,
};
});
}
}
public class InducingVideosTests : BaseInducingTests<InducingVideo>
{
}
But in the derived class I get an error:
'Namespace.InducingVideo' cannot satisfy the 'new()' constraint
on parameter 'TMedium' in the generic class 'Namespace.Tests.BaseInducingTests<TMedium>'
because 'Namespace.InducingVideo' has required members
Is there any way to fix this without introducing reflection?
I was really excited about required members, which work pretty well with nullable types, but now I see this has its own caveats :(
This is explicitly mentioned in the docs:
A type with any required members may not be used as a type argument when the type parameter includes the new() constraint. The compiler can't enforce that all required members are initialized in the generic code.
Either remove the required modifier or change the generic handling. For example provide factory via ctor:
public abstract class BaseInducingTests<TMedium>
where TMedium : InducingMedium
{
private readonly Func<string, TMedium> _init;
public BaseInducingTests(Func<string, TMedium> init)
{
_init = init;
}
protected async Task<IEnumerable<TMedium>> CreateInducingMedia(IEnumerable<string> files)
{
return files.Select(file => _init(file));
}
}
public class InducingVideosTests : BaseInducingTests<InducingVideo>
{
public InducingVideosTests() : base(s => new InducingVideo{File = s})
{
}
}
If needed you can then create a wrapper to support classes which satisfy new() constraint:
public abstract class BaseNewableInducingTests<TMedium> : BaseInducingTests<TMedium>
where TMedium : InducingMedium, new()
{
protected BaseNewableInducingTests() : base(s => new TMedium { File = s })
{
}
}
Another workaround which I've just found is SetsRequiredMembers attribute:
public class InducingVideosTests : BaseInducingTests<TestInducingVideo>
{
}
public class TestInducingVideo : InducingVideo
{
[SetsRequiredMembers]
public TestInducingVideo()
{
}
}
This kind of defeats the purpose of required members, but so does reflection and for test purposes it's an easier way.
Source: https://code-maze.com/csharp-required-members/

Generic interface and covariance - fighting the InvalidCastException

This is probably a classic covariance/contravariance question, it looks like it should work but I'm probably missing a trick.
I'm attempting to return a less derived type from a factory method, but I find that I cannot cast the more specialized concrete instance to a less derived base type.
public class AnimalSettings { ... }
public class CatSettings : AnimalSettings { ... }
public interface IAnimalService<TSettings> { ... }
public abstract AnimalService<TSettings> : IAnimalService<TSettings> where TSettings : AnimalSettings { ... }
public class CatService : AnimalService<CatSettings> { ... }
Then, in a factory method I have:
public static IAnimalService<AnimalSettings> GetAnimalService(AnimalType selector)
{
switch (selector)
{
case AnimalType.Cat:
return (IAnimalService<AnimalSettings>) new CatService();
break;
}
}
and the intention is to be able to do the following:
var service = MyServiceFactory.GetAnimalService(AnimalType.Cat);
service.DoAnimalBehavior();
This compiles fine, but at runtime my code is failing in the attempted cast return (IAnimalService<AnimalSettings>) new CatService();, with an InvalidCastException.
How should I be casting my more derived type to a less derived type so that callers can use that interfaced base type to invoke functionality?
Changing the cast to (IAnimalservice<CatSettings>) new CatService() does work, but it's intended that the caller receives a IAnimalservice<AnimalSettings> so that it can handle any sort of animal (In other words, the caller should not be using any of the more specialized types). Should I be specifying an in or out as part of the generic definition somewhere?
By giving a complete example it would be much easier to help. ;-)
So here is the working code. And as Sweeper already mentioned, you need to add the out parameter at the interface to make it work.
using System;
public class Program
{
public static void Main()
{
var catService = new CatService(new CatSettings());
var genericService = (IAnimalService<AnimalSettings>)catService;
genericService.DoAnimalBehavior();
}
}
public abstract class AnimalSettings
{
public abstract void DoAnimalBehavior();
}
public class CatSettings : AnimalSettings
{
public override void DoAnimalBehavior()
{
Console.WriteLine("Meeoh");
}
}
public interface IAnimalService<out TSettings>
{
void DoAnimalBehavior();
}
public abstract class AnimalService<TSettings> : IAnimalService<TSettings> where TSettings : AnimalSettings
{
private readonly TSettings _settings;
public AnimalService(TSettings settings)
{
_settings = settings;
}
public void DoAnimalBehavior()
{
_settings.DoAnimalBehavior();
}
}
public class CatService : AnimalService<CatSettings>
{
private readonly CatSettings _catSettings;
public CatService(CatSettings catSettings)
: base(catSettings)
{
_catSettings = catSettings;
}
}

Implicitly expose members of a class property

I wonder if it's possible to access public members of a property of an object without specifying the name of the property.
Exemple :
// Bar.cs
public class Bar {
public bool SomeMethod() {
}
}
// Container.cs
public class Container<T> {
public T Content;
}
// Anywhere.cs
Container<Bar> container;
// Is there a way to access Bar properties and method directly like this ?
container.SomeMethod();
// Instead of:
container.Content.SomeMethod();
The possible option here is to apply a generic constraint to the Container<T> class using where keyword
public class Bar
{
public void SomeMethod()
{
}
}
public class Container<T> where T : Bar
{
public T Content;
public void SomeMethod()
{
Content?.SomeMethod();
}
}
Generic types are resolved at runtime, so you can't know what is the type T exactly and does it have SomeMethod() or not. You can create a base class or interface to use it as constraint instead of using where T : Bar.
Another option is cast Content to the concrete type (or use a reflection even), but you lose all benefits of generic types
public void SomeMethod()
{
if (Content is Bar bar)
{
bar.SomeMethod();
}
}

Declaring Method with generic type

I was using generic types in C# and I am new to using generic types. So, right now I am stuck with a problem. I have some classes like these:
public class MyModel1
{
}
public class MyModel2
{
}
public class BaseClass<T>
{
}
public class ChildClass1 : BaseClass<MyModel1>
{
}
public class ChildClass2 : BaseClass<MyModel2>
{
}
public class AnotherClass
{
//What will be the syntax of declaring this method
//The syntax of the following method is wrong and incomplete.
//It's there just to give an idea about whai i want to do.
public void MyMethod<T>()
where T : BaseClass<..what to write..>
{
}
}
My question is what will be the correct syntax of declaring MyMethod if I want to call MyMethod like this:
MyMethod<ChildClass1>();
If I understood correctly, you try to filter "MyMethod" so that T is a class of type "ChildClass ...".
You can add a generic parameter to your function like this:
public void MyMethod<T, U>()
where T : BaseClass<U>
{
}
But then you have to call MyMethod in that way.
MyMethod<ChildClass1, MyModel1>();
So it's quite complicated to use.
Another solution is to create a new "blank" class :
public abstract class Base // mark it as abstract if you don't need to use it in your code
{
}
public class MyModel1
{
}
public class MyModel2
{
}
public class BaseClass<T> : Base //The class inherits the new class
{
}
public class ChildClass1 : BaseClass<MyModel1>
{
}
public class ChildClass2 : BaseClass<MyModel2>
{
}
public class AnotherClass
{
public void MyMethod<T>()
where T : Base
{
}
}
You've forgotten to mention the return type and adding <T> after the class name. For example, if the return type is void, you could declare the method as:
public void MyMethod<T>()
where T : BaseClass<T>
{
}
This will work (by which I mean it compiles)
public void MyMethod<T>()
where T : BaseClass<MyModel1>
{ }
so does this:
public void MyMethod<T>()
where T : ChildClass1
{ }
Further edit after reading your comment...
You can do this:
public class AnotherClass<TBaseClass, TModel> where TBaseClass : BaseClass<TModel>
{
public void MyMethod(TBaseClass input)
{ }
}
I have a term for this, hopefully non-offensive. I call it The Generic Rabbit Hole of Madness. It's what happens when we try to combine generics and inheritance so that one set of classes can accomplish a broad set of goals that become increasingly confusing, and we solve it by adding more generic parameters and more generic classes.
You reach the bottom of the hole if you
- use <dynamic>
- check to see what the actual type is using GetType(), typeof, or is
- get it to compile but can't remember what it's supposed to do

Overriding a method returning a generic class

in my Silverlight 4 application I started creating and using some generics and now I stumbled upon the following problem:
In a non-generic class, I have a abstract method, that returns a generic class:
public abstract class DTO_Base()
{
public abstract ServiceModelBase<ServiceNodeBase> CreateBusinessObject();
}
The generic class is defined in the following way:
public abstract class ServiceModelBase<RootNodeType> where RootNodeType : ServiceNodeBase
Naturally, from DTO_Base derived classes will have to override the CreateBusinessObject method:
public class DTO_Editor : DTO_Base
{
public override ServiceModelBase<ServiceNodeBase> CreateBusinessObject()
{
// the object to return have to be of type ServiceModelEditor
// which is derived from ServiceModelBase<ServiceNodeEditor>
// public class ServiceModelEditor : ServiceModelBase<ServiceNodeEditor>
// ServiceNodeEditor is derived from ServiceNodeBase
// public class ServiceNodeEditor : ServiceNodeBase
ServiceModelEditor target = new ServiceModelEditor()
...
Functions to populate the 'target'
...
return target;
}
}
The line return target; causes an error, stating that it isn't possible to implicitly convert the type ServiceModelEditor in ServiceModelBase<ServiceNodeBase>. Also, an explicit conversion via target as ServiceModelBase<ServiceNodeBase> doesn't work.
How would I have to implement this method to work?
Try this:
public interface IDTO<Node> where Node : ServiceNodeBase
{
ServiceModelBase<Node> CreateBusinessObject();
}
public abstract class DTO_Base<Model,Node> : IDTO<Node>
where Model : ServiceModelBase<Node>
where Node : ServiceNodeBase
{
public abstract Model CreateBusinessObject();
#region IDTO<Node> Members
ServiceModelBase<Node> IDTO<Node>.CreateBusinessObject()
{
return CreateBusinessObject();
}
#endregion
}
public class DTO_Editor : DTO_Base<ServiceModelEditor, ServiceNodeEditor>
{
public override ServiceModelEditor CreateBusinessObject()
{
// the object to return have to be of type ServiceModelEditor
// which is derived from ServiceModelBase<ServiceNodeEditor>
// public class ServiceModelEditor : ServiceModelBase<ServiceNodeEditor>
// ServiceNodeEditor is derived from ServiceNodeBase
// public class ServiceNodeEditor : ServiceNodeBase
ServiceModelEditor target = new ServiceModelEditor();
return target;
}
}
I have faced a similar problem before and the only thing reasonable to do is to make the core base class generic also. You can remove the Model generic parameter (and the interface) and it will look a little less scary, but you loose visibility on the functionality of ServiceModelEditor outside of the method.
As it is, you've got to return a ServiceModelBase<ServiceNodeBase>. One option is to make your base class generic:
public abstract class DtoBase<T> where T : RootNodeType
{
public abstract ServiceModelBase<T> CreateBusinessObject();
}
Then:
public class DtoEditor : DtoBase<ServiceNodeBase>
{
public override ServiceModelBase<ServiceNodeBase> CreateBusinessObject()
{
...
}
}
If you are using .Net 4.0 I suggest you use interfaces to define your ServiceModelBase and specify an out variance modifier on that interface generic type:
class ServiceNodeBase { }
class ServiceNodeEditor : ServiceNodeBase {/*implementation*/}
//
interface IServiceModelBase<out RootNodeType>
where RootNodeType : ServiceNodeBase {
}
class ServiceModelEditor : IServiceModelBase<ServiceNodeEditor> {
/*implementation*/
}
//
abstract class DTO_Base {
public abstract IServiceModelBase<ServiceNodeBase> CreateBusinessObject();
}
class DTO_Editor : DTO_Base {
public override IServiceModelBase<ServiceNodeBase> CreateBusinessObject() {
return new ServiceModelEditor();
}
}

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