CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#oop
Xaisoft
Xaisoft

Reputation: 46591

Make a class that holds a different number of settings per property generic?

I have to set some properties at run time, but the issue I run into is that some properties have 5 settings while another may have 3 or 4. Is there a way I can create a generic class that could hold any number of settings for a property without having to write multiple classes?

One example is that I have a property called Color which the only setting is the Color, but in another scenario, I have a property called Mask which has a setting for MaskType and the Mask

Upvotes: 1

Views: 114

Answers (3)

Louis Kottmann
Louis Kottmann

Reputation: 16628

It's a classic, and the solution really depends on how you wish to access your properties.
In ASP.NET the cache uses something like:

public class Cache
{
   private Dictionary<string, object> CachedValues;

   public object this [string arg]
   {
       get
       {
           return CachedValues[arg];
       }
   }
}

Or you can use Tuple<T1, T2, T3...>

Or you can use dynamic and anonymous types

Upvotes: 2

Andre Lombaard
Andre Lombaard

Reputation: 7105

I think it is always better to write individual classes that will represent your individual objects. In my opinion you will only create more problems trying to write a generic class. Perhaps have a look at the Factory or Adapter patterns to decide on which of the classes to use in different scenarios.

Upvotes: 1

Philip C
Philip C

Reputation: 1847

You might like to have a look around the ExpandoObject. It allows you to add properties and their values dynamically, though it does require .NET 4 or upwards.

Upvotes: 2

Related Questions