CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#asp.net-mvc-4
totaltotals
totaltotals

Reputation: 793

Changing object types in C#, or workaround

I'm trying to optimize my code and I have a method that I would like to populate the drop downs for a viewmodel depending on which type of viewmodel is supplied to the method. The reason I'm doing this is to reduce redundant code.

I realize I am thinking about this problem in a javascript way, so I think I am making this harder than it needs to be.

Here's the pseudo-code, which doesn't work because you can't change types in C# from what I understand:

What would be the be the best way to solve this problem?

EDIT Added code from ViewModel to clarify my question. I am trying to call the same method from two different controller methods, and provide the common selectlists for the dropdown menus in each.

Here is the common code from the viewmodels:

[Display(Name = "What kind of Stuff?")]
public int? StuffId { get; set; }

public IEnumerable<SelectListItem> StuffTypes { get; set; }

Here is the code from the Controller:

private void populateDropDownsPart2(Part2ViewModel part2viewmodel, PrintViewModel printviewmodel)
    {
       var currentviewmodel = (some initialization object);

        if (part2viewmodel == null)
        {
            currentviewmodel = printviewmodel;

        }
        else
        {
           currentviewmodel = part2viewmodel;

        }

        var SomeDropDownContent = new SelectList(db.Stuff, "StuffId", "StuffName", studentmeddiet.StuffId);
        currentviewmodel.SelectListOfStuff = SomeDropDownContent;
    }

Here is the common code from the different views:

@Html.DropDownListFor(m => m.StuffId, Model.StuffTypes,"--Select--",new {name="StuffId" })

Upvotes: 1

Views: 118

Answers (1)

Jacob
Jacob

Reputation: 8334

From a pure design perspective, you would want an interface:

public interface ISelectableListOfStuff
{
    SelectList SelectListOfStuff;
}

Any view model that you want this method to work on, should implement that interface:

public Part2ViewModel : ISelectableListOfStuff

Then your method should take an ISelectableListOfStuff:

private void populateDropDownsPart2(ISelectableListOfStuff selectableViewModel)

You can call that method and pass in any object of a type that implements the ISelectableListOfStuff interface.

Upvotes: 1

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