CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#
user3496060
user3496060

Reputation: 846

how to pass generic list of unknown type to class constructor

The snippet below works just fine for a given method but I want to do the same during class construction. How to do it?

public static DataTable ToDataTable<T>(IList<T> data)

Want something like this...but the constructor doesn't like the <T>(IList<T> part.

public class DTloader
{
    PropertyDescriptorCollection props;
    DataTable dataTable = new DataTable();
    public DTloader<T>(IList<T> data)
    {
        props = TypeDescriptor.GetProperties(typeof(T));
        for (int i = 0; i < props.Count; i++)
        {
            PropertyDescriptor prop = props[i];
            dataTable.Columns.Add(prop.Name, prop.PropertyType);
        }
    }

.......

Upvotes: 2

Views: 1054

Answers (2)

gilmishal
gilmishal

Reputation: 1992

Besides the answers given, If you want to have a non generic DTLoader you can create an abstract DTLoader and make the generic one inherit from it

abstract class DTLoader
{
 //..
}

class DTLoader<T> : DTLoader
{
   public DTloader(IList<T> data)
   {
    //...
   }
}

This would actually give you the feel you seem to want - Have just the constructor use a generic type.

Upvotes: 1

David
David

Reputation: 218808

At that point the class itself would need to be generic. Something like this:

public class DTloader<T>
{
    //...

    public DTloader(IList<T> data)
    {
        //...
    }
}

The constructor would know at compile-time what T is because the declaration of the class instance would specify it (or be able to infer it).

Upvotes: 6

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