Is there a trick in creating a generic list of anonymous type?

Question

Sometimes i need to use a Tuple, for example i have list of tanks and their target tanks (they chase after them or something like that ) :

List

        

Answer 1

Here's a hack:

var myList = Enumerable.Empty()
    .Select(dummy => new { AttackingTank = default(Tank), TargetTank = default(Tank), })
    .ToList();

If Tank is a class type, you can write (Tank)null instead of default(Tank). You can also use some Tank instance you happen to have at hand.

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EDIT:

Or:

var myList = Enumerable.Repeat(
    new { AttackingTank = default(Tank), TargetTank = default(Tank), },
    0).ToList();

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If you make a generic method, you won't have to use Enumerable.Empty. It could go like this:

static List GetEmptyListWithAnonType(TAnon dummyParameter)
{
    return new List();
}

It is to be called with the TAnon inferred from usage, of course, as in:

var myList = GetEmptyListWithAnonType(new { AttackingTank = default(Tank), TargetTank = default(Tank), });