How to reference current class type using generics

Question

I have a base class, with a method, where I would like to use generics to force the coder to use a generic expression on the current class:

public class TestClas         


        

Answer 1

Make the base class itself generic:

public class TestClass<T> where T : TestClass<T>
{
    public void DoStuffWithFuncRef(Expression<Func<T, object>> expression)
    {
        this.DoStuffWithFuncRef(Property<T>.NameFor(expression));
    }
}

and derive from it:

public class SubTestClass : TestClass<SubTestClass> {
     // ...
}

If you need to have an inheritance hierarchy with a single root, inherit the generic base class from another non-generic version:

public class TestClass { ... }
public class TestClass<T> : TestClass where T : TestClass<T>

Of course you should probably make the base classes abstract.