Is there a better alternative than this to 'switch on type'?

Question

Seeing as C# can\'t switch on a Type (which I gather wasn\'t added as a special case because is relationships mean that more than one distinct

Answer 1

I such cases I usually end up with a list of predicates and actions. Something along these lines:

class Mine {
    static List<Func<object, bool>> predicates;
    static List<Action<object>> actions;

    static Mine() {
        AddAction<A>(o => o.Hop());
        AddAction<B>(o => o.Skip());
    }

    static void AddAction<T>(Action<T> action) {
        predicates.Add(o => o is T);
        actions.Add(o => action((T)o);
    }

    static void RunAction(object o) {
        for (int i=0; o < predicates.Count; i++) {
            if (predicates[i](o)) {
                actions[i](o);
                break;
            }
        }
    }

    void Foo(object o) {
        RunAction(o);
    }
}

Answer 2

With C# 8 onwards you can make it even more concise with the new switch. And with the use of discard option _ you can avoid creating innecesary variables when you don't need them, like this:

        return document switch {
            Invoice _ => "Is Invoice",
            ShippingList _ => "Is Shipping List",
            _ => "Unknown"
        };

Invoice and ShippingList are classes and document is an object that can be either of them.

Answer 3

Switching on types is definitely lacking in C# (UPDATE: in C#7 / VS 2017 switching on types is supported - see Zachary Yates's answer below). In order to do this without a large if/else if/else statement, you'll need to work with a different structure. I wrote a blog post awhile back detailing how to build a TypeSwitch structure.

https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/jaredpar/switching-on-types

Short version: TypeSwitch is designed to prevent redundant casting and give a syntax that is similar to a normal switch/case statement. For example, here is TypeSwitch in action on a standard Windows form event

TypeSwitch.Do(
    sender,
    TypeSwitch.Case<Button>(() => textBox1.Text = "Hit a Button"),
    TypeSwitch.Case<CheckBox>(x => textBox1.Text = "Checkbox is " + x.Checked),
    TypeSwitch.Default(() => textBox1.Text = "Not sure what is hovered over"));

The code for TypeSwitch is actually pretty small and can easily be put into your project.

static class TypeSwitch {
    public class CaseInfo {
        public bool IsDefault { get; set; }
        public Type Target { get; set; }
        public Action<object> Action { get; set; }
    }

    public static void Do(object source, params CaseInfo[] cases) {
        var type = source.GetType();
        foreach (var entry in cases) {
            if (entry.IsDefault || entry.Target.IsAssignableFrom(type)) {
                entry.Action(source);
                break;
            }
        }
    }

    public static CaseInfo Case<T>(Action action) {
        return new CaseInfo() {
            Action = x => action(),
            Target = typeof(T)
        };
    }

    public static CaseInfo Case<T>(Action<T> action) {
        return new CaseInfo() {
            Action = (x) => action((T)x),
            Target = typeof(T)
        };
    }

    public static CaseInfo Default(Action action) {
        return new CaseInfo() {
            Action = x => action(),
            IsDefault = true
        };
    }
}

Answer 4

For built-in types, you can use the TypeCode enumeration. Please note that GetType() is kind of slow, but probably not relevant in most situations.

switch (Type.GetTypeCode(someObject.GetType()))
{
    case TypeCode.Boolean:
        break;
    case TypeCode.Byte:
        break;
    case TypeCode.Char:
        break;
}

For custom types, you can create your own enumeration, and either an interface or a base class with abstract property or method...

Abstract class implementation of property

public enum FooTypes { FooFighter, AbbreviatedFool, Fubar, Fugu };
public abstract class Foo
{
    public abstract FooTypes FooType { get; }
}
public class FooFighter : Foo
{
    public override FooTypes FooType { get { return FooTypes.FooFighter; } }
}

Abstract class implementation of method

public enum FooTypes { FooFighter, AbbreviatedFool, Fubar, Fugu };
public abstract class Foo
{
    public abstract FooTypes GetFooType();
}
public class FooFighter : Foo
{
    public override FooTypes GetFooType() { return FooTypes.FooFighter; }
}

Interface implementation of property

public enum FooTypes { FooFighter, AbbreviatedFool, Fubar, Fugu };
public interface IFooType
{
    FooTypes FooType { get; }
}
public class FooFighter : IFooType
{
    public FooTypes FooType { get { return FooTypes.FooFighter; } }
}

Interface implementation of method

public enum FooTypes { FooFighter, AbbreviatedFool, Fubar, Fugu };
public interface IFooType
{
    FooTypes GetFooType();
}
public class FooFighter : IFooType
{
    public FooTypes GetFooType() { return FooTypes.FooFighter; }
}

One of my coworkers just told me about this too: This has the advantage that you can use it for literally any type of object, not just ones that you define. It has the disadvantage of being a bit larger and slower.

First define a static class like this:

public static class TypeEnumerator
{
    public class TypeEnumeratorException : Exception
    {
        public Type unknownType { get; private set; }
        public TypeEnumeratorException(Type unknownType) : base()
        {
            this.unknownType = unknownType;
        }
    }
    public enum TypeEnumeratorTypes { _int, _string, _Foo, _TcpClient, };
    private static Dictionary<Type, TypeEnumeratorTypes> typeDict;
    static TypeEnumerator()
    {
        typeDict = new Dictionary<Type, TypeEnumeratorTypes>();
        typeDict[typeof(int)] = TypeEnumeratorTypes._int;
        typeDict[typeof(string)] = TypeEnumeratorTypes._string;
        typeDict[typeof(Foo)] = TypeEnumeratorTypes._Foo;
        typeDict[typeof(System.Net.Sockets.TcpClient)] = TypeEnumeratorTypes._TcpClient;
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Throws NullReferenceException and TypeEnumeratorException</summary>
    /// <exception cref="System.NullReferenceException">NullReferenceException</exception>
    /// <exception cref="MyProject.TypeEnumerator.TypeEnumeratorException">TypeEnumeratorException</exception>
    public static TypeEnumeratorTypes EnumerateType(object theObject)
    {
        try
        {
            return typeDict[theObject.GetType()];
        }
        catch (KeyNotFoundException)
        {
            throw new TypeEnumeratorException(theObject.GetType());
        }
    }
}

And then you can use it like this:

switch (TypeEnumerator.EnumerateType(someObject))
{
    case TypeEnumerator.TypeEnumeratorTypes._int:
        break;
    case TypeEnumerator.TypeEnumeratorTypes._string:
        break;
}

Answer 5

I would either

• use method overloading (just like x0n), or
• use subclasses (just like Pablo), or
• apply the visitor pattern.

Answer 6

I agree with Jon about having a hash of actions to class name. If you keep your pattern, you might want to consider using the "as" construct instead:

A a = o as A;
if (a != null) {
    a.Hop();
    return;
}
B b = o as B;
if (b != null) {
    b.Skip();
    return;
}
throw new ArgumentException("...");

The difference is that when you use the patter if (foo is Bar) { ((Bar)foo).Action(); } you're doing the type casting twice. Now maybe the compiler will optimize and only do that work once - but I wouldn't count on it.