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

One option is to have a dictionary from Type to Action (or some other delegate). Look up the action based on the type, and then execute it. I've used this for factories before now.

Answer 2

This is an alternate answer that mixes contributions from JaredPar and VirtLink answers, with the following constraints:

• The switch construction behaves as a function, and receives functions as parameters to cases.
• Ensures that it is properly built, and there always exists a default function.
• It returns after first match (true for JaredPar answer, not true for VirtLink one).

Usage:

 var result = 
   TSwitch<string>
     .On(val)
     .Case((string x) => "is a string")
     .Case((long x) => "is a long")
     .Default(_ => "what is it?");

Code:

public class TSwitch<TResult>
{
    class CaseInfo<T>
    {
        public Type Target { get; set; }
        public Func<object, T> Func { get; set; }
    }

    private object _source;
    private List<CaseInfo<TResult>> _cases;

    public static TSwitch<TResult> On(object source)
    {
        return new TSwitch<TResult> { 
            _source = source,
            _cases = new List<CaseInfo<TResult>>()
        };
    }

    public TResult Default(Func<object, TResult> defaultFunc)
    {
        var srcType = _source.GetType();
       foreach (var entry in _cases)
            if (entry.Target.IsAssignableFrom(srcType))
                return entry.Func(_source);

        return defaultFunc(_source);
    }

    public TSwitch<TResult> Case<TSource>(Func<TSource, TResult> func)
    {
        _cases.Add(new CaseInfo<TResult>
        {
            Func = x => func((TSource)x),
            Target = typeof(TSource)
        });
        return this;
    }
}

Answer 3

With C# 7, which shipped with Visual Studio 2017 (Release 15.*), you are able to use Types in case statements (pattern matching):

switch(shape)
{
    case Circle c:
        WriteLine($"circle with radius {c.Radius}");
        break;
    case Rectangle s when (s.Length == s.Height):
        WriteLine($"{s.Length} x {s.Height} square");
        break;
    case Rectangle r:
        WriteLine($"{r.Length} x {r.Height} rectangle");
        break;
    default:
        WriteLine("<unknown shape>");
        break;
    case null:
        throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(shape));
}

With C# 6, you can use a switch statement with the nameof() operator (thanks @Joey Adams):

switch(o.GetType().Name) {
    case nameof(AType):
        break;
    case nameof(BType):
        break;
}

With C# 5 and earlier, you could use a switch statement, but you'll have to use a magic string containing the type name... which is not particularly refactor friendly (thanks @nukefusion)

switch(o.GetType().Name) {
  case "AType":
    break;
}

Answer 4

Yes, thanks to C# 7 that can be achieved. Here's how it's done (using expression pattern):

switch (o)
{
    case A a:
        a.Hop();
        break;
    case B b:
        b.Skip();
        break;
    case C _: 
        return new ArgumentException("Type C will be supported in the next version");
    default:
        return new ArgumentException("Unexpected type: " + o.GetType());
}

Answer 5

After having compared the options a few answers here provided to F# features, I discovered F# to have a way better support for type-based switching (although I'm still sticking to C#).
You might want to see here and here.

Answer 6

With JaredPar's answer in the back of my head, I wrote a variant of his TypeSwitch class that uses type inference for a nicer syntax:

class A { string Name { get; } }
class B : A { string LongName { get; } }
class C : A { string FullName { get; } }
class X { public string ToString(IFormatProvider provider); }
class Y { public string GetIdentifier(); }

public string GetName(object value)
{
    string name = null;
    TypeSwitch.On(value)
        .Case((C x) => name = x.FullName)
        .Case((B x) => name = x.LongName)
        .Case((A x) => name = x.Name)
        .Case((X x) => name = x.ToString(CultureInfo.CurrentCulture))
        .Case((Y x) => name = x.GetIdentifier())
        .Default((x) => name = x.ToString());
    return name;
}

Note that the order of the Case() methods is important.

---

Get the full and commented code for my TypeSwitch class. This is a working abbreviated version:

public static class TypeSwitch
{
    public static Switch<TSource> On<TSource>(TSource value)
    {
        return new Switch<TSource>(value);
    }

    public sealed class Switch<TSource>
    {
        private readonly TSource value;
        private bool handled = false;

        internal Switch(TSource value)
        {
            this.value = value;
        }

        public Switch<TSource> Case<TTarget>(Action<TTarget> action)
            where TTarget : TSource
        {
            if (!this.handled && this.value is TTarget)
            {
                action((TTarget) this.value);
                this.handled = true;
            }
            return this;
        }

        public void Default(Action<TSource> action)
        {
            if (!this.handled)
                action(this.value);
        }
    }
}