Combine return and switch

Question

How can I combine return and switch case statements?

I want something like

return switch(a)
       {
          case 1:"lalala"
          case 2:"blalbla"
          case 3:"lolollo"
          default:"default" 
       };

I know about this solution

switch(a)
{
    case 1: return "lalala";
    case 2: return "blalbla";
    case 3: return "lolollo";
    default: return "default";
}

But I want to only use the return operator.

Answer 1

switch and return can't combine that way, because switch is a statement, not an expression (i.e., it doesn't return a value).
If you really want to use just a single return, you could make a Dictionary to map the switch variable to return values:

var map = new Dictionary<int, string>() 
{
    {1, "lala"}, 
    {2, "lolo"}, 
    {3, "haha"}, 
};
string output;
return map.TryGetValue(a, out output) ? output : "default";

Answer 2

I believe that this solution is the most straighforward one, and you should definitely use it:

switch(a) { 
  case 1: return "lalala"; 
  case 2: return "blabla"; 
  case 3: return "lololo"; 
  default: return "default"; 
} 

But, since you asked for one return, you could use this little fluent class:

public class Switch<TElement, TResult> {
  TElement _element;
  TElement _currentCase;
  IDictionary<TElement, TResult> _map = new Dictionary<TElement, TResult>();

  public Switch(TElement element) { _element = element; }
  public Switch<TElement, TResult> Case(TElement element) {
    _currentCase = element;
    return this;
  }
  public Switch<TElement, TResult> Then(TResult result) {
    _map.Add(_currentCase, result);
    return this;
  }
  public TResult Default(TResult defaultResult) {
    TResult result;
    if (_map.TryGetValue(_element, out result)) {
      return result;
    }
    return defaultResult;
  }
}

To create code like this:

  return new Switch<int, string>(a)
    .Case(1).Then("lalala")
    .Case(2).Then("blabla")
    .Case(3).Then("lololo")
    .Default("default");

Unfortunately, the type parameters could not be inferred by the compiler, and it feels a bit clumsy. The Default will trigger the evaluation of the "switch", and must be the last method call in the chain. Note that you always need a default value, since you've turned switch into an expression.

UPDATE: You can solve the type inference problem and drive the user to do the right thing with this code:

public static class Switch {

  public static SwitchBuilder<TElement>.CaseBuilder On<TElement>(TElement element) {
    return new SwitchBuilder<TElement>(element).Start();
  }

  public class SwitchBuilder<TElement> {
    TElement _element;
    TElement _firstCase;
    internal SwitchBuilder(TElement element) { _element = element; }
    internal CaseBuilder Start() {
      return new CaseBuilder() { Switch = this };
    }
    private ThenBuilder Case(TElement element) {
      _firstCase = element;
      return new ThenBuilder() { Switch = this };
    }
    private SwitchBuilder<TElement, TResult>.CaseBuilder Then<TResult>(TResult result) {
      return new SwitchBuilder<TElement, TResult>(
        _element,
        _firstCase,
        result).Start();
    }
    public class CaseBuilder {
      internal SwitchBuilder<TElement> Switch { get; set; }
      public ThenBuilder Case(TElement element) {
        return Switch.Case(element);
      }
    }
    public class ThenBuilder {
      internal SwitchBuilder<TElement> Switch { get; set; }
      public SwitchBuilder<TElement, TResult>.CaseBuilder Then<TResult>(TResult result) {
        return Switch.Then(result);
      }
    }
  }

  public class SwitchBuilder<TElement, TResult> {
    TElement _element;
    TElement _currentCase;
    IDictionary<TElement, TResult> _map = new Dictionary<TElement, TResult>();
    internal SwitchBuilder(TElement element, TElement firstCase, TResult firstResult) {
      _element = element;
      _map.Add(firstCase, firstResult);
    }
    internal CaseBuilder Start() {
      return new CaseBuilder() { Switch = this };
    }
    private ThenBuilder Case(TElement element) {
      _currentCase = element;
      return new ThenBuilder() { Switch = this };
    }
    private CaseBuilder Then(TResult result) {
      _map.Add(_currentCase, result);
      return new CaseBuilder() { Switch = this };
    }
    private TResult Default(TResult defaultResult) {
      TResult result;
      if (_map.TryGetValue(_element, out result)) {
        return result;
      }
      return defaultResult;
    }
    public class CaseBuilder {
      internal SwitchBuilder<TElement, TResult> Switch { get; set; }
      public ThenBuilder Case(TElement element) {
        return Switch.Case(element);
      }
      public TResult Default(TResult defaultResult) {
        return Switch.Default(defaultResult);
      }
    }
    public class ThenBuilder {
      internal SwitchBuilder<TElement, TResult> Switch { get; set; }
      public CaseBuilder Then(TResult result) {
        return Switch.Then(result);
      }
    }
  }

}

The result is this nice, type-safe, fluent interface; where at each step you'll only have the right choice of methods to call (e.g. Then after Case):

return Switch.On(a)
  .Case(1).Then("lalala")
  .Case(2).Then("blabla")
  .Case(3).Then("lololo")
  .Default("default");

Answer 3

I normally do it this way:

var result = null;

switch(a)
{
    case 1:
        result = "lalala";
        break;
    case 2:
        result = "blalbla";
        break;
    case 3:
        result = "lolollo";
        break;
    default:
        result = "default";
        break;
};

return result;

Answer 4

switch(a)
{
    case 1: return "lalala";
    case 2: return "blalbla";
    case 3: return "lolollo";
    default: return "default";
}

Answer 5

Actually this is possible using switch expressions starting with C# 8.

return a switch
    {
        1 => "lalala",
        2 => "blalbla",
        3 => "lolollo",
        _ => "default"
    };

Switch Expressions

There are several syntax improvements here:

• The variable comes before the switch keyword. The different order makes it visually easy to distinguish the switch expression from the switch statement.
• The case and : elements are replaced with =>. It's more concise and intuitive.
• The default case is replaced with a _ discard.
• The bodies are expressions, not statements.

For more information and examples check the Microsoft's C# 8 Whats New.

Answer 6

With the new C# 8, you can combine both return and switch. The new switch is so cute.

public static RGBColor FromRainbow(Rainbow colorBand) =>
    colorBand switch
    {
        Rainbow.Red    => new RGBColor(0xFF, 0x00, 0x00),
        Rainbow.Orange => new RGBColor(0xFF, 0x7F, 0x00),
        Rainbow.Yellow => new RGBColor(0xFF, 0xFF, 0x00),
        Rainbow.Green  => new RGBColor(0x00, 0xFF, 0x00),
        Rainbow.Blue   => new RGBColor(0x00, 0x00, 0xFF),
        Rainbow.Indigo => new RGBColor(0x4B, 0x00, 0x82),
        Rainbow.Violet => new RGBColor(0x94, 0x00, 0xD3),
        _              => throw new ArgumentException(message: "invalid enum value", paramName: nameof(colorBand))
    };

The equivalent old switch is as below.

public static RGBColor FromRainbowClassic(Rainbow colorBand)
{
    switch (colorBand)
    {
        case Rainbow.Red:
            return new RGBColor(0xFF, 0x00, 0x00);
        case Rainbow.Orange:
            return new RGBColor(0xFF, 0x7F, 0x00);
        case Rainbow.Yellow:
            return new RGBColor(0xFF, 0xFF, 0x00);
        case Rainbow.Green:
            return new RGBColor(0x00, 0xFF, 0x00);
        case Rainbow.Blue:
            return new RGBColor(0x00, 0x00, 0xFF);
        case Rainbow.Indigo:
            return new RGBColor(0x4B, 0x00, 0x82);
        case Rainbow.Violet:
            return new RGBColor(0x94, 0x00, 0xD3);
        default:
            throw new ArgumentException(message: "invalid enum value", paramName: nameof(colorBand));
    };
}

You can read about this feature here.

Answer 7

This is the closest I can think of:

return    a==1 ? "lalala"
        : a==2 ? "blalbla"
        : a==3 ? "lolollo"
        : "default";

Answer 8

My mapping solution looks like Jordão's solution but it is more flexible and shorter.

return a
  .Map(1,"lalala")
  .Map(2,"blabla")
  .Map(3,"lololo")
  .Else(string.Empty);

Both arguments can also be a function:

return a
    .Map(x => x <= 0, "lalala")
    .Map(2, "blabla")
    .Map(x => x >= 3, x => "lololo" + x.ToString()); // lololo3 etc.

Answer 9

I've created a Nuget package (FluentSwitch) that should do what you want. So you can do the following:

var result = myValue.Switch()
    .When(1, "lalala")
    .When(2, "blalbla")
    .When(3, "lolollo")
    .Else("default")
    .Value();

Answer 10

If you want switch to return value, you can use delegate:

int a = 2;
string result = new Func<string>(delegate ()
{
    switch (a)
    {
        case 1: return "lalala";
        case 2: return "blalbla";
        case 3: return "lolollo";
        default: return "default";
    }
})();

Or:

int a = 2;
string result = new Func<int,string>(delegate (int i)
{
    switch (i)
    {
        case 1: return "lalala";
        case 2: return "blalbla";
        case 3: return "lolollo";
        default: return "default";
    }
})(a);

Or just use lambda:

int a = 2;
string result = new Func<int,string>((int i) =>
{
    switch (i)
    {
        case 1: return "lalala";
        case 2: return "blalbla";
        case 3: return "lolollo";
        default: return "default";
    }
})(a);

Answer 11

public String doStaff(int a) {

   switch(a)
       {
          case 1: return "lalala"
          case 2: return "blalbla"
          case 3: return "lolollo"
          default: return "default" 
       };
}

Answer 12

We can have one use case where we may need to return the value from condition written inside the switch; let's say:

public void SomeMethod(SomeType enumType)  
{   
    switch (enumType)  
    {  
        case a:  
            if (condition)  
            {  
                if (condition1  && condition2)  
                {  
                    return true;  
                }  
            }  
            return false;  
            //break; break is actually not be required here if return used before break  
        case b:  
            if (condition)  
            {  
                if (condition3  && condition4)  
                {  
                    return true;  
                }  
            }  
            return false;  
            // break;  
        default:  
            return false;  
            //break;  
    }  

    Public enum SomeType  
    {  
        a,  
        b,  
        c,  
        d  
    }