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How to apply generic constraint to accept multi level of inheritance C#

I am looking for a way to support multi level of inheritance for generic type constraint.
Common generic interface
public interface ICommon<T>
{
T OrignalData {get;set;}
string ChangeJson {get;set;}
T Merged {get;set;}
void Inject();
}
Common base class implements ICommon
public class Base <T>: ICommon<T>
{
public T OrignalData {get;private set;}
public string ChangeJson {get;set;}
public T Merged {get;private set;}
public void Inject(T orignal)
{
if (orignal == null)
return;
var settings = new JsonSerializerSettings
{
ObjectCreationHandling = ObjectCreationHandling.Auto
};
dynamic merged = orignal.Clone();
JsonConvert.PopulateObject(this.ChangeJson, merged, settings);
this.Merged = merged;
this.Orignal = orignal;
}
}
Department class inherits Base class
public class Deparment : Base<Deparment>
{
}
OrgnizationDepartment class inherits Deparment
public class OrgnizationDepartment : Deparment
{
}
class View expect ICommon must implement on passed calls
public class View<T> where T : ICommon<T>
{
//This class is totally dynamic to visualize any json data along with old and new value of requested json for any class like department or org..
}
Test
public class Test
{
public void TestConstraint()
{
//No error
var deptView = new View<Deparment>();
//Error as Base not directly implemented on OrgnizationDepartment
var orgView = new View<OrgnizationDepartment>();
}
}
how do I define my constraint that should support for multi level as well.

One way out of this would be "composition over inheritance".
Here is a naive example, that is still relatively close to your code:
using System;
using Newtonsoft.Json;
public class Program
{
public static void Main()
{
//No error
var deptView = new View<Deparment>();
//Formerly Error
var orgView = new View<OrgnizationDepartment>();
}
}
public interface ICommon<T> where T : ICloneable
{
// returns a tuple
(T,T,string) Inject(T original, string change);
}
public class Base <T>: ICommon<T> where T : ICloneable
{
// we can reuse this...
private readonly JsonSerializerSettings settings = new JsonSerializerSettings
{
ObjectCreationHandling = ObjectCreationHandling.Auto
};
public (T,T,string) Inject(T original, string change)
{
if (original is null)
return default;
// this forces T to implement ICloneable ... just saying...
dynamic merged = original.Clone();
JsonConvert.PopulateObject(change, merged, settings);
return (original, merged, change);
}
}
public class Deparment : ICloneable, ICommon<Deparment>
{
// could also be created in ctor. Maybe use Ctor injection.
private readonly Base<Deparment> common = new Base<Deparment>();
public object Clone(){return this;} // this is of course nonsense. Clone properly! I did this to avoid dotnetfiddle screaming at me.
public (Deparment, Deparment, string) Inject(Deparment original, string change){
return common.Inject(original, change);
}
}
public class OrgnizationDepartment : ICloneable, ICommon<OrgnizationDepartment>
{
private readonly Base<OrgnizationDepartment> common = new Base<OrgnizationDepartment>();
public object Clone() {return this;}
public (OrgnizationDepartment, OrgnizationDepartment, string) Inject(OrgnizationDepartment original, string change){
return common.Inject(original, change);
}
}

Custom attributes not behaving like data annotations

I am trying to create a custom attribute in console application but it is not working. My custom attribute never gets called. I found a good example here Custom Attribute not being hit
but not happy with its implementation.
I am wondering how data annotations works in MVC. we don't have to call it separately.
Is MVC calling those data annotations attribute behind the scene?
I wish to create custom attribute that I can use it on any class property same like data annotations attribute. But calling it separately like in above link is not what i am looking.
Here is what I have tried:
using System;
namespace AttributePractice
{
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Property)]
public class CustomMessageAttribute : Attribute
{
public static readonly CustomMessageAttribute Default = new CustomMessageAttribute();
protected string Message { get; set; }
public CustomMessageAttribute() : this(string.Empty)
{
Console.WriteLine("Default message is empty");
}
public CustomMessageAttribute(string message)
{
Message = message;
}
public string MyMessage =>
Message;
public override bool Equals(object obj)
{
if (obj == this)
return true;
if (obj is CustomMessageAttribute customMessageAttribute)
return customMessageAttribute.Message == MyMessage;
return false;
}
public override int GetHashCode()
{
return MyMessage.GetHashCode();
}
public override bool IsDefaultAttribute()
{
return Equals(Default);
}
}
public class Person
{
//This never works
// I am looking to use this attribute anywhere without calling it
// separately , same like data annotations
[CustomMessage("Hello world")]
public string Name { get; set; }
public int Age { get; set; }
public void DisplayPerson()
{
Console.WriteLine(Name);
Console.WriteLine(Age);
}
}
internal static class Program
{
private static void Main(string[] args)
{
var personObj = new Person
{
Name = "Tom",
Age = 28
};
personObj.DisplayPerson();
}
}
}
Can anybody tell me how to make my custom attribute works like data annotation way?

yes, if you need 10 custom attributes, you should create 10 separate.

Serializing IEnumerable Containing Derived classes: Circular Reference Issue

I am trying to serialize IEnumerable using the following code. I am getting the following exception.
There was an error generating the XML document. "A circular reference was detected while serializing an object of type DBML_Project.FixedBankAccount."}.
Why does this error come? How to correct it?
Note: I am already using InheritanceMapping attribute.
public class BankAccountAppService
{
public RepositoryLayer.ILijosBankRepository AccountRepository { get; set; }
public void FreezeAllAccountsForUser(int userId)
{
IEnumerable<DBML_Project.BankAccount> accounts = AccountRepository.GetAllAccountsForUser(userId);
foreach (DBML_Project.BankAccount acc in accounts)
{
acc.Freeze();
}
System.Xml.XmlDocument xmlDoc = new System.Xml.XmlDocument();
System.Xml.XPath.XPathNavigator nav = xmlDoc.CreateNavigator();
using (System.Xml.XmlWriter writer = nav.AppendChild())
{
System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer ser = new System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer(typeof(List<DBML_Project.BankAccount>));
ser.Serialize(writer, accounts);
}
}
}
namespace DBML_Project
{
[System.Xml.Serialization.XmlInclude(typeof(FixedBankAccount))]
[System.Xml.Serialization.XmlInclude(typeof(SavingsBankAccount))]
public partial class BankAccount
{
//Define the domain behaviors
public virtual void Freeze()
{
//Do nothing
}
}
public class FixedBankAccount : BankAccount
{
public override void Freeze()
{
this.Status = "FrozenFA";
}
}
public class SavingsBankAccount : BankAccount
{
public override void Freeze()
{
this.Status = "FrozenSB";
}
}
}
Autogenerated Class using LINQ to SQL
[global::System.Data.Linq.Mapping.TableAttribute(Name="dbo.BankAccount")]
[InheritanceMapping(Code = "Fixed", Type = typeof(FixedBankAccount), IsDefault = true)]
[InheritanceMapping(Code = "Savings", Type = typeof(SavingsBankAccount))]
public partial class BankAccount : INotifyPropertyChanging, INotifyPropertyChanged

Use the data contract serializer instead of the xmlserializer:
http://jameskovacs.com/2006/11/18/going-around-in-circles-with-wcf/

Inheriting an already instantiated base object

Is it possible to do something like the following:
public class ChildClass : BaseClass
{
public ChildClass(BaseClass o)
{
base = o;
}
}
Basically, I want a transparent way to wrap a base class inside of other functionality. One example I've thought of is a custom Settings Provider which transparently audits the settings passed through it.
public class SettingsAuditor : SettingsProvider
{
public SettingsAuditor(SettingsProvider o)
{
base = o;
}
public override void SetPropertyValues(SettingsContext context, SettingsPropertyValueCollection propvals)
{
// Log the property change to a file
base.SetPropertyValues(context, propvals);
}
}
Then I could do the following:
mySettingsProvider = new SettingsAuditor(mySettingsProvider);
And all changes would go through the overridden SetPropertyValues before passing to the original object.
I could use a private SettingsProvider member, but then I either cannot inherit from SettingsProvider, or have an entire SettingsProvider (base) not being used at all.
I'm using C# 4.0 and .Net 4.0.

You cannot do base = o;
What you're looking for is the Decorator Pattern), which is a way to compositionally add functionality at runtime (vs. inheritance).
Instead of trying to set the base, you just contain the inner member. As long as the wrapper implements the same interface or base class as the inner object, you can pass back the new wrapper. You can wrap as many decorators as you want.
Consider:
public interface ICar
{
void Drive();
}
public class Car : ICar
{
public void Drive()
{
Console.WriteLine("vroom");
}
}
public class BuckleUp : ICar
{
ICar car;
public BuckleUp(ICar car) { this.car = car; }
public void Drive()
{
Console.WriteLine("click!");
car.Drive();
}
}
public class CheckMirrors : ICar
{
ICar car;
public CheckMirrors(ICar car) { this.car = car; }
public void Drive()
{
Console.WriteLine("mirrors adjusted");
car.Drive();
}
}
Now consider you have a method that accepts an ICar and tells it to drive. You could give it a Car, and it would work, but you could also wrap that car in a BuckleUp and a CheckMirrors and you wouldn't have to change that method at all. You've modified functionality through composition using the Decorator Pattern.

No. This looks like it should be a Composition vs Inheritance issue. You need to evaluate whether you are a "is a" or a "has a."
A little help for your journey

This is not a complete implmentation and it could probably be done much cleaner with expression trees... but this was a quick swing at faking AOP using DynamicObject with .Net 4.0.
public class MyDynamicWrapper<T> : DynamicObject
{
public T Wrapped { get; private set; }
public Action<T> Pre { get; private set; }
public Action<T> Post { get; private set; }
public MyDynamicWrapper(T wrapped, Action<T> pre, Action<T> post)
{
this.Wrapped = wrapped;
this.Pre = pre;
this.Post = post;
}
public override bool TryGetMember(
GetMemberBinder binder,
out object result)
{
var type = typeof(T);
var method = type.GetMethod(binder.Name);
if (method != null)
{
Func<object> func = () =>
{
if (Pre != null)
Pre(Wrapped);
// support for input parameters could be added here
var ret = method.Invoke(Wrapped, null);
if (Post != null)
Post(Wrapped);
return ret;
};
result = func;
return true;
}
return base.TryGetMember(binder, out result);
}
}
public class MyDynamicWrapper
{
public static MyDynamicWrapper<T> Create<T>(
T toWrap,
Action<T> pre = null,
Action<T> post = null)
{
return new MyDynamicWrapper<T>(toWrap, pre, post);
}
}
public class MyObject
{
public void MyMethod()
{
Console.WriteLine("Do Something");
}
}
class Program
{
static void Main()
{
var myobject = new MyObject();
dynamic mydyn = MyDynamicWrapper.Create(
myobject,
p => Console.WriteLine("before"),
p => Console.WriteLine("after"));
// Note that you have no intellisence...
// but you could use the old implmentation before you
// changed to this wrapped version.
mydyn.MyMethod();
/* output below
before
Do Something
after
*/
}
}

No, but you could fake it:
public class SettingsAuditor
{
SettingsProvider #base;
public SettingsAuditor(SettingsProvider o)
{
#base = o;
}
public void SetPropertyValues(SettingsContext context, SettingsPropertyValueCollection propvals)
{
// Log the property change to a file
#base.SetPropertyValues(context, propvals);
}
}
Note here, #base isn't the actual base, just a varaible named base

Generics + XML Serialization + Custom Objects

I'm trying out Generics and I had this (not so) great idea of creating an XMLSerializer class. The code I pieced together is below:
public class Persist<T>
{
private string _path;
public Persist(string path) {
this._path = path;
}
public void save(T objectToSave)
{
XmlSerializer s = new XmlSerializer(typeof(T));
TextWriter w = new StreamWriter(this._path);
try { s.Serialize(w, objectToSave); }
catch (InvalidDataException e) { throw e; }
w.Close(); w.Dispose();
}
public T load()
{
XmlSerializer s = new XmlSerializer(typeof(T));
TextReader r = new StreamReader(this._path);
T obj;
try { obj = (T)s.Deserialize(r); }
catch (InvalidDataException e) { throw e; }
r.Close(); r.Dispose();
return obj;
}
}
Here's the problem: It works fine on Persist<List<string>> or Persist<List<int>> but not on Persist<List<userObject>> or any other custom (but serializable) objects. userObject itself is just a class with two {get;set;} properties, which I have serialized before.
I'm not sure if the problems on my Persist class (generics), XML Serialization code, or somewhere else :( Help is very much appreciated~
Edit:
code for userObject
public class userObject
{
public userObject(string id, string name)
{
this.id = id;
this.name = name;
}
public string id { get;private set; }
public string name { get;set; }
}

Looks to me like your code should just work - even though it does have a few flaws.
EDIT: Your userObject class isn't serializable. Xml serialization only works on types with a public, parameterless constructor - the current class won't work. Also, you should really rewrite your code to avoid explicit calls to .Close() or .Dispose() and instead prefer using where possible - as is, you might get random file locking if at any point during serialization an error occurs and your method terminates by exception - and thus doesn't call .Dispose().
Personally, I tend to use a just-for-serialization object hierarchy that's just a container for data stored in xml and avoids any behavior - particularly side effects. Then you can use a handly little base class that makes this simple.
What I use in my projects is the following:
public class XmlSerializableBase<T> where T : XmlSerializableBase<T>
{
static XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(T));
public static T Deserialize(XmlReader from) { return (T)serializer.Deserialize(from); }
public void SerializeTo(Stream s) { serializer.Serialize(s, this); }
public void SerializeTo(TextWriter w) { serializer.Serialize(w, this); }
public void SerializeTo(XmlWriter xw) { serializer.Serialize(xw, this); }
}
...which caches the serializer in a static object, and simplifies usage (no generic type-paramenters needed at call-locations.
Real-life classes using it:
public class ArtistTopTracks {
public string name;
public string mbid;//always empty
public long reach;
public string url;
}
[XmlRoot("mostknowntracks")]
public class ApiArtistTopTracks : XmlSerializableBase<ApiArtistTopTracks> {
[XmlAttribute]
public string artist;
[XmlElement("track")]
public ArtistTopTracks[] track;
}
Sample serialization calls:
using (var xmlReader = XmlReader.Create([...]))
return ApiArtistTopTracks.Deserialize(xmlReader);
//[...]
ApiArtistTopTracks toptracks = [...];
toptracks.SerializeTo(Console.Out);

There can be a number of reasons why your code fails: This text is particularly helpful when having issues: Troubleshooting Common Problems with the XmlSerializer . Maybe you have some type hierarchy in your user objects and the serializer does not know about it?