I am having the following problem:
public class A {
public A(X, Y, Z) {
...
}
}
public class B : A {
public B(X, Y) : base(X, Y) {
//i want to instantiate Z here and only then pass it to the base class!
}
}
How can I solve this problem? Is there a way?
The common solution is to call a static method belonging to the type that can calculate the value of the parameter to be passed to the base constructor.
For example:
public B(int x, int y)
: base(x, y, CalculateZ(x, y))
{
}
// You can make this parameterless if it does not depend on X and Y
private static int CalculateZ(int x, int y)
{
//Calculate it here.
int exampleZ = x + y;
return exampleZ;
}
Do note that CalculateZ cannot be an instance method, because the this reference is not available in constructor initializers.
From the language-specification 10.11.1 Constructor initializers:
An instance constructor initializer cannot access the instance being created. Therefore it is a compile-time error to reference this in an argument expression of the constructor initializer, as is it a compile-time error for an argument expression to reference any instance member through a simple-name.
EDIT: Changed 'instance' to 'static' in the description.
You need to calculate Z before the constructor itself gets called. If it's simple you can use an inline expression, else you'll need to define a helper function.
Using a helperfunction:
public class A {
public A(X x, Y y, Z z) {
...
}
}
public class B : A {
private static Z calculateZ()
{
}
public B(X x, Y y) : base(X, Y, calculateZ()) {
}
}
Without helperfunction:
public B(X, Y) : base(X, Y, X+Y) {
}
public abstract class A {
public A(X, Y) {
...
}
public abstract Z TheVariableZ{get;set;}
}
public class B : A {
public B(X, Y) : base(X, Y) {
//i can only calculate Z here!
}
public override Z TheVariableZ{//implement it here}
}
And if you can't make A abstract, just mark the property as virtual
Possibly this:
public abstract class A {
public A(X, Y) {
CalculateZ();
}
abstract void CalculateZ();
}
public class B : A {
public B(X, Y) : base(X, Y) {
}
override void CalculateZ()
{
... Calculate here.
}
}
B:A? If so, how can A have more data than B? Also, A doesn't seem to have such a constructor...