Generic class with multiple return types -

i know question not asked rather hard show example: have class abstracthandler. create method class:

class abstractmanager {     binaryserializator binaryserializator; //just example         textserializator textserializator;      public abstractmanager(binaryserializator binaryserializator) {         this.binaryserializator = binaryserializator;         this.textserializator = null;     }      public abstractmanager(textserializator textserializator) {         this.textserializator = textserializator;         this.binaryserializator = null;     }      public abstracthandler createhandler() {         if (this.binaryserializator != null) {             return new abstracthandler<byte[]>(this.binaryserializator);         } else {             return new abstracthandler<string>(this.textserializator);         }     } } 

so how create abstracthandler again has 2 constructors (one takes binaryserializator , textserializator). here fun part: both serializators have method getserializedtype(object object), binary returns byte[] text returns string. want method in abstracthandler return either byte[] or string depending on type of serializator have:

public t createserializable(object object) {    if (binaryserializer != null) {      return (t) binaryserializer.getserializedtype(object);    }     if (textserializer != null) {      return (t) textserializer.getserializedtype(object);    } } 

my question - way it? there workaround 2 constructors , how supposed deal 2 different abstracthandlers, know it's possible done generics instead of havign 2 classes (one string, 1 byte[]). taking time read long post.

i have 2 solutions:

interfaces:

interface iserializatorstategy {     object getserializedtype(object obj); }  // if want generic classes interface iserializatorstategy<t> : iserializatorstategy {     new t getserializedtype(object obj); } 

serializators:

// if don't want generic classes // can inherit base interface , implement method class textserializator : iserializatorstategy<string> {     public string getserializedtype(object obj)     {         return "hello world";     }      object iserializatorstategy.getserializedtype(object obj)     {         return getserializedtype(obj);     } }  class intserializator : iserializatorstategy<int> {     public int getserializedtype(object obj)     {         return 42;     }      object iserializatorstategy.getserializedtype(object obj)     {         return getserializedtype(obj);     } } 

managers:

class abstractmanager {     protected iserializatorstategy serializatorstrategy { get; set; }      public abstractmanager(iserializatorstategy serializatorstrategy)     {         serializatorstrategy = serializatorstrategy;     }      public abstracthandler createhandler()     {         return new abstracthandler(serializatorstrategy);     } }  // if want generic classes class abstractmanager<t> : abstractmanager {     // note, if allow constructor,     // encounter runtime errors     public abstractmanager(iserializatorstategy serializatorstrategy)         : base(serializatorstrategy)     {     }      public abstractmanager(iserializatorstategy<t> serializatorstrategy)         : base(serializatorstrategy)     {     }      public new abstracthandler<t> createhandler()     {         return new abstracthandler<t>(serializatorstrategy);     } } 

handlers:

class abstracthandler {     private readonly iserializatorstategy _serializatorstrategy;      public abstracthandler(iserializatorstategy serializatorstrategy)     {         _serializatorstrategy = serializatorstrategy;     }      public object createserializable(object obj)     {         return _serializatorstrategy.getserializedtype(obj);     }      public void getserializable<t>(object obj, out t serializebleobject)     {         serializebleobject = (t)_serializatorstrategy.getserializedtype(obj);     } }  // if want generic classes class abstracthandler<t> : abstracthandler {     // note, if allow constructor,     // encounter runtime errors     public abstracthandler(iserializatorstategy serializatorstrategy)         : base(serializatorstrategy)     {     }      public abstracthandler(iserializatorstategy<t> serializatorstrategy)         : base(serializatorstrategy)     {     }      public new t createserializable(object obj)     {         return (t)base.createserializable(obj);     } } 

usage:

generic classes

class program {     static void main(string[] args)     {         var textmanager = new abstractmanager<string>(new textserializator());         var texthandler = textmanager.createhandler();         string textresult = texthandler.createserializable(null); // or abstracthandler<string> type         console.writeline(textresult);          var intmanager = new abstractmanager<int>(new intserializator());         var inthandler = intmanager.createhandler(); // or abstracthandler<int> type         int intresult = inthandler.createserializable(null);         console.writeline(intresult);          console.readkey();     } } 

generic methods

class program {     static void main(string[] args)     {         abstractmanager manager = new abstractmanager(new textserializator());         abstracthandler handler = manager.createhandler();         string textresult;         handler.getserializable(null, out textresult);         console.writeline(textresult);          manager = new abstractmanager(new intserializator());         handler = manager.createhandler();         int intresult;         handler.getserializable(null, out intresult);         console.writeline(intresult);          console.readkey();     } } 

now, shouldn't have troubles apply on issue.