Click here to Skip to main content
Licence CPOL
First Posted 28 May 2007
Views 13,380
Downloads 63
Bookmarked 6 times

Creating a Switch function that works for non-integral types

By | 4 Jun 2007 | Article
A Switch function that works for non-integral types.

Introduction

Often when machines communicate with humans there is the need of switch statements. "The switch statement is a control statement that handles multiple selections and enumerations by passing control to one of the case statements within its body" (MSDN). These cases must always be constants and of an integral type. That means that doubles and floats can't be used and all other values must be constants.

This code uses templates and delegates to create a simple switch like structure that can be used for any type of case. The cases are sorted in a SortedList<TKey, TValue>.

The code uses anonymous methods to do the work in the case statements.

Using the code

In the sample code below, a message box is shown for each case.

Switch<string> switcher = new Switch<string>(); //Create Object
switcher.AddCase("Hello", delegate(object[] args)//Add cases
    { MessageBox.Show("Hello"); });
switcher.AddCase("Goodbye", delegate(object[] args)
    { MessageBox.Show("Goodbye"); });
switcher.AddCase("Morning", delegate(object[] args)
    { MessageBox.Show("Morning"); });
switcher.AddCase("Evening", delegate(object[] args)
    { MessageBox.Show("Evening"); });
switcher.AddCase("Afternoon", delegate(object[] args)
    { MessageBox.Show("Afternoon"); });
switcher.AddDefault(delegate (object [] args)
    { MessageBox.Show("Default"); });//Add a default case.
switcher.DoSwitch(StringTextBox.Text); //Do Switch

I made a class for doubles also. This version allows you to give a tolerance of how much the value can vary.

DoubleSwitch switcher = new DoubleSwitch();//Create Object
switcher.AddCase(1, delegate(object[] args)//Add cases
    { MessageBox.Show("1"); });
switcher.AddCase(2, delegate(object[] args)
    { MessageBox.Show("2"); });
switcher.AddCase(2.5, delegate(object[] args)
    { MessageBox.Show("2.5"); });
switcher.AddCase(3, delegate(object[] args)
    { MessageBox.Show("3"); });
switcher.AddCase(1000, delegate(object[] args)
    { MessageBox.Show("1000"); });
switcher.AddDefault(delegate (object [] args)
    { MessageBox.Show("Default"); });//Add a default case
switcher.DoSwitch((double) DoubleTextBox.Value, 0.1d); //Do switch.

The above code allows a tolerance of 0.1. That means that 2.59 will invoke the 2.5 case...

Further, specific classes are possible, they simply need to be derived from the base class and the function "DoSwitch" needs to be implemented.

Try the demo program to get a bit more of an idea...

History

This is the first version... Enjoy!

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)

About the Author

Joe Sonderegger

Software Developer
RUAG Aerospace
Switzerland Switzerland

Member



Sign Up to vote   Poor Excellent
Add a reason or comment to your vote: x
Votes of 3 or less require a comment

Comments and Discussions

 
You must Sign In to use this message board. (secure sign-in)
 
Search this forum  
 FAQ
    Noise  Layout  Per page   
  Refresh
GeneralMy vote of 2 Pinmemberjkersch11:47 5 Jan '10  
GeneralInteresting PinmemberMoim Hossain8:10 4 Jun '07  
GeneralRe: Interesting PinmemberNice Life19:05 4 Jun '07  
Generalbad example Pinmemberdimzon0:38 29 May '07  
GeneralRe: bad example PinmemberNice Life0:50 29 May '07  
GeneralString switch statements legal in C# PinmemberRudolf Jan Heijink0:08 29 May '07  
GeneralRe: String switch statements legal in C# PinmemberNice Life0:46 29 May '07  
GeneralRe: String switch statements legal in C# Pinmembertanwinking22:33 31 Jul '07  
GeneralRe: String switch statements legal in C# PinmemberJoe Sonderegger2:18 6 Aug '07  

General General    News News    Suggestion Suggestion    Question Question    Bug Bug    Answer Answer    Joke Joke    Rant Rant    Admin Admin   

Use Ctrl+Left/Right to switch messages, Ctrl+Up/Down to switch threads, Ctrl+Shift+Left/Right to switch pages.

Permalink | Advertise | Privacy | Mobile
Web03 | 2.5.120517.1 | Last Updated 4 Jun 2007
Article Copyright 2007 by Joe Sonderegger
Everything else Copyright © CodeProject, 1999-2012
Terms of Use
Layout: fixed | fluid