Passing Lists of different types to a function

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Hello guy, i need you help. So i have 6 lists of different types that are populates with different types of receipts. Now i have a function that will take each of these lists, get the data out of them and export the data to a database. The problem is that i don't want to create 6 different functions that do the exact same thing but the only difference being the list passed into the function. Here is the code

C#

 List<CashReceipt> cashreceipts = new List<CashReceipt>();
 List<MiscReceipt> miscreceipts = new List<MiscReceipt>();
 List<StateGrantHeader> stategrantheader = new List<StateGrantHeader>();
 List<CashReceiptCollectionHeader> cashreceiptcollectionheader = new List<CashReceiptCollectionHeader>();
 List<ChargesAdjustmentHeader> chargesadjustmenheader = new List<ChargesAdjustmentHeader>();
                List<CashAdjustmentReceipt> cashadjustreceipt = new List<CashAdjustmentReceipt>();

// this piece of code just popluates the list with  receipts
cashreceipts.AddRange(CashReceipt.loadReceipts(school.getNextBatchNumber(), school.getLocationCode()));
                        miscreceipts.AddRange(MiscReceipt.loadReceipts(school.getNextBatchNumber(), school.getLocationCode()));

/* and so on*/



private static void ExportCashReceiptsToSBS(List<CashReceipt> receipts, String sbsBatchNumber, String generatedDate)
        {
            foreach (var receipt in receipts)
            {
                receipt.exportStoredProc(sbsBatchNumber);
            }
        }

private static void ExportMiscReceiptsToSBS(List<MiscReceipt> receipts, String sbsBatchNumber, String generatedDate)
        {
            foreach (var receipt in receipts)
            {
                receipt.exportStoredProc(sbsBatchNumber);
            }
        }

i dont want to create boiler plate code where the only changing element is the list. i know there is better way, but i am having a hard time finding a way to solve this.

Thank you for your help.

Posted 15-Jul-14 4:51am

rudolph098

Updated 15-Jul-14 5:35am

v3

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PIEBALDconsult 15-Jul-14 11:17am

Seems like there should be an Interface involved.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 15-Jul-14 11:51am

It is possible that you can create one generic function instead of 6 functions. If you cannot, the difference between element types is fundamental enough to create at least some different piece of code for 6 cases. (In other words, there is no such thing as miracle.) You may also want to review your design, looking at the root of the problem: where the element types are essentially different?
—SA

rudolph098 15-Jul-14 12:49pm

Damn Sergey!!!! thats ice cold. Probably the truth.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 15-Jul-14 13:40pm

Well, probably. To give exact suggestions to the design, I would need more information of the existing designs, goals, and a lot more...
—SA

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Harley L. Pebley · Answer 1 · 2014-07-15T05:20:00

Where does the exportStoredProc method exist? Is it in a common ancestor that each class inherits from or does each class implement it independently?

If the former, then use the base class in the list's template class:

C#

private static void ExportItemsToSBS(List<YourBaseClass> itemsToExport, String sbsBatchNumber, String generatedDate)
{
        foreach (var item in itemsToExport)
        {
                item.exportStoredProc(sbsBatchNumber);
        }
}

If the latter, then declare an interface that has that exportStoredProc method in it, add the interface to each classes' declaration, and use the interface in the method:

C#

public interface IExportItem
{
        void exportStoredProc(string batchNumber);
}

public class CashReceipt : IExportItem
{
        ...
}

private static void ExportItemsToSBS(List<IExportItem> itemsToExport, String sbsBatchNumber, String generatedDate)
{
        foreach (var item in itemsToExport)
        {
                item.exportStoredProc(sbsBatchNumber);
        }
}

Hope that helps.

CHill60 · Answer 2 · 2014-07-15T05:11:00

I was recently "educated" ("told off" :-)) for not using Extension Methods and Generics.

Something like this might suit your purpose

C#

static class MyExtensions
{
    public static void ExportReceipts<T>(this IEnumerable<T> list)
    {
        foreach (var item in list)
        {
            Debug.Print(item.ToString());   // or whatever you will do
        }

    }
}

which I tested with this

XML

List<string> lS = new List<string>();
lS.Add("item 1");
lS.Add("item 2");
lS.Add("item 3");

List<int> li = new List<int>();
li.Add(1);
li.Add(2);
li.Add(3);

List<double> ld = new List<double>();
ld.Add(1.1);
ld.Add(2.2);
ld.Add(3.3);

MyExtensions.ExportReceipts(lS);
MyExtensions.ExportReceipts(li);
MyExtensions.ExportReceipts(ld);

to get these results

VB

item 1
item 2
item 3
1
2
3
1.1
2.2
3.3

Passing Lists of different types to a function

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