Cannot implicitly convert type 'BaseClass' to 'DerivedClass'

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Hi dear developers,

Please observe the following C# code once.

C#

class BaseClass
    {
        public void Method1(){}
    }

    class DerivedClass : BaseClass
    {
        public void Method2(){}
    }

    class Program
    {
        static void Main()
        {
            BaseClass bc = new BaseClass();
            DerivedClass dc = new DerivedClass();
            BaseClass bcd = new DerivedClass();
            DerivedClass dcb = new BaseClass(); /*compile time error. Cannot implicitly convert type 'BaseClass' to 'DerivedClass'. An explicit conversion exists (are you missing a cast?)*/
        }
    }

When i am assigning the base class object to the derived class variable compiler throwing the error Cannot implicitly convert type 'BaseClass' to 'DerivedClass' . But, i am not getting the error when i am assigning the derived class object to the base class object.

Can you please clarify me why it is happening.

Posted 13-Feb-14 1:21am

Srinubabu Ravilla

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OriginalGriff · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-13T01:29:00

You cannot automatically convert a base class instance into a derived class instance: it would involve the system "inventing" data. You can, if you create a specific cast operator because you can "fill in" the missing infor yourself, but I really don't recommend it at all.

Think about it: an Orange is a Fruit, but not all Fruits are Oranges - some are Apples.
If you create an instance of a Fruit, it is not an Orange or an Apple - it's a generic Fruit, which probably doesn't exist.

This is why you often see people create base classes as abstract so that you cannot even create an instance of them.

Cannot implicitly convert type 'BaseClass' to 'DerivedClass'

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Cannot implicitly convert type 'BaseClass' to 'DerivedClass'

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