JavaScript spread syntax in C#
Is there any implementation in C# like JavaScript's spread syntax?
var arr = new []{
"1",
"2"//...
};
Console.WriteLine(...arr);
There isn't a spread option. And there are reasons.
- Properties aren't an array in C# unless you use the params keyword
- Properties that use the param keyword would have to either:
- Share the same type
- Have a castable shared type such as double for numerics
- Be of type object[] (as object is the root type of everything)
However, having said that, you can get similar functionality with various language features.
Answering your example:
C#
var arr = new []{
"1",
"2"//...
};
Console.WriteLine(string.Join(", ", arr));
The link you provide has this example:
Javascript Spread
function sum(x, y, z) {
return x + y + z;
}
const numbers = [1, 2, 3];
console.log(sum(...numbers));
// expected output: 6
console.log(sum.apply(null, numbers));
Params In C#, with same type
public int Sum(params int[] values)
{
return values.Sum(); // Using linq here shows part of why this doesn't make sense.
}
var numbers = new int[] {1,2,3};
Console.WriteLine(Sum(numbers));
In C#, with different numeric types, using double
public int Sum(params double[] values)
{
return values.Sum(); // Using linq here shows part of why this doesn't make sense.
}
var numbers = new double[] {1.5, 2.0, 3.0}; // Double usually doesn't have precision issues with small whole numbers
Console.WriteLine(Sum(numbers));
Reflection In C#, with different numeric types, using object and reflection, this is probably the closest to what you are asking for.
using System;
using System.Reflection;
namespace ReflectionExample
{
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
var paramSet = new object[] { 1, 2.0, 3L };
var mi = typeof(Program).GetMethod("Sum", BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.Static);
Console.WriteLine(mi.Invoke(null, paramSet));
}
public static int Sum(int x, double y, long z)
{
return x + (int)y + (int)z;
}
}
}
One trick to get a behavior similar to this (without reflection) is to accept params SomeObject[][]
and to also define an implicit operator from SomeObject
to SomeObject[]
. Now you can pass a mixture of arrays of SomeObject
and individual SomeObject
elements.
public class Item
{
public string Text { get; }
public Item (string text)
{
this.Text = text;
}
public static implicit operator Item[] (Item one) => new[] { one };
}
public class Print
{
// Accept a params of arrays of items (but also single items because of implicit cast)
public static void WriteLine(params Item[][] items)
{
Console.WriteLine(string.Join(", ", items.SelectMany(x => x)));
}
}
public class Test
{
public void Main()
{
var array = new[] { new Item("a1"), new Item("a2"), new Item("a3") };
Print.WriteLine(new Item("one"), /* ... */ array, new Item("two"));
}
}
there is no direct pre-built library in C# to handle what is built into Spread
In order to get that functionality in C#, you need to Reflect the object and get the methods, properties, or fields by their access modifiers.
You'd do something like:
var tempMethods = typeof(myClass).GetMethods();
var tempFields = typeof(myClass).GetFields();
var tempProperties = typeof(myClass).GetProperties();
then iterate through and throw them into your dynamic object:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Dynamic;
namespace myApp
{
public class myClass
{
public string myProp { get; set; }
public string myField;
public string myFunction()
{
return "";
}
}
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
var fields = typeof(myClass).GetFields();
dynamic EO = new ExpandoObject();
foreach (int i = 0; i < fields.Length; i++)
{
AddProperty(EO, "Language", "lang" + i);
Console.Write(EO.Language);
}
}
public static void AddProperty(ExpandoObject expando, string propertyName, object propertyValue)
{
// ExpandoObject supports IDictionary so we can extend it like this
var expandoDict = expando as IDictionary<string, object>;
if (expandoDict.ContainsKey(propertyName))
expandoDict[propertyName] = propertyValue;
else
expandoDict.Add(propertyName, propertyValue);
}
}
}
https://www.oreilly.com/learning/building-c-objects-dynamically