Converting object of a class to of another one

Question

I have two classes which have are nearly equal except the data types stored in them. One class contains all double values while other contains all float values.

class DoubleClass
{
    double X;
    double Y;
    double Z;
}

class FloatClass
{
    float X;
    float Y;
    float Z;
}

Now I have a point of DoubleClass which I want to convert to FloatClass.

var doubleObject = new DoubleClass();

var convertedObject = (FloatClass)doubleObject; // TODO: This

One simple way is to make a method which creates a new FloatClass object, fills all values and return it. Is there any other efficient way to do this.

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12263099/function-to-clone-an-arbitrary-object — I4V, Sep 13 '13 at 10:41
Are you allowed to change the source code for FloatClass and/or DoubleClass? — Matthew Watson, Sep 13 '13 at 10:43

score 32 · Accepted Answer · edited Dec 28 '20 at 08:17

32

Use a conversion operator:

public static explicit operator FloatClass (DoubleClass c) {
   FloatCass fc = new FloatClass();
   fc.X = (float) c.X;
   fc.Y = (float) c.Y;
   fc.Z = (float) c.Z;
   return fc;
}

And then just use it:

var convertedObject = (FloatClass) doubleObject;

Edit

I changed the operator to explicit instead of implicit since I was using a FloatClass cast in the example. I prefer to use explicit over implicit so it forces me to confirm what type the object will be converted to (to me it means less distraction errors + readability).

However, you can use implicit conversion and then you would just need to do:

var convertedObject = doubleObject;

Reference

edited Dec 28 '20 at 08:17

Uwe Keim

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answered Sep 13 '13 at 10:42

letiagoalves

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1

You need to cast the doubles to floats to avoid a compile error. – Matthew Watson Sep 13 '13 at 10:52
@MatthewWatson yap. Good eye. Thanks – letiagoalves Sep 13 '13 at 10:53
Now I want to convert a 2D array of DoubleClass to FloatClass, is it possible using LINQ? or I have to use for loops here? – fhnaseer Sep 13 '13 at 11:14
1

@FaisalHafeez you can try: `FloatClass[] converted = Array.ConvertAll(array, s => (FloatClass) s);` for simple arrays or see this implementation for 2D arrays: http://stackoverflow.com/a/6065947/1873446 – letiagoalves Sep 13 '13 at 11:16
@letiagoalves: You can even omit the cast operator if you have an implicit cast: `FloatClass fc = doubleObject;` – Tim Schmelter Sep 13 '13 at 11:22
@TimSchmelter I know that but I prefer to do so. I don't mind the extra characters because it is more readable to me :) – letiagoalves Sep 13 '13 at 11:23

score 6 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 13 '13 at 10:41

6

Sounds like you could use generics here:

 public class GenericClass<T>
 {
    T X { get; set; }
    T Y { get; set; }
    T Z { get; set; }
 }

 GenericClass<float> floatClass = new GenericClass<float>();
 GenericClass<double> doubleClass = new GenericClass<double>();

answered Sep 13 '13 at 10:41

Darren

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It can be a solution, but code is being used in many places, so this solution will require much effort, – fhnaseer Sep 13 '13 at 10:49
CTRL+F -> "FloatClass" -> V (Expand) -> "GenericClass" -> Replace All. Done :) – Levi Fuller Sep 10 '15 at 14:36

score 5 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 13 '13 at 10:41

5

You can use Conversion Operators to achieve this.

Fr example:

struct FloatClass
{
    public FloatClass(DoubleClass dClass) {
        //conversion...
    }
    ... 
    public static explicit operator FloatClass(DoubleClass dClass) 
    {
        FloatClassd = new FloatClass(dClass);  // explicit conversion

        return d;
    }
}


var convertedObject = (FloatClass)doubleObject;

answered Sep 13 '13 at 10:41

Tigran

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Now I want to convert a 2D array of DoubleClass to FloatClass, is it possible using LINQ? or I have to use for loops here? – fhnaseer Sep 13 '13 at 11:16
1

@FaisalHafeez: you can, for example, add an [ExtensionMethds](http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/bb383977.aspx) for your array class. – Tigran Sep 13 '13 at 11:40

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 13 '13 at 10:43

2

You could add an implicit type conversion operator:

public class DoubleClass
{
    public double X;
    public double Y;
    public double Z;

    public static implicit operator FloatClass(DoubleClass d)
    {
        return new FloatClass { X = (float)d.X, Y = (float)d.Y, Z = (float)d.Z };
    }
}

Now this works:

DoubleClass doubleObject = new DoubleClass();
FloatClass convertedObject = doubleObject;

answered Sep 13 '13 at 10:43

Tim Schmelter

450,073
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Now I want to convert a 2D array of DoubleClass to FloatClass, is it possible using LINQ? or I have to use for loops here? – fhnaseer Sep 13 '13 at 11:13

M Komaei · Answer 5 · 2021-02-13T05:54:31.913

Add a class for thease extention methods :

public static class ExtensionMethods
{
    public static T ToObject<T>(this Object fromObject)
    {
        return JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<T>(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(fromObject));
    }


    public static List<T> ToObjectList<T>(this Object fromObject)
    {
        return JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<T>>(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(fromObject));
    }
}

Use :

using YourExtentionMethodNamespace;

Class2 obj2 = obj1.ToObject<Class2>();
List<Class2> lst2 = _db.Blogs.ToList().ToObjectList<Class2>();

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Feb 28 '17 at 07:01

0

The simplest way to do this is by using serializer. Use Newtonsoft JSON serializer which works best.

using Newtonsoft.Json;

  private void Convert()
    {
        DoubleClass doubleClass = new DoubleClass {X = 123.123, Y = 321.321, Z = 111.111};
        var serializedoubleClass = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(doubleClass);
        var floatClass = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(serializedoubleClass, typeof(FloatClass));
    }

answered Feb 28 '17 at 07:01

Aamol

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I don't think this is the right way to convert objects – dading84 Jun 08 '22 at 08:13

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Mar 30 '20 at 06:01

Best way for Convert

public static class Extention {
     public static string ConvertObjectToJson(this object ob)
     {
         return JsonConvert.SerializeObject(ob);
     }
}

For Usage

var doubleClass = new DoubleClass {
   x = 10,
   y = 20
};
var floatClass = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<FloatClass>(doubleClass.ConvertObjectToJson());

score -3 · Answer 8 · answered Apr 24 '14 at 13:52

-3

Best way is Serialize object and again desalinize it

answered Apr 24 '14 at 13:52

Rupesh Dahibavkar

39
5

1

The deserialization will fail because the structures are not equivalent in their storage mechanisms. Even if they were, and it could work, it would still be prohibitively expensive and a fairly poor practice to do this. – Servy Apr 24 '14 at 13:59
of course, because when you conver it, probably would be very salty, that's why you need to desalinize it after, jk – user57129 Jan 06 '18 at 22:59

Converting object of a class to of another one

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