Using Text instead of instance names of classes

Question

var a = new myTestClass();
var b = new myTestClass2();
list<string> instList = new list<string>();
instList.add("b");

public void simpleFunc()
{
foreach(string i in instList){
a.fieldName = **i.myFieldName;**  
//HERE i is b which refers to the instance of myTestClass2 
}

what I would like to accomplish here is: create a List of string whihc are the names of class instances then inside a for each loop use the instlist strings like an instance of the class and add something to that property of that class

is this possible?

Patrick Hofman · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-31T13:11:11.560

2

If you really want to do that, you can create a dictionary with the name as key and the instance as value. I do wonder though why you are thinking the variable name is so important... A variable name can change easily and after all, it is just a pointer to the actual object. Shouldn't you create a class to save the 'metadata' of the variable?

Dictionary<string, string> d = new Dictionary<string, string>();
d.Add(nameof(a), a);
d.Add(nameof(b), b);

string valueAtB = d["b"];

edited Mar 31 '16 at 13:11

answered Mar 31 '16 at 13:09

Patrick Hofman

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Note: nameof is only available in C# 6.0, so if you are using an earlier version this code won't compile – Gordon Allocman Mar 31 '16 at 13:11
Indeed, then you can just use `d.Add("b", b);`, which isn't that expressive but does the same. – Patrick Hofman Mar 31 '16 at 13:11
Check this solution which provides a way to get the name pre c#6 http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9801624/get-name-of-a-variable-or-parameter – CathalMF Mar 31 '16 at 13:22

Using Text instead of instance names of classes

1 Answers1