Checking a private value in another class [C#]

Question

I'm making a simple dart game in the console for an assignment where I am to practice using private lists and variables everywhere. The basic flow of the program for some context is as follows:

User lands in a menu
User chooses from 1-4. (1 = Add player, 2 = Add CPU, 3 = Start game, 4 = Quit)
Game starts. Players manually add their 3 throws per turn, and CPU gets theirs randomly.
When a player or CPU reaches 301 score, the loop ends and you now see every throw made by the winner.

UML diagram for class structure context: https://i.stack.imgur.com/X2ITv.png

Everything is pretty much complete. I've made the program to such an extent that both players and CPUs are getting random values (are treated as CPU players), it prints out everything correctly and follows the flow to the end.

My issue now is that I want to be able to reach the is_CPU variable which is private in the Player class from the Game class and use it in an IF check, directing whether or not the values are manually added or randomly generated.

Pseudo-code:

FOREACH (var player in player_list)
  IF (is_CPU == TRUE) 
    THEN Assign random values 
  ELSE
    THEN Manually enter values

I tried messing around with the get-set stuff, but I don't fully understand how to use them and how they work. I have looked around on here and still don't see how I should be using them in this case, if at all.

I can think of one way to work around this and that is by making a method just for this where it checks that value and returns true/false, but that seems like a 'lazy' or improper way to do this, and comes with several downsides. I feel like there should be a better way to do this, one that won't come back to bite me in the ass later. Hopefully there is, and I can learn it by asking here.

EDIT: The variables and lists HAVE to be private. It is part of the exercise where we learn how to handle these.

Is there any reason why you can't make it public or create a public property that returns it? — Tommaso Belluzzo, Dec 09 '17 at 00:46

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 09 '17 at 00:50

1

I think you just want a get property on your player class.

public bool IsCpu { get { return is_CPU; }}

See also c# properties

answered Dec 09 '17 at 00:50

Igor

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Tommaso Belluzzo · Accepted Answer · 2017-12-09T01:04:01.690

In order to access private members of a class instance, you either have to define properties on that class with a public getter, as follows:

public class Player
{
    private Boolean m_IsCPU;

    public Boolean IsCPU
    {
        get { return m_IsCPU; }
    }

    // ...
}

or to change these members in order to make them public, as follows:

public class Player
{
    public Boolean IsCPU;

    // ...
}

Whatever you choose (I suggest you to go for the first approach), in any part of your code in which you have to check the IsCPU property/member for each instance of the Player class, you can just do as follows:

foreach (Player player in players)
{
    if (player.IsCPU)
        // Do Something...
    else
        // Do Something Else...
}

Some interesting links:

Daniel Tran · Answer 3 · 2017-12-09T01:03:02.967

Redesign your app like this:

   Class Game
          List<IPlayer> Players
          ShowMenu()
          AddPlayer()
          StartGame()
          IsGameOver(): boolean

   Interface IPlayer
          Turn() : Score

   CpuPlayer: IPlayer
   Player: IPlayer

Split your logic into two different classes: you dont need to check. Treat every player the same in the game. Later if you come up with 'NetworkPlayer', 'AIPlayer', 'SuperPlayer' you can easily add to your system.

In your menu:

    switch (userInput) {
          case AddUser:
                 AddPlayer(new Player());
                 break;
          case AddCpuPlayer:
                 AddPlayer(new CpuPlayer());
                 break;

In your gameplay:

    while (!IsGameOver) 
    {
          var nextPlayer = ... next player
          nextPlayer.Turn() ...
    }

Checking a private value in another class [C#]

3 Answers3