Using string constants in implicit conversion

Question

Consider the following code:

public class TextType {

    public TextType(String text) {
        underlyingString = text;
    }

    public static implicit operator String(TextType text) {
        return text.underlyingString;
    }

    private String underlyingString;
}

TextType text = new TextType("Something");
String str = text; // This is OK.

But I want to be able do the following, if possible.

TextType textFromStringConstant = "SomeOtherText";

I can't extend the String class with the TextType implicit operator overload, but is there any way to assign a literal string to another class (which is handled by a method or something)?

String is a reference type so when they developed C# they obviously had to use some way to get a string literal to the class. I just hope it's not hardcoded into the language.

See section 10.10.3 of the specification for details. – Eric Lippert Jan 24 '10 at 20:13 — Eric Lippert, Jan 24 '10 at 20:13

score 9 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 24 '10 at 18:46

9

public static implicit operator TextType(String text) {
    return new TextType(text);
}

answered Jan 24 '10 at 18:46

ChaosPandion

77,506
18
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Fix text != value - you were faster though :) – Benjamin Podszun Jan 24 '10 at 18:49
1

I can't believe how I missed that operator overloads goes both ways. I had a feeling the method would have to belong to the String class... Thanks. – Kornelije Petak Jan 24 '10 at 18:54

score 6 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 24 '10 at 18:48

6

Add

public static implicit operator TextType(string content) {
  return new TextType(content);
}

to your class? :)

answered Jan 24 '10 at 18:48

Benjamin Podszun

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45

Using string constants in implicit conversion

2 Answers2