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I need to use a custom sorting algorithm on a WPF DataGrid's ListCollectionView. I created an implementation of IComparer<string> since I use strings but the CustomSort property of ListCollectionView only takes non-generic IComparer implementation:

listCollectionView.CustomSort = new MyComparer(); // this wont work

Since my comparing logic is specifically for strings while I need an IComparer instance, I was thinking about creating a MyComparerAdapter adapter like so:

public class MyComparerAdapter : IComparer
{
    private readonly IComparer<string> _innerComparer = new MyComparer();

    public int Compare(object a, object b)
    {
        return _innerComparer.Compare((string)a, (string)b);
    }
}

But I might as well implement the non-generic IComparer interface in the MyComparer class which would call the generic Compare method.

Which solution would be more preferable and why? Would the adapter be a useless extra component in this? Is there a downside of implementing both the generic and the non-generic methods of IComparer?

Zserbinator
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    Can't comment of the pros and cons. I would simply implement both. A good example would be the standard StringComparer. It implements almost all Comparer interfaces. See https://referencesource.microsoft.com/#mscorlib/system/stringcomparer.cs,a1c3d85bbf4ae20e – Ralf Oct 18 '21 at 17:23

1 Answers1

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I find less is more. Implementing the bare minimum and adding only when it's needed.

Translated to your case, it depends...

Do you see yourself using the generic variant anywhere (in your view models)?

No

The CollectionView is object based by nature. Implementing just IComparer will suffice.

Yes

Implement both on MyComparer. I've only used the Adapter / Decorator pattern when some pre- or postprocessing needed to be done.

Funk
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