C# join 2 or more classes together?

Question

So this might sounds like a n00b question, but I want to take 2 classes and merge them together.

Like so :

Ball oneBall = new Ball("red", 20);
Ball anotherBall = new Ball("blue",40);


Ball BigBall = new Ball(oneBall + anotherBall);

BigBall.size() //should say 60 right?

I know you would have something like this

class Ball{


  public Ball(string Name , int size){}

// But to merge to of them? 

  public Ball(Ball firstBall, Ball secondBall){} //I know the arguments have to be added
{}


}

So my question is what is the overload(right?) suppose to look like?

Thanks,

Are you looking for operator overloading? http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6587107/c-sharp-operator-overload-for — Douglas, Jan 22 '12 at 19:08

score 6 · Answer 1 · edited Jan 22 '12 at 19:52

6

Yes, you can define a constructor overload.

public class Ball
{
    public string Name { get; private set; }
    public int Size { get; private set; }

    public Ball(string name, int size) 
    { 
        this.Name = name;
        this.Size = size;
    }

    // This is called constructor chaining
    public Ball(Ball first, Ball second)
        : this(first.Name + "," + second.Name, first.Size + second.Size)
    { }
}

To merge the two balls:

Ball bigBall = new Ball(oneBall, anotherBall);

Note that you are calling the constructor overload, not the + operator.

edited Jan 22 '12 at 19:52

Jason Down

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answered Jan 22 '12 at 19:11

Douglas

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1

Actually, I prefer this way over my answer. +1. – Jason Down Jan 22 '12 at 19:13

Jason Down · Answer 2 · 2012-01-24T14:10:17.940

5

public class Ball
{
    public int Size { get; private set; }
    public string Name { get; private set; }

    public Ball(string name , int size)
    {
        Name = name;
        Size = size;
    }

    public Ball(Ball firstBall, Ball secondBall)
    {
        Name = firstBall.Name + ", " + secondBall.Name;
        Size = firstBall.Size + secondBall.Size;
    }
}

edited Jan 24 '12 at 14:10

answered Jan 22 '12 at 19:12

Jason Down

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score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 22 '12 at 19:13

You would want to overload the addition operator for Ball, something like:

public static Ball operator +(Ball left, Ball right)
{
    return new Ball(left.Name + right.Name, left.Size + right.Size);
}

Although making a Ball constructor that takes in 2 Balls and adds them is probably more readable, but if you actually want to write new Ball(ball1 + ball2) then operator overloading would work. If you did it with a constructor, then your code would look like: new Ball(ball1, ball2)

That's what I was lookin for! I just knew my syntax was off for it. Thanks! — Vinny, Jan 22 '12 at 22:03

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 22 '12 at 19:11

That is about right, just pass the two balls as two parameters to the second overload

Ball BigBall = new Ball(oneBall , anotherBall);

and adjust the overload so it adds the two ball sizes together:

public Ball(Ball firstBall, Ball secondBall){} //I know the arguments have to be added
{
    this.size = firstBall.size + secondBall.size;
}

driis · Answer 5 · 2012-01-22T21:13:04.693

2

You can define the addition operator for your type if it makes sense:

public static operator+(Ball rhs, Ball lhs) 
{
    return new Ball(lhs.Size + rhs.Size);
}

Only do this if it semantically makes sense to add two instances of Ball together.

edited Jan 22 '12 at 21:13

answered Jan 22 '12 at 19:13

driis

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You are mixing things. `implicit` and `explicit` are for type conversions. `operator xy` is for operator overloading. – Olivier Jacot-Descombes Jan 22 '12 at 19:45

C# join 2 or more classes together?

5 Answers5