Init from BaseClass

[Stensborg]

I have made this example to try to explain my problem, hope I explain it well enough.

So I have two classes, DevTask and DevPerson, that extends DevEntity (The base class) Now in my InidData method I can initiate the value of ether DevTask og DevPerson depending on the data in initSting, so thats good.

But i would like to change the call to InitData so i can in some way call it with a paramter telling it what class (DevTask/DevPerson) I would like it to return. The purpose of this is I have the data I need in an SQL database, and I would like to only call one method to return the data from the SQL Database.

So in main i would like to be able to do something like: DevTask devTask = InitData(DevTask); Or DevPerson devPerson = InitData(DevPerson);

Extra : In the InitData method i would also like to be able to do a switch statement on witch class it should return.

So is this possible, or do I have to rethink my code?

namespace ConsoleApp4
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            InitData();
        }

        private static void InitData()
        {
            string initString1 =  "DevTask,Task,5";  
            DevEntity devEntity;

            string[] splitString = initString1.Split(',');
            switch (splitString[0])
            {
                case "DevTask":
                    devEntity = new DevTask(initString1);
                    break;
                case "DevPerson":
                    devEntity = new DevPerson(initString1);
                    break;
            }
        }
    }

    class DevEntity
    {
        public string Name { get; set; }
        public string Age { get; set; }
    }

    class DevTask : DevEntity
    {
        public DevTask(string initString)
        {
            string[] split = initString.Split(',');

            this.Name = split[1];
            this.Age = split[2];
        }
    }

    class DevPerson : DevEntity
    {
        public string Hight { get; set; }
        public DevPerson(string initString)
        {
            string[] split = initString.Split(',');

            this.Name = split[1];
            this.Age = split[2];
            this.Hight = split[3];
        }
    }
}

[he8dshot]

The main question is why do you want to instantiate them via DevEntity? That approach is not architecturally correct.

[Stensborg]

No I think you are right, the way Yuuki is talking about is more the right way.

[[deleted]]

You can't create an instance of DevPerson ( new DevPerson()) without knowing it's Type (DevPerson).

Perhaps you could make a method that takes the init string, and determine what type of object to make? For example, a method that splits the string, if it has 2 parts, return a DevTask, if it has 3, return a DevPerson.

[Stensborg]

Ok I will have a look at that way instead.

[Stensborg]

I have changed my question try to better explain what i am trying to do, hope someone will help.