Advice for how best to adapt a Python habit to C#

laurapigeon · 2023-03-01T23:25:32.386Z

(This is code for a Game of Life board's `Populate` method, that aims to create a 2D array of tiles based on a percentage living rate, or entered pattern) The way I used to do this in Python is as shown, I would pass a float into a method, but in the method I'd check first that the float wasn't a string, in which case I'd act differently. I could obviously do this by setting percentage as a var or object, and checking it can be cast to different types, but I'm curious to know what's best practice here. Can I do something with overloads? Optional parameters? I'm still very new to this.

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:26 PM

(oh also tileState is an int for other reasons)

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:26 PM

Well, in C#, a float cannot be a string

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:26 PM

So you might need a second parameter, for example

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:26 PM

An enum perhaps

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:27 PM

Or, indeed, a method overload

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:27 PM

One that takes

float percentage

float percentage

float percentage

float percentage and other that takes

float percentage, SomethingType somethingType

float percentage, SomethingType somethingType

float percentage, SomethingType somethingType

float percentage, SomethingType somethingType

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:27 PM

With

enum SomethingType {
    Checkerboard,
    Lines,
    Edges
}

enum SomethingType {
    Checkerboard,
    Lines,
    Edges
}

enum SomethingType {
    Checkerboard,
    Lines,
    Edges
}

enum SomethingType {
    Checkerboard,
    Lines,
    Edges
}

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:28 PM

Although it seems you wouldn't need that

percentage

percentage

percentage

percentage parameter for the second method

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:29 PM

ideally, i would only need to pass a percentage in the case that the enum is Percentage, rather than Checkerboard etc

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:29 PM

since it isnt used in any other case

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:29 PM

A float cannot be an enum

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:29 PM

An enum cannot be a float

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:29 PM

A float cannot be a string...

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:29 PM

you get the idea

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:29 PM

yeye

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:30 PM

i guess i can just pass in the enum and then an optional parameter for percentage which i only use if passed in

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:31 PM

it just feels ungainly to have to pass in an enum even if percentage is given, or have to pass in a percentage even if the enum is Checkerboard etc

R

Relevant•3/1/23, 11:31 PM

You can use overloads instead

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:32 PM

wait theres a kind of method that acts differently on different types, could I have the method work differently on a string for the type of populate, and a float for the percentage?

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:32 PM

i forget what it was called

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:33 PM

public void DoStuff(float percentage)
{
    tileState = rng.NextSingle() < percentage ? 1 : 0
}
public void DoStuff(SomethingType somethingType)
{
    tileState = somethingType switch {
        SomethingType.Checkerboard => ...,
        SomethingType.Lines => ...,
        ...
    }
}

public void DoStuff(float percentage)
{
    tileState = rng.NextSingle() < percentage ? 1 : 0
}
public void DoStuff(SomethingType somethingType)
{
    tileState = somethingType switch {
        SomethingType.Checkerboard => ...,
        SomethingType.Lines => ...,
        ...
    }
}

public void DoStuff(float percentage)
{
    tileState = rng.NextSingle() < percentage ? 1 : 0
}
public void DoStuff(SomethingType somethingType)
{
    tileState = somethingType switch {
        SomethingType.Checkerboard => ...,
        SomethingType.Lines => ...,
        ...
    }
}

public void DoStuff(float percentage)
{
    tileState = rng.NextSingle() < percentage ? 1 : 0
}
public void DoStuff(SomethingType somethingType)
{
    tileState = somethingType switch {
        SomethingType.Checkerboard => ...,
        SomethingType.Lines => ...,
        ...
    }
}

Llaurapigeon i forget what it was called

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:33 PM

Parametric polymorphism?

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:33 PM

scary lol

A

Anton•3/1/23, 11:34 PM

overloads or like this

public enum Kind
{
   Float,
   Lines,
   Edges,
   Checkerboard,
}
public struct Rules
{
    public Kind Kind;
    public float PercentageValue;
}

public enum Kind
{
   Float,
   Lines,
   Edges,
   Checkerboard,
}
public struct Rules
{
    public Kind Kind;
    public float PercentageValue;
}

public enum Kind
{
   Float,
   Lines,
   Edges,
   Checkerboard,
}
public struct Rules
{
    public Kind Kind;
    public float PercentageValue;
}

public enum Kind
{
   Float,
   Lines,
   Edges,
   Checkerboard,
}
public struct Rules
{
    public Kind Kind;
    public float PercentageValue;
}

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:34 PM

i could go find it,,, it might have been a class whose instances worked differently based on kind, so might be completely irrelevant

A

Anton•3/1/23, 11:34 PM

switch on Kind

A

Anton•3/1/23, 11:34 PM

ignore the float if kind is not Float

A

Anton•3/1/23, 11:35 PM

that's the best data oriented way to do it

AAngius ```cs public void DoStuff(float percentage) { tileState = rng.NextSingle() <...

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:35 PM

this seems good, since theres a lot in the method before i reach the point where the overload is important, is there a way to not have the whole method twice?

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:36 PM

An optional prameter ig

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:36 PM

valid

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:36 PM

public void DoStuff(SomethingType somethingType, float? percentage = null)
{
    tileState = somethingType switch {
        SomethingType.Checkerboard => ...,
        SomethingType.Lines => ...,
        ...,
        _ => rng.NextSingle() < percentage ? 1 : 0
    }
}

public void DoStuff(SomethingType somethingType, float? percentage = null)
{
    tileState = somethingType switch {
        SomethingType.Checkerboard => ...,
        SomethingType.Lines => ...,
        ...,
        _ => rng.NextSingle() < percentage ? 1 : 0
    }
}

public void DoStuff(SomethingType somethingType, float? percentage = null)
{
    tileState = somethingType switch {
        SomethingType.Checkerboard => ...,
        SomethingType.Lines => ...,
        ...,
        _ => rng.NextSingle() < percentage ? 1 : 0
    }
}

public void DoStuff(SomethingType somethingType, float? percentage = null)
{
    tileState = somethingType switch {
        SomethingType.Checkerboard => ...,
        SomethingType.Lines => ...,
        ...,
        _ => rng.NextSingle() < percentage ? 1 : 0
    }
}

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:36 PM

are there overloads that can call each other?

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:37 PM

i guess,,, thats just calling the method from one version of itself

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:37 PM

Yes, you can call one method from another method

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:38 PM

lastly, if im calling the Board's Populate method from outside it, where best do i define the enum to be used inside and outside it? just in the namespace i guess?

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:38 PM

i might just not understand scope right here

A

Angius•3/1/23, 11:39 PM

Wherever, could be a whole separate file

L

laurapigeonOP•3/1/23, 11:42 PM

ok the enum definitely makes this feel a lot neater, even with the sorta stray null float

Advice for how best to adapt a Python habit to C#

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