How can I avoid to use typeOf when I have some classes that inherit from a base class and I have to compare what type of class the variable is



in the following code:

If TypeOf MainView Is Dx.DxGridView Then 

    With CType(MainView, Dx.DxGridView)

        .Columns(dc.ColumnName).DisplayFormat.FormatType = DevExpress.Utils.FormatType.Numeric

        .Columns(dc.ColumnName).DisplayFormat.FormatString = "$ #,0.00"

    End With

ElseIf TypeOf MainView Is Dx.DxCardView Then 'DevExpress.XtraGrid.Views.Grid.GridView Then

    With CType(MainView, Dx.DxCardView)

        .Columns(dc.ColumnName).DisplayFormat.FormatType = DevExpress.Utils.FormatType.Numeric

        .Columns(dc.ColumnName).DisplayFormat.FormatString = "$ #,0.00"

    End With

End If

to something like:

With CType(MainView, ThetypeOf(MainView))

.Columns(dc.ColumnName).DisplayFormat.FormatType = DevExpress.Utils.FormatType.Numeric

.Columns(dc.ColumnName).DisplayFormat.FormatString = "$ #,0.00"

End With



MainView is a generic Class (devExpress BaseView) and I want to set a column property, but the generic class don't have a "column" and I have to use a ctype, I like to use a ctype (or something else) on the same object to know his type

I say, if mainview is a "cardview" or "gridView" when I put ctype(mainview,somefunctionthatgivemethetype(mainview).column work



the same to use with ctype(businesslayerVariable,getmyowntype(businesslayerVariable)).someproperty and ctype(businesslayerVariable,getmyowntype(businesslayerVariable)) give me myBO type



it is posible? thanks!



sorry if I cannot write my question correctly, I speak in spanish and it's hard to me

Well, in this case if the MainView is your class, then I would create a Generic class which would then allow you to work with a strong-typed value all the time...or you could have a type property on the MainView class that tells you what type it is.  This could turn into a REALLY deep and complicated post since there are a lot of avenues to travel.  But let's stick to the simple road   If you are in control of the MainView class, then create a enum and test on the type:

Then, you can test on the item type (which would reduce the overhead):

Generics would be another route, but would probably require that you change a bit of code and it is a bit more complicated.

Thanks for the fastest reply



I try to use a inherited devexpress gridcontrol, and It have a mainview property that have the current visible view, I don't known if it are a cardview or gridview, but both of them have columns, I actually see what type is it with typeof, and then use ctype(mainview,<>).column = xxxxx



I'm reading about it and it appears to be called upcast? I have a variable of type "base" with the content of object "derived" and like to access a property "someproperty" of "derived"

if I put "base.someproperty" it doesn't exist, but .net dont allow me to use ctype(base,realtypeofbase(base)).someproperty and it is annoying (and not useful) to use and "if" or "select" all the time to compare the actual content of a base variable to see what derived object it have and use his properties....



actually I don't have control on MainView (I not sure if I can witout recompile the devexpress xtragrid source code), I will see if I can to use your aproach if I can edit BaseView (or derive it or something else), otherwise will try to use a generic (method?) that retrieve the type or something weird and out of my actual knowledge of .net



thanks for all the help