VB generics with constraints -- type casting and inheritance? - vb.net

Question

Take this scenario:
Public Interface IMyClass
End Interface
Public mustinherit class MyBaseClass : implements IMyClass
End Class
public class MyClass : inherits MyBaseClass
End Class
public class MyModel(of t as IMyClass)
private Dim _parameter as t
Public Sub New(byval parameter As t)
_parameter As t
End Sub
End class
In my controller, I can do this with no problem:
Dim _myclass as IMyClass = new MyClass()
Can I do something similar with this:
Dim _myModel as MyModel(of IMyClass) = new MyModel(of MyClass)
???
My initial thought was wrong, as I thought the conversion could be done automatically, but it appears it is not done. Any way to achieve the same thing within .NET?
EDIT
I updated the MyModel class to show more of what I was doing. I want to constrain the instance I create, but then do what would be a narrowing conversion with traditional, non-generics code. Basically, my partial Razor views would require the explicit model, and those views end up rendering another view that will take that model and display it. Because the models all implement or inherit a class that implements IMyClass, all the methods should exist on all of the instances and should be callable but the types are not interchangable.

Answer 1

Let’s modify MyModel slightly, shall we?
Public Class MyModel(Of T As IMyClass)
Private _parameter As T
Public Sub Something(parameter As T)
_parameter = parameter
End Sub
End class
Public Class MyClassA : Inherits MyBaseClass
End Class
Public Class MyClassB : Inherits MyBaseClass
End Class
Dim _myModel As MyModel(Of IMyClass) = New MyModel(Of MyClassA)()
_myModel.Something(New MyClassB()) ' Boom!
If the assignment were allowed the last line would pose a problem: MyMode(Of MyClassA)._parameter has type MyClassA but the last line would assign an object of the (unrelated) type MyClassB. This is illegal and so VB forbids it.

Answer 2

Do you need multiple varieties of MyModel, or are you just attempting to require that the stored object be constrained to IMyClass?
Simplest approach (that might not do everything you need):
Public Interface IMyClass
Sub DoIt()
End Interface
Public Class MyModel
Private ReadOnly _parameter As IMyClass
Public Sub New(parameter As IMyClass)
_parameter = parameter
End Sub
Public Sub DoItToIt()
_parameter.DoIt()
End Sub
End Class
Public Class MyClassA
Implements IMyClass
Public Sub DoIt() Implements IMyClass.DoIt
End Sub
End Class
Public Class Tests
Public Sub Main()
Dim model1 As MyModel = New MyModel(New MyClassA)
model1.DoItToIt()
End Sub
End Class
Next step up in complexity is to define an interface IHasMyClass for classes that contain an IMyClass. This supports manipulations based on the allowed type, and the actual type, of the contained object:
Public Interface IMyClass
Sub DoIt()
End Interface
Public Interface IHasMyClass
Function GetIt() As IMyClass
Function GetItsType() As Type
Function GetAllowedType() As Type
End Interface
Public Class MyModel(Of T As IMyClass)
Implements IHasMyClass
Private ReadOnly _parameter As IMyClass
Public Sub New(parameter As IMyClass)
_parameter = parameter
End Sub
Public Sub DoItToIt()
_parameter.DoIt()
End Sub
Public Function GetItAsT() As T
Return _parameter
End Function
Public Function GetIt() As IMyClass Implements IHasMyClass.GetIt
Return _parameter
End Function
Public Function GetItsType() As Type Implements IHasMyClass.GetItsType
Return _parameter.GetType()
End Function
Public Function GetAllowedType() As Type Implements IHasMyClass.GetAllowedType
Return GetType(T)
End Function
End Class
Public Class MyClassA
Implements IMyClass
Public Sub DoIt() Implements IMyClass.DoIt
End Sub
End Class
Public Class Tests
Public Sub Main()
' Allow any IMyClass
Dim model1 As MyModel(Of IMyClass) = New MyModel(Of IMyClass)(New MyClassA)
model1.DoItToIt()
Dim it As IMyClass = model1.GetIt()
Dim allowedT As Type = model1.GetAllowedType()
' Restrict to MyClassA
Dim modelA As MyModel(Of MyClassA) = New MyModel(Of MyClassA)(New MyClassA)
modelA.DoItToIt()
Dim itA1 As IMyClass = modelA.GetIt()
Dim itA2 As MyClassA = modelA.GetItAsT()
Dim allowedTA As Type = modelA.GetAllowedType()
End Sub
End Class
In Tests(), notice that we now need to declare whether we are creating a MyModel that accepts ANY IMyClass MyModel(Of IMyClass), or one that requires a specific sub-class MyModel(Of MyClassA).
If we want to manipulate MyModels, that may be either of the above types, we use the common interface:
Dim model As IHasMyClass
model = model1
...
model = modelA
Or in your case, to support all the functionality of MyModel, rename IHasMyClass as IMyModel, and add the various MyModel functions, but instead of T, use IMyClass:
Public Interface IMyModel
Function GetIt() As IMyClass
Function GetItsType() As Type
Function GetAllowedType() As Type
Sub DoItToIt()
Function CompareIt(other As IMyClass) As Integer
End Interface
And make appropriate changes/additions to IMyClass and MyModel.
Then it becomes possible to do:
Dim model As IMyModel = modelA
If model.CompareIt(model1.GetIt()) > 0 ...