VB.NET to C#: Using Data-Binding methods on object

Question

In VB.NET I created 2 shorthand functions for data binding gridviews/dropdownlists/etc from any datasource (such as a DataReader or IReader or collection, etc):

Public Shared Sub BindObject(ByVal objDataSource As Object, ByVal objItem As Object)

    objItem.DataSource = objDataSource
    objItem.DataBind()
End Sub

Public Shared Sub BindObject(ByVal objDataSource As Object, ByVal objItem As Object, ByVal sTextField As String, ByVal sValueField As String)

    objItem.DataSource = objDataSource

    If sTextField <> "" Then objItem.DataTextField = sTextField
    If sValueField <> "" Then objItem.DataValueField = sValueField

    objItem.DataBind()
End Sub

I converted this to C# as such:

    public static void BindObject(object objDataSource, object objItem)
    {
        objItem.DataSource = objDataSource;
        objItem.DataBind();
    }

    public static void BindObject(object objDataSource, object objItem, string sTextField, string sValueField)
    {
        objItem.DataSource = objDataSource;

        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(sTextField))
            objItem.DataTextField = sTextField;
        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(sValueField))
            objItem.DataValueField = sValueField;

        objItem.DataBind();
    }

Yet this obviously doesn't work as the Data-Binding methods aren't accessible to objItem, unless I explicity cast it to a type such as "ListBox" or "Gridview", etc. Similarly I want to retain the flexibility that objDataSource can be either an IReader, iCollection, etc.

Is it possible to replicate the VB.NET approach in C# using anonymous methods or something similar?

Thanks.

Answer 1

You could use the "var" anonymous type or enter a case statement to see what type your incoming object is.

-edit-

You are correct, the var does not seem workable here. Please try this solution instead:

public void BindObject(object objDataSource, object objItem)
        {
            (objItem as BaseDataBoundControl).DataSource = objDataSource;
            (objItem as BaseDataBoundControl).DataBind();    

        }

Regards, Paul

Answer 2

You've got Option Strict turned off in your VB code. Tsk tsk — that's not really the best choice.

To get a similar effect in C#, you can do this:

public static void BindObject(object objDataSource, dynamic objItem)
{
    objItem.DataSource = objDataSource;
    objItem.DataBind();
}

public static void BindObject(object objDataSource, dynamic objItem, string sTextField, string sValueField)
{
    objItem.DataSource = objDataSource;

    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(sTextField))
        objItem.DataTextField = sTextField;
    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(sValueField))
        objItem.DataValueField = sValueField;

    objItem.DataBind();
}

But again, you should really look into a way to do this that preserves strong compile-time type checking.