How to extend controls with base class?

[Franna Tech]

Hi

I have a BaseClass

public class BaseClass
{
    [XmlIgnore]
    public PropertyGrid PropertyGridControl
    [XmlAttribute("Name")]
    public string Name
    { get; set; }
}

Then I have multiple classes that I want to derive from controls and inherit / implement the BaseClass.

public class MyLabel : Label
{   
}

public class MyPanel : Panel
{
}

There is no multiple inheritance in c#, so I have to derive form the control itself, but how do I then extend my class to implement the BaseClass.

I need to be able to manage common properties of different controls for xml serialization purposes.

What would be the best way to do this?

I have thought of creating a BaseClass like

public class BaseClass
{
    [XmlIgnore]
    public PropertyGrid PropertyGridControl
    [XmlAttribute("Name")]
    public string Name
    { get; set; }

    [XmlIgnore]
    protected Control ControlObj;
}

and then inherit from that and create a new control like

public class MyLabel : BaseClass
{   
    public MyLabel() : base()
    {
        ControlObj = new Label();
    }
}

public class MyPanel : BaseClass
{   
    public MyPanel() : base()
    {
        ControlObj = new Panel();
    }
}

But this way is creating lots of work downstream.

Is there a better way to implement this scenario?

Thanks
Franna

[Bryan Cheung]

Have you looked at interfaces? maybe a possibility there?

[Franna Tech]

Hi Bryan

Thanks, yes, I have created an interface and implemented this in my subclasses with an Extension class as follows:

public interface IDesignBaseControl
{
        
        void Initialize();

        string Name { get; set; }
}

public static class DesignBaseControlExtension
{
        public static void InitializeBase(this IDesignBaseControl bse)
        {
            // TODO: Base Initialization
            bse.BackColor = Color.Beige;
        }

        public static void ReadXml(this IDesignBaseControl bse, System.Xml.XmlReader reader)
        {
            throw new NotImplementedException();
        }

        public static void WriteXml(this IDesignBaseControl bse, System.Xml.XmlWriter writer)
        {
            writer.WriteAttributeString("Name", bse.Name);
        }

        public static System.Xml.Schema.XmlSchema GetSchema(this IDesignBaseControl bse)
        {
            return null;
        }
}

public class DesignLabel : Label, IDesignBaseControl, IXmlSerializable
{
        public DesignLabel()
            : base()
        {
            Initialize();
        }

        public void Initialize()
        {
            this.InitializeBase();
        }

        public void ReadXml(System.Xml.XmlReader reader)
        {
            throw new NotImplementedException();
        }

        public void WriteXml(System.Xml.XmlWriter writer)
        {
            DesignBaseControlExtension.WriteXml(this, writer);
        }
}

public class DesignPanel : Panel, IDesignBaseControl, IXmlSerializable
{
        public DesignPanel()
            : base()
        {
            Initialize();
        }

        public void Initialize()
        {
            this.InitializeBase();
        }

        public void ReadXml(System.Xml.XmlReader reader)
        {
            throw new NotImplementedException();
        }

        public void WriteXml(System.Xml.XmlWriter writer)
        {
            DesignBaseControlExtension.WriteXml(this, writer);
        }
}

I'm not sure if this is industry standard, but it works.

Franna