General functions

  • Thread starter Thread starter Eric Kiernan
  • Start date Start date
E

Eric Kiernan

In one of my classes, I have a function called
stripString( string myStr, char toRemove ) which strips a specified
character from a string i pass it. ie, i format some text number as
currency, but then strip the $ sign from the text field. My problem is
that I need this function in more than one class. I know I could (1)
copy the function into the second class, or (2) create a static class
called general, and then call general.stripString(), but is there any
way to just have a function file, filled with public functions, and no
class, so that I could just call stripString()?
 
In one of my classes, I have a function called
stripString( string myStr, char toRemove ) which strips a specified
character from a string i pass it. ie, i format some text number as
currency, but then strip the $ sign from the text field. My problem is
that I need this function in more than one class. I know I could (1)
copy the function into the second class, or (2) create a static class
called general, and then call general.stripString(), but is there any
way to just have a function file, filled with public functions, and no
class, so that I could just call stripString()?
Click to expand...

For your specific example, you don't need your own method. The String
class already has the Replace() method, which can accomplish exactly the
same thing:

string str = "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog";

str = str.Replace("o", "");
// str now is "The quick brwn fx jumped ver the lazy dg"

As for the more general question, no...all methods and variables have to
be contained in a class or struct. You will always have to specify a type
name or instance variable to call a method.

The use of extension methods can simplify the call site. For example, had
there been a need to actually write a "stringString()" method, you could
do it like this:

static class MyExtensions
{
public static string stripString(this string str, char toRemove)
{
return str.Replace(toRemove, "");
}
}

Then you'd be able to call the method like this:

string str = "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog";

str = str.stripString('o');

Hope that helps.

Pete
 
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