Re: Class that can read/modify private values of another class - C# Discussion Boards

Re: Class that can read/modify private values of another class

9-Nov-05 11:30

Is there a way to write a class that can modify private values of another class?
In this situation ...
I have a table (a black box which contains methods like AddPlayer, RemovePlayer, DealNewHand)

... but I don't want to directly work with the values. I want to call only certain methods that will modify the table exactly how it should be modified.

But ... I need to directy be able to read/modify some of those private values, for simulating play.

I want to write a class Dealer which will be able directly read/modify some of those values.
The dealer, for example, would be responsible for knowing who's turn it is to act (needs access to the private players objects stored in the table) and for updating the corresponding table values.

So, is there a way for me to give the Dealer Class access to the private members of the Table class, or am I going to need to make the members of the table class that I want the dealer only to be able to see, public?

As always, thanks!

Leslie Sanford9-Nov-05 11:50

Re: Class that can read/modify private values of another class

9-Nov-05 11:50

C# doesn't have an equivalent to C++'s friend modifier. If you don't want to expose members of your table class outside of the namespace you are writing but would like other classes, namely your Dealer class, to be able to access them, you could make those members internal instead of private. Not quiet the same as C++'s friendship mechanism, but pretty close for many situations.

However, it occurred to me that your table class looks very much like a collection. I would suggest creating a strongly typed collection class that implements the ICollection interface. The Dealer class could access the players in the collection through using an enumerator, or maybe an indexer property that you provide. As the Dealer enumerates through the Players, it can deal each one a new hand, or whatever.

Does this make sense?

budidharma9-Nov-05 12:17

Re: Class that can read/modify private values of another class

9-Nov-05 12:17

Something you said, just made me question myself. All these classes are defined in the same namespace: PokerLib, and compiled as a class library.

Are you saying that classes defined inside the same namespace CAN access private members of other classes defined in the same namespace?

Leslie Sanford9-Nov-05 12:21

Re: Class that can read/modify private values of another class

9-Nov-05 12:21

budidharma wrote:
Are you saying that classes defined inside the same namespace CAN access private members of other classes defined in the same namespace?

Nope. I'm saying that if you use the internal modifier instead of the private modified for class members, classes in the same assembly (I said namespace in my earlier post, but should have said assembly) will be able to access those internal members.

budidharma9-Nov-05 13:14

Re: Class that can read/modify private values of another class

9-Nov-05 13:14

Ok, scared me for a second. I thought I was missing some fundamental understanding of C#. I just realized after reading through my code, that by simply writing three more public methods, I can transfer the dealer logic to the table logic - and the logic is better placed in the table anyways.

public BetAction[] GetPossibleActions(int Position); // Return an array of possible actions, given the game context, for the specified player.

public Update(BetAction Action, int Position); // Update the game context, given the player action at the specified position.

public int NextPlayerToAct(); // Return the position of the next player to act, given active players

By simply calling GetPossibleActions(NextPlayerToAct()), you'll recieve an array of possible actions. If it's empty - the hand's over and the simulator (or whatever is controlling input to the table) will simply call StartNextRound() (which may call FinalizeHand(), if your on the last hand).

If there are possible actions, (I have written public properties for the table which allow viewing, but not modifying table values), whatever selects the decision can view those properties and make a decision, then simply call the Update(SpecifiedAction, CurrentActingPlayer) which will update the game context and the player object.

... In other words, after thinking about this for awhile, I realized I don't need another class with private access.

Thanks!

Leslie Sanford9-Nov-05 15:19

How do i create a link to a web page?

9-Nov-05 15:19

I probably don't know enough about your application to advise you, but I won't let that stop me. Smile | :)

budidharma wrote:
public BetAction[] GetPossibleActions(int Position); // Return an array of possible actions, given the game context, for the specified player.

Do you have a Player class? Would that be a good idea, do you think?

Also, who decides what the next BetAction will be? Maybe the logic for deciding should be in the Player class? If the logic varies, maybe have an IPlayer interface that can be implemented with various player strategy classes.

Here's what the code might look like:

public interface IPlayer
{
    bool Bet();

    event BetEventArgs BetPlaced;
}

Then somewhere else in your application:

PlayerCollection players = new PlayerCollection();

players.Add(new ConservativePlayer("Harry"));
players.Add(new AggressivePlayer("Joe"));
players.Add(new ModeratePlayer("Sue"));

// ...

foreach(Player p in players)
{
    if(!p.Bet())
    {
        break;
    }
}

The break looks ugly, and I'm sure there are cleaner ways of doing it. In part my suggestion is just guessing at a solution, but what I'm trying to get it is that maybe you should consider delegating some of the responsibilities of the table class to other classes. By putting everything in the table class, you may wind up with a monolithic class (a "God") class that does everything. This isn't considered good design in many circles.

Just a thought, and feel free to ignore it. Smile | :)

Anthony Mushrow9-Nov-05 10:07

Anthony Mushrow

9-Nov-05 10:07

Matt Gerrans9-Nov-05 11:32

Matt Gerrans

9-Nov-05 11:32

Not sure if this deserves a reply... Have you had a look at the list of controls on the "Toolbox" palette?

Matt Gerrans

Anthony Mushrow9-Nov-05 12:22

Anthony Mushrow

9-Nov-05 12:22

Yeah, and?

Although, i usualy use sharp develop, but at the moment im using borlands c# builder, which i've noticed doesnt list some things. eg:

Process.Start - the Word 'Start' is not listed, which is pretty stupid, i'll go look around.

I may be back!!!

Anthony Mushrow9-Nov-05 12:42

Anthony Mushrow

9-Nov-05 12:42

Okay, i dont find anything, well i found a link label, but where do i say what it actually links to?

Luis Alonso Ramos9-Nov-05 13:15

Luis Alonso Ramos

9-Nov-05 13:15

You need to handle the LinkClicked event for the LinkLabel control:

private void linkWebSite_LinkClicked(object sender, LinkLabelLinkClickedEventArgs e)
{
    try
    {
        System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("http://www.intelectix.com/");
    }
    catch
    {
        // Swallow the exception if anything goes wrong
    }
 
    linkWebSite.LinkVisited = false;
}

I hope this helps.

-- LuisR

Luis Alonso Ramos
Intelectix - Chihuahua, Mexico

Not much here: My CP Blog!

The amount of sleep the average person needs is five more minutes. -- Vikram A Punathambekar, Aug. 11, 2005

Matt Gerrans9-Nov-05 15:59

Matt Gerrans

9-Nov-05 15:59

> // Swallow the exception if anything goes wrong

Ack! Sigh | :sigh:

Please don't do this.

Matt Gerrans

Can a C# class be made aware as soon as its instance goes out of function scope?

Luis Alonso Ramos9-Nov-05 19:28

Luis Alonso Ramos

9-Nov-05 19:28

Matt Gerrans wrote:
Please don't do this.

I've seen that call fail and I'd rather just "ignore" the user click instead of displaying a message box telling the user that the browser could not be launched.

It's not that I do it often (to ignore exceptions).

-- LuisR

Luis Alonso Ramos
Intelectix - Chihuahua, Mexico

Not much here: My CP Blog!

The amount of sleep the average person needs is five more minutes. -- Vikram A Punathambekar, Aug. 11, 2005

chervu9-Nov-05 9:32

chervu

9-Nov-05 9:32

Hello,

Is it possible for the C# class to know as soon as its object(s) goes out of the function scope?
Otherwise the burden is a kind of left to client to explicitly notify the class for cleanup.

Is it possible to simulate this feature supported by traditional C++ with less effort in C#(supports class as referenced type)?

Thanks & Best Regards,

Re: Can a C# class be made aware as soon as its instance goes out of function scope?

Daniel Turini9-Nov-05 10:07

Daniel Turini

9-Nov-05 10:07

The quick answer is: no.
The long answer is: as a workaround, probably you should take a look at the IDisposable pattern and the "using" statement for automatic object disposal. After you look at it, you'll think: that guy is insane, this is not what I'm looking for! Yes, I know, but it's the nearest that you can get to RAII in C#.

I don't see dead pixels anymore...
Yes, even I am blogging now!

Overloading the assignment operator

budidharma9-Nov-05 9:12

Re: Overloading the assignment operator

9-Nov-05 9:12

I can't find any documentation on this anywhere ... is it possible?
I have a class:

public Player
{
... private fields
... public methods
}

And there are many times I need to simply say this Player equals that Player and have all the values from one copied into the next. I have created a pubic method inside player, called "Copy()"
which simply creates a new player from the current players data and returns it.

So I can do something like:

player1 = player2.Copy()

But this is VERY annoying.

Can I simply overload the assignment operator so that I can do:
player1 = player2 and it will copy all the data from player 2 into player 1, rather than setting player1 equal to the reference of player2?

leppie9-Nov-05 10:14

leppie

9-Nov-05 10:14

You can use a struct instead of a class if you dont need inheritance.

^{xacc.ide-0.1-rc2 released! Download and screenshots}

Sorting a ArrayList on multiple fields

miah alom9-Nov-05 9:00

miah alom

9-Nov-05 9:00

I am looking for a way to sort an ArrayList on Multiple fields similar to the following.
eg. select * from table1 order by col1 desc, col2 asc, col3 desc.

I have implemented the IComparer for the different fields. I am not sure how to go forward from here. I am trying to achieve best performance.

Re: Sorting a ArrayList on multiple fields

Leslie Sanford9-Nov-05 9:41