Implementing an IComparable interface to a Class


Many time we need to use sorting with our objects of custom classes.

Here I have given an example of how to sort an Person class on the basis of its attribute by implementing IComparable interface.

using
System;

//Add refrence to Collections namespace

using
System.Collections;

class
Inventory : IComparable
{
    string name;
    double cost;
    int onhand;

    public Inventory(string n, double c, int h)
    {
        name = n;
        cost = c;
        onhand = h;
    }

  
//Overriding the ToString() method to show the output formatted
    public override string ToString()
    {
       
return
        String.Format("{0,-10}Cost: {1,6:C}  On hand: {2}", name, cost, onhand);
    }

   
// Implement the IComparable interface.
    public int CompareTo(object obj)
    {
        Inventory b;
        b = (Inventory)obj;
        return name.CompareTo(b.name);
    }
}


public
class IComparableDemo
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        ArrayList inv = new ArrayList();

       
// Add elements to the list
        inv.Add(new Inventory("Pliers", 5.95, 3));
        inv.Add(new Inventory("Wrenches", 8.29, 2));
        inv.Add(new Inventory("Hammers", 3.50, 4));
        inv.Add(new Inventory("Drills", 19.88, 8));
        Console.WriteLine("Inventory list before sorting:");

        foreach (Inventory i in inv)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("   " + i);
        }
        Console.WriteLine();

       
// Sort the list.
        inv.Sort();
        Console.WriteLine("Inventory list after sorting:");

        foreach (Inventory i in inv)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("   " + i);
        }
    }
}


Happy coding.

Cheers.


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