Generics and casting questions

[LongBow]

Hello all,

First of all, sorry for multiple question per one thread. I have two
questions. First what I think might be the easier problem. I am
capturing data from an embedded device which I need to display data.
One particular piece of data is a 32 bit floating point value. The
problem I am having is converting the 4-byte value which is read via
an RS-232 link. How can I cast the 4-byte value to a value type float
correctly? I have tried placing shifting the bytes into either a int
or UInt32 (which is a class from what I understand) then casting that
value as a float, but it doesn't work correctly. This operation looks
similar to
int value = (int)((byteCode[0] << 24 ) |
(byteCode[1] << 16 ) |
(byteCode[2] << 8 ) |
(byteCode[3] ));

float valueF = (float)value;

This obviosuly doesn't appear to work correctly. The embedded device
stores the 32-bit float in the standard IEEE format from my current
understanding which should be compatable with the MS compiler. So how
would I get this conversion to work correctly?
The second question I have deals with using Generics. I have an
interface which looks like
interface IScriptVar<Twhe re T : struct
{
string ToString();
string ToHexString( );
void SetValue( T value, UInt32 index );
void SetValue( T[] values, int index );
T GetValue( int index );
....
}

public class CScriptVar<T: IScriptVar<Twhe re T : struct
{
... Implemented Interface methods and members
}

which I have also created a List for them

public class CScriptVarStrin gList<CScriptVa rString:
IList<CScriptVa rString>
{
....
}

Then in my code I have the following

private CScriptVarList< CScriptVar<byte > ScriptVarsBytes ;
private CScriptVarList< CScriptVar<shor t> ScriptVarsShort ;
private CScriptVarList< CScriptVar<int> ScriptVarsInts;
private CScriptVarList< CScriptVar<floa t> ScriptVarsFloat ;

I have a method when passed in certain arguments it will return on the
of the objects. Since they all implement several interfaces I would
like to return the object and then cast it to the generic/general type
of IScriptVar<T>, but this does not work correctly. I have something
like the following currently, but I don't think it is right since I am
forced to qualify using a (struct or data types) byte, short, int or
float.

((IScriptVar<in t>)scriptVar).T oHexString();

or

((CScriptVar<in t>)scriptVar).T oHexString();
I was hoping to use a generic form, but perhaps this is not possible.
When I retrieve the object I could perform a typeof conditional then
switch between each one of the System.Type (struct or data types)
which would look like

if ( scriptVar.GetTy pe() == typeof(IScriptV ar<byte>))
{ ((CScriptVar<by te>)scriptVar). ToHexString(); }

if ( scriptVar.GetTy pe() == typeof(IScriptV ar<short>))
{ ((CScriptVar<sh ort>)scriptVar) .ToHexString(); }

if ( scriptVar.GetTy pe() == typeof(IScriptV ar<int>))
{ ((CScriptVar<in t>)scriptVar).T oHexString(); }

if ( scriptVar.GetTy pe() == typeof(IScriptV ar<float>))
{ ((CScriptVar<fl oat>)scriptVar) .ToHexString(); }

Does anyone know of a elegant way of handling this or perhaps a better
approach.

Mark

[Joanna Carter [TeamB]]

"LongBow" <pi***@mud.pool a écrit dans le message de news:
qa************* *************** ****@4ax.com...

| Does anyone know of a elegant way of handling this or perhaps a better
| approach.

I would separate out the non-generic methods of the interface to a
non-generic base interface and then derive the generic interface from that :

interface IScriptVar
{
string ToString();
string ToHexString( );
}

interface IScriptVar<T: IScriptVar where T : struct
{
void SetValue( T value, UInt32 index );
void SetValue( T[] values, int index );
T GetValue( int index );
....
}

Then you can treat all instances the same as IScriptVar, allowing you to
access the ToString and ToHexString methods without having to know the exact
type.

Joanna

--
Joanna Carter [TeamB]
Consultant Software Engineer

[Larry Lard]

LongBow wrote:

First what I think might be the easier problem. I am
capturing data from an embedded device which I need to display data.
One particular piece of data is a 32 bit floating point value. The
problem I am having is converting the 4-byte value which is read via
an RS-232 link. How can I cast the 4-byte value to a value type float
correctly? I have tried placing shifting the bytes into either a int
or UInt32 (which is a class from what I understand) then casting that
value as a float, but it doesn't work correctly. This operation looks
similar to
int value = (int)((byteCode[0] << 24 ) |
(byteCode[1] << 16 ) |
(byteCode[2] << 8 ) |
(byteCode[3] ));

float valueF = (float)value;

This is at too high a level - this looks at the *number* in the int and
just makes valueF have the same *numerical* value. You want to be
working at the bit level.

>
This obviosuly doesn't appear to work correctly. The embedded device
stores the 32-bit float in the standard IEEE format from my current
understanding which should be compatable with the MS compiler. So how
would I get this conversion to work correctly?

Use BitConverter.To Single on the byte array.
--
Larry Lard
la*******@googl email.com
The address is real, but unread - please reply to the group
For VB and C# questions - tell us which version

[LordHog]

Larry Lard wrote:

LongBow wrote:

First what I think might be the easier problem. I am
capturing data from an embedded device which I need to display data.
One particular piece of data is a 32 bit floating point value. The
problem I am having is converting the 4-byte value which is read via
an RS-232 link. How can I cast the 4-byte value to a value type float
correctly? I have tried placing shifting the bytes into either a int
or UInt32 (which is a class from what I understand) then casting that
value as a float, but it doesn't work correctly. This operation looks
similar to
int value = (int)((byteCode[0] << 24 ) |
(byteCode[1] << 16 ) |
(byteCode[2] << 8 ) |
(byteCode[3] ));

float valueF = (float)value;

This is at too high a level - this looks at the *number* in the int and
just makes valueF have the same *numerical* value. You want to be
working at the bit level.

This obviosuly doesn't appear to work correctly. The embedded device
stores the 32-bit float in the standard IEEE format from my current
understanding which should be compatable with the MS compiler. So how
would I get this conversion to work correctly?

Use BitConverter.To Single on the byte array.

I had an additional question, why isn't type T allowed for the
BitConverter class? The Convert class allows type T to be used. Is
there a specific reason why? I have also noticed that bit wise
operations are not allowed for type T operation also. Why is the case?
I figure since the width of the data type is not known until run-time
so the bit wise operation doesn't know which opcode to use during
compile time.

Yes, thanks for both individuals who have replied as it has helped
greatly. I am still having problems the generics as bit-wise operations
are not allowed and I can't use the BitConverter class for some of the
operation I want.

Mark

>

--
Larry Lard
la*******@googl email.com
The address is real, but unread - please reply to the group
For VB and C# questions - tell us which version