C# Generic overloading of List<T> : How would this be done?

Question

The StringBuilder class allows you, in what I consider to be a very intuitive way, to chain method calls to .Append(), .AppendFormat() and some others like so:

StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
sb.Append("first string")
  .Append("second string);

The List class' .Add() method, on the other hand, returns void - so chaining calls doesn't work. This, in my opinion and the immortal words of Jayne Cobb "just don' make no kinda sense".

I admit that my understanding of Generics is very basic, but I would like to overload the .Add() method (and others) so that they return the original object, and allow chaining. Any and all assistance will be rewarded with further Firefly quotes.

Answer 1

If you want to keep the same name for the Add method, you could hide the method from the base class:

public class MyList<T> : List<T>
{
    public new MyList<T> Add(T item)
    {
        base.Add(item);
        return this;
    }
}

However, this will only work if you're manipulating the list with a variable explicitly typed as MyList<T> (i.e. it won't work if your variable is declared as IList<T> for instance). So I think the solutions involving an extension method are better, even if that means changing the name of the method.

Although others have already posted solutions with extension methods, here's another one, that has the advantage of conserving the actual type of the collection:

public static class ExtensionMethods
{
    public static TCollection Append<TCollection, TItem>(this TCollection collection, TItem item)
        where TCollection : ICollection<TItem>
    {
        collection.Add(item);
        return collection;
    }
}

Use it like that:

var list = new List<string>();
list.Append("Hello").Append("World");

Answer 2

use can create extension method

public static class ListExtensions
{
    public static List<T> AddItem<T>(this List<T> self, T item)
    {
        self.Add(item);
        return self;
    }
}

var l = new List<int>();
l.AddItem(1).AddItem(2);

EDIT

we can also make this method generic over collection parameter

public static class ListExtensions
{   
    public static TC AddItem<TC, T>(this TC self, T item)
        where TC : ICollection<T>
    {
        self.Add(item);
        return self;
    }
}

var c1 = new Collection<int>();
c1.AddItem(1).AddItem(2);

var c2 = new List<int>();
c2.AddItem(10).AddItem(20);

EDIT 2: Maybe someone will find this trick useful, it is possible to utilize nested object initializer and collection initializer for setting properties and adding values into existing instances.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;

struct I<T>
{
    public readonly T V;
    public I(T v)
    {
        V = v;
    }
}

class Obj
{
    public int A { get; set; }
    public string B { get; set; }

    public override string ToString()
    {
        return string.Format("A={0}, B={1}", A, B);
    }
}


class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var list = new List<int> { 100 };
        new I<List<int>>(list)
            {
                V = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 }
            };

        Console.WriteLine(string.Join(" ", list.Select(x => x.ToString()).ToArray())); // 100 1 2 3 4 5 6 

        var obj = new Obj { A = 10, B = "!!!" };
        Console.WriteLine(obj); // A=10, B=!!!
        new I<Obj>(obj)
            {
                V = { B = "Changed!" }
            };
        Console.WriteLine(obj); // A=10, B=Changed!
    }
}

Answer 3

public static IList<T> Anything-not-Add*<T>(this IList<T> list, T item)
{
    list.Add(item);
    return list;
}

* AddItem, Append, AppendList, etc. (see comments below)

The same idea came to my mind like other guys' too, independently:

public static TList Anything<TList, TItem>(this TList list, TItem item)
    where TList : IList<TItem>
{
    list.Add(item);
    return list;

}

And Thomas is right: as far as IList<T> inherits ICollection<T> you should use ICollection.