C# Method Overload Problem With Class Derived From Generic Abstract Class

Question

I am working on a project, and I have a generic abstract type that takes a type parameter that is itself derived from the abstract type. If you want to know why I would do this, please see this question.

I have run into an interesting problem with overloading a method in a derived class that is defined in the abstract class. Here is a code sample:

public abstract class AbstractConverter<T, U>
    where U : AbstractConvertible
    where T : AbstractConverter<T, U>
{
    public abstract T Convert(U convertible);
}

public class DerivedConvertibleConverter : AbstractConverter<DerivedConvertibleConverter, DerivedConvertible>
{
    public DerivedConvertibleConverter(DerivedConvertible convertible)
    {
        Convert(convertible);
    }

    public override DerivedConvertibleConverter Convert(DerivedConvertible convertible)
    {
        //This will not be called
        System.Console.WriteLine("Called the most derived method");
        return this;
    }

    public DerivedConvertibleConverter Convert(Convertible convertible)
    {
        System.Console.WriteLine("Called the least derived method");
        return this;
    }
}

public abstract class AbstractConvertible {}

public class Convertible : AbstractConvertible {}

public class DerivedConvertible : Convertible {}

In the sample above, the overload of Convert that does not exist in the abstract parent (and is less derived) is called. I would expect that the most derived version, from the parent class, would be called.

In trying to troubleshoot this problem, I ran into an interesting solution:

public abstract class AbstractConverter<U>
    where U : AbstractConvertible
{
    public abstract AbstractConverter<U> Convert(U convertible);
}

public class DerivedConvertibleConverter : AbstractConverter<DerivedConvertible>
{
    public DerivedConvertibleConverter(DerivedConvertible convertible)
    {
        Convert(convertible);
    }

    public override DerivedConvertibleConverter Convert(DerivedConvertible convertible)
    {
        System.Console.WriteLine("Called the most derived method");
        return this;
    }

    public DerivedConvertibleConverter Convert(Convertible convertible)
    {
        System.Console.WriteLine("Called the least derived method");
        return this;
    }
}

public abstract class AbstractConvertible {}

public class Convertible : AbstractConvertible {}

public class DerivedConvertible : Convertible {}

When the derived type argument is removed from the base class, the most derived version of Convert is called. I would not expect this difference, since I would not have expected the interface of the abstract version of Convert to have changed. However, I must be wrong. Can anyone explain why this difference occurs? Thank you very much in advance.

Answer 1

In the sample above, the overload of Convert that does not exist in the abstract parent (and is less derived) is called. I would expect that the most derived version, from the parent class, would be called

Many people have this expectation. However, the behaviour you are observing is correct and by design.

The overload resolution algorithm goes like this. First we make a list of all the possible accessible methods you could be calling. Methods which override virtual methods are considered to be methods of the class which declared them, not the class which overrode them. Then we filter out the ones where the arguments cannot be converted to the formal parameter types. Then we filter out all the methods that are on any type less derived than any type that had an applicable method. Then we determine which method is better than another, if there is still more than one method left.

In your case there are two possible applicable methods. The one that takes a DerivedConvertible is considered to be a method of the base class, and is therefore not as good as the one that takes a Convertible.

The principle here is that overriding a virtual method is an implementation detail subject to change, and not a hint to the compiler that the overriding method is to be chosen.

More generally, these features of the overload resolution algorithm are designed to help mitigate various versions of the Brittle Base Class problem.

For more details about these design decisions see my article on the subject:

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ericlippert/archive/2007/09/04/future-breaking-changes-part-three.aspx

When the derived type argument is removed from the base class, the most derived version of Convert is called. I would not expect this difference, since I would not have expected the interface of the abstract version of Convert to have changed

The question is based on a false premise; the most derived version is not called. The program fragment is erroneous, and therefore does not compile, and therefore neither method is called; the program doesn't run because it does not compile.