How to create method interface with variable parameters / different method signatures?

Question

I'm trying to create an interface to a common class, but the implementation classes can have different parameters.

e.g.

public interface IViewModel
{
    //...
    void ResetReferences(); 
}

// and then, in my class implementations, something like this:
public class LocationViewModel : IViewModel
{
    public void ResetReferences(List<StateProvinces> stateProvinces) //...
}

public class ProductViewModel : IViewModel
{
    public void ResetReferences(List<Color> colors, List<Size> sizes) //...
}

So notice that I want to standardize on the ResetReferences naming convention. I'm pretty sure I can't do this, but is there a design pattern that could work? e.g. in my interface, something like below?

// variable parameters
void ResetReferences(params object[] list); 

But then how do I make I do type checking or having it call the actual method signature that I want, etc?

Maybe an interface is the wrong thing to use? Maybe just a base class and some coding conventions?

Thanks,

Answer 1

Replace your args lists with objects that implement a related interface:

public interface IViewModel
{
    //...
    void ResetReferences(IResetValues vals); 
}

I should add that, IMO, ResetReferences() should not take an argument... it should reset to some default value that would be specific to the individual type(s) that implement your interface..."Reset" being the word that means, to me, "restore to initial state"...adding args implies that you can control that.

Answer 2

The purpose of an interface is to have client code know about the interface and be oblivious of the implementation. If your implementations require special treatment when called, the client code need to know what implementation it is calling and then the whole purpose of the interface is lost.

Unless I misunderstand totally what you're trying to accomplish, you're down the wrong road.