Implicit <> Explicit interface [duplicate]

Question

Possible Duplicates:
C#: Interfaces - Implicit and Explicit implementation
implicit vs explicit interface implementation

Hello

Can anyone explain me what the difference is between an implicit and explicit interface?

Thanks!

Answer 1

When you implement an interface explicitlty, the methods on that interface will only be visible if the object is referenced as the interface:

public interface IFoo
{
   void Bar();
}

public interface IWhatever
{
   void Method();
}

public class MyClass : IFoo, IWhatever
{
   public void IFoo.Bar() //Explicit implementation
   {

   }

   public void Method() //standard implementation
   {

   }
}

If somewhere in your code you have a reference to this object:

MyClass mc = new MyClass();
mc.Bar(); //will not compile

IFoo mc = new MyClass();
mc.Bar(); //will compile

For the standard implementation, it doesn't matter how you reference the object:

MyClass mc = new MyClass();
mc.Method(); //compiles just fine

Answer 2

An implicit interface implementation is where you have a method with the same signature of the interface.

An explicit interface implementation is where you explicitly declare which interface the method belongs to.

interface I1
{
    void implicitExample();
}

interface I2
{
    void explicitExample();
}


class C : I1, I2
{
    void implicitExample()
    {
        Console.WriteLine("I1.implicitExample()");
    }


    void I2.explicitExample()
    {
        Console.WriteLine("I2.explicitExample()");
    }
}

MSDN: implicit and explicit interface implementations