Setting the generic type param to object by default c#

Question

Given a method:

private static T GetBin<T>(string file)

Is it possible to set T to default to object, if I use:

public static byte[] ToJSONBytes<T>(this T obj)

It defaults to whatever obj is set as. However, this GetBin method Deserializes a file, using the BinaryFormatter, and as you all know, it returns an object. My method explicitly casts it to T and then returns it, but I want to make T optional and default to object.

Then why not just return object and let the caller cast it if they want to? — Servy
– Servy, Commented Mar 12, 2013 at 16:48

SLaks · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-12 16:48:55Z

3

Generic type parameters cannot have default values.

However, they can have overloads:

private static object GetBin(string file) { return GetBin<object>(file); }

answered Mar 12, 2013 at 16:48

SLaks

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3 Comments

Servy Over a year ago

But generic arguments aren't part of the signature, so that won't compile due to ambiguity errors, no?

mellamokb Over a year ago

@Servy: Compiles fine in LINQPad, just tested it.

SLaks Over a year ago

@Servy: Generic overloading ((like this) does work. You're thinking of overload resolution with constraints; blogs.msdn.com/b/ericlippert/archive/2009/12/10/….

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