Comparing object properties in c# [closed]

Answer 1

I think it would be best to follow the pattern for Override Object#Equals()
For a better description: Read Bill Wagner's Effective C# - Item 9 I think

public override Equals(object obOther)
{
  if (null == obOther)
    return false;
  if (object.ReferenceEquals(this, obOther)
    return true;
  if (this.GetType() != obOther.GetType())
    return false;
  # private method to compare members.
  return CompareMembers(this, obOther as ThisClass);
}

• Also in methods that check for equality, you should return either true or false. either they are equal or they are not.. instead of throwing an exception, return false.
• I'd consider overriding Object#Equals.
• Even though you must have considered this, using Reflection to compare properties is supposedly slow (I dont have numbers to back this up). This is the default behavior for valueType#Equals in C# and it is recommended that you override Equals for value types and do a member wise compare for performance. (Earlier I speed-read this as you have a collection of custom Property objects... my bad.)

Update-Dec 2011:

• Of course, if the type already has a production Equals() then you need another approach.
• If you're using this to compare immutable data structures exclusively for test purposes, you shouldn't add an Equals to production classes (Someone might hose the tests by chainging the Equals implementation or you may prevent creation of a production-required Equals implementation).