How should I declare a class type list?

Question

I have this example method, I am actually implementing it in another solution.

I want to declare a List that is going to take a different type depending on the value of the switch(), what should SOMETHING take?

class ReportStrings
{
    string date;
    string name;
}

class ReportIntegers
{
    int number;
    int amount;
}

public void main()
{
    List<SOMETHING> LReport;

    string reportname; //let's think it has a value

    switch (reportname)
    {
        case "ReportOne": LReport = new List<ReportStrings>; break;

        case "ReportTwo": LReport = new List<ReportIntegers>; break;
    }

    Console.WriteLine(LReport.Count());    
}

Answer 1

Just use some kind of a base class and inherit from it. Then create a List of the Base class and add your items like this:

class ReportBase { }
class ReportStrings:ReportBase
{
    string date;
    string name;
}

class ReportIntegers:ReportBase
{
    int number;
    int amount;
}

public void main()
{
    List<ReportBase> LReport;

    string reportname=null; //let's think it has a value

    LReport=GetList(reportname);

    Console.WriteLine(LReport.Count());    
}
private List<ReportBase> GetList(string reportname)
{
   var LReport = new List<ReportBase>(); 
   switch (reportname)
    {
        case "ReportOne": 

          LReport.Add(new ReportStrings(){ /* ...add your values here... */};
          break;
        case "ReportTwo": 
          LReport.Add(new ReportIntegers(){ /*...add your values here... */}; 
          break;
    }
    return LReport;
}