#1,061 – Explicit Reference Conversions

An explicit reference conversion is a conversion between reference types that requires a cast operator.  Explicit reference conversions are not guaranteed to succeed and require a check at run-time to determine whether the conversion is allowed.  Because the check is done at run-time, the cast operator allows the conversion at compile-time.

Here are some examples:

        delegate void StringDel(string info);

        static void DelMethod(string info) { }

        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            object o1 = new Dog("Bowser");
            dynamic dyn = o1;
            object o2 = new Cow("Bessie");
            Dog d2 = new BorderCollie("Shep");

            // From object or dynamic to ref type
            Dog d = (Dog)o1;
            d = dyn;

            // From base class to more derived type
            BorderCollie bc1 = (BorderCollie)d2;

            // From base class to interface that the
            // class does not implement, but that
            // the actual object does implement.
            // E.g. Dog does not implement IRun,
            //   but BorderCollie inherits from
            //   Dog and does implement IBark.
            //   d2 is of type Dog, but contains
            //   a BorderCollie.
            IRun ir1 = (IRun)d2;

            // From interface type to class that
            // implements the interface
            BorderCollie bc2 = (BorderCollie)ir1;

            // From one interface to the other, provided
            // that underlying object implements the
            // target interface.
            // E.g. BorderCollie implements both IRun
            //   and IFetch, ir1 is of type IRun but
            //   refers to a BorderCollie.  We can
            //   convert from variable of type IRun
            //   to one of type IFetch
            IFetch if1 = (IFetch)ir1;

            // From one array to another, provided that
            // explicit conversion exists between element
            // types.
            Dog[] dogs = { new Dog("Shep"), new Dog("Kirby") };
            object[] dogsAsObjs = dogs;
            Dog[] dogs2 = (Dog[])dogsAsObjs;

            // From System.Array to a specific array type
            Array arrints = new int[2];
            int[] ints = (int[])arrints;

            // From array to IList<>, if explicit conversion from
            // array element type to IList type exists.
            object[] objs = new Dog[2];
            IList<Dog> dogList = (IList<Dog>)objs;

            // From IList<> to array, if explicit conversion from
            // IList type to array element type exists
            Dog[] objs2 = new Dog[2];
            IList<object> dogList2 = objs2;  // implicit
            Dog[] dogs3 = (Dog[])dogList2;   // explicit

            // From Delegate to a specific delegate type
            StringDel myDel = DelMethod;
            Delegate genDel = myDel;  // implicit
            StringDel myDel2 = (StringDel)genDel;  // explicit
        }