NET Refactor - Create Interface

Create an Interface for multiple classes.

Create Interface is a feature of NET Refactor that will automaticaly create an Interface for multiple classes in VB.NET or C#.  You use Interfaces when you have two or more classes that expose the same public members, but accomplish different purposes.  It allows you to create a common calling sequence for multiple classes and maintain only one set of code to call the classes, based on the object instantiated to Implement the Interface.

To create an interface for a class, place the cursor in the class that you want to Implement.  Click on the Create Interface menu option of NET Refactors Organizer menu.  The Interface will be automatically created and added to your project.  Additionally, the class will be updated to Implement the new Interface.

The following code shows a class that we want to build an Interface for.

Public Class Class2    Private _var As String    Public Property Var() As String       Get          Return _var       End Get       Set(ByVal Value As String)          _var = Value       End Set    End Property    Public Sub MyPublicMethod(ByVal s As String)       ' this sub exposes the entry method of the class    End Sub    Public Function MyPublicFunction(ByVal i As Integer) As String       ' this function exposes another public member    End Function End Class

Once the Create Interface menu option is clicked, the dialog in Figure 1 will be displayed.  You are presented with all of the public interfaces of the class.  If you do not want one or more of the public members to be included in the Interface, uncheck those items.

Figure 1 - Create Interface Dialog.