Moving to other game states with ScreenManager

Question

I'm creating a game in C#, and I've created a ScreenManager so I can call

ScreenManager.MoveToScreen(typeof(ScreenClassHere))

to move to other game states. However, I feel that my method of creating an instance of the class is... not very optimal. See for yourself.

    public static void MoveToScreen(Type s)
    {
        if (currentscreen != null) currentscreen.Remove();

        currentscreen = (Screen)s.GetConstructor(System.Type.EmptyTypes).Invoke(null);
        currentscreen.Init();
    }

Does anyone know if there's a better way to create an instance of a certain class from a Type?

Answer 1

You could use generics

public static void MoveToScreen<T>() where T : Screen, new()
{
    if (currentscreen != null) currentscreen.Remove();

    currentscreen = new T();
    currentscreen.Init();
}

In this case, you'd have to call the method as

ScreenManager.MoveToScreen<ScreenClassHere>();

Answer 2

I don't like the naming of a Remove method, it suggests that you remove something from the currentScreen but really it's the method that is called when the currentScreen itself is being removed, if I got it right.

Also, other people suggesting generics are correct, you should use it. But if you once again find yourself in need of creating an instance knowing its type, don't go GetConstructors way. Use Activator.CreateInstance for that.

Answer 3

Nitpicky, but I would change if (currentscreen != null) currentscreen.Remove(); to

if (currentscreen != null) {
   currentscreen.Remove();
}

I second pdr on using generics.