Question

Here is what I am trying to do:

if (a==true) 
{
    dbA objectInstance = new dbA();
}
else
{
    dbB objectInstance = new dbB();
}

objectInstance.Name = "New name";

I get “the name objectInstance does not exist in the current context”, I assume because the def happens inside the conditional.

There must be a better pattern to do this – should I have dbA and dbB inherit from the same class?

Answer 1

Yes, dbA and dbB would need a common base class or interface and that base class or interface would need to have the Name property as part of its public contract.

Then you could do this:

SomeBase objectInstance;

if (a==true) 
{
    objectInstance = new dbA();
}
else
{
    objectInstance = new dbB();
}

objectInstance.Name = "New name";

That being said I think an interface is your best choice here unless these types already share a base class.