Question

Possible Duplicate:
How do I overload the square-bracket operator in C#?

For a class is it possible to overload the operator [] in C#?

If so what is the correct syntax to declare the [] overloaded function?

Also can the operator [] returns different data types based off the parameter given? If not, what do you think is my other solution? Should I use Object instead?

public class MyClass {

     private Dictionary<string,Element> eAttribs;
     private Dictionary<string,string> defAttribs;

     // Also can the operator [] returns different data types based off the parameter given?
     // If not, what do you think is my other solution?
     public Element operator[](string attribKey) {
         if (eAttribs.containsKey(attribKey)
            return eAttribs[attribKey];
         else return null;
     }

     // COMPILE Error below: Unexpected symbol '['
     public string operator[](string attribKey) {
         if (defAttribs.containsKey(attribKey)
            return defAttribs[attribKey];
         else return null;
     }
}

Answer 1

In c# these are called indexers.

Syntax:

public object this[int key]
{
    get
    {
        return GetValue(key);
    }
    set
    {
        SetValue(key,value);
    }
}

You can return only one object. Use a base class instead for all the type objects you have to return.