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Convert-To Operators 

Convert-to operators convert an object of the class in which the operator is defined to some other object.

Example

The following sample shows an implicit, convert-to, user-defined conversion operator:

// clr_udc_convert_to.cpp
// compile with: /clr
using namespace System;
value struct MyInt {
   Int32 i;

   // convert MyInt to String^
   static operator String^ ( MyInt val ) {
      return val.i.ToString();
   }

   MyInt(int _i) : i(_i) {}
};

int main() {
   MyInt mi(10);
   String ^s = mi;
   Console::WriteLine(s);
}

Output

10

An explicit user-defined convert-to conversion operator is appropriate for conversions that potentially lose data in some way. To invoke an explicit convert-to operator, a cast must be used.

// clr_udc_convert_to_2.cpp
// compile with: /clr
value struct MyDouble {
   double d;
   // convert MyDouble to Int32
   static explicit operator System::Int32 ( MyDouble val ) {
      return (int)val.d;
   }
};

int main() {
   MyDouble d;
   d.d = 10.3;
   System::Console::WriteLine(d.d);
   int i = 0;
   i = static_cast<int>(d);
   System::Console::WriteLine(i);
}

Output

10.3
10

See Also

Reference

User-Defined Conversions