how to return different datatypes in C#?

Question

I have a method in C# that has to return 2 different objects based on input parameter.

How can that be done?

var nextPage = new LoadByContentType(1);
await App.Navigator.PushAsync(nextPage);

private ???? LoadByContentType(int Param1)
{
    if (Param1 == 1)
        return new ListPage(Param1);
    else
        return new WebviewPage(Param1);
}

Answer 1

Use the common base type of both types (as @Sriram Sakthivel suggested) or use the base class for all other classes object :

Supports all classes in the .NET Framework class hierarchy and provides low-level services to derived classes. This is the ultimate base class of all classes in the .NET Framework; it is the root of the type hierarchy.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.object%28v=vs.110%29.aspx

@ITGuy mentioned that ContentPage is the base class shared by both ListPage and WebviewPage so one working version of your code would be:

private ContentPage LoadByContentType(int Param1)
{
    if (Param1 == 1)
        return new ListPage(Param1);
    else
        return new WebviewPage(Param1);
}

Answer 2

You could create create a common class for the two object to inherit from with an enum for example to safely get the desired object.

public enum PageTypeEnum{ ListPage,WebviewPage};
public abstract class BasePage 
{
  //Common data..
  public abstract PagetTypeEnum PageType{get;}
} 
public class ListPage : BasePage
{
   public overide PageTypeENum PageType {get{return PageTypeEnum.ListPage;}}
}
public class WebviewPage: BasePage
{
   public overide PageTypeENum PageType {get{return PageTypeEnum.WebviewPage;}}
}   

Usage:

private static BasePage LoadByContentType(int Param1)
{
    if (Param1 == 1)
        return new ListPage(Param1);
    else
        return new WebviewPage(Param1);
}

Answer 3

Use output parameters

private static BasePage LoadByContentType(int Param1, out int Param2, out int Param3)
{
   Param1 = 1;
   Param2 = 2;
   return something;
}

To call it you can do:

int int1, int2;
var something = LoadByContentType(1, out int1, out int2);

More information on C# out parameters are at: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/t3c3bfhx.aspx