The Any data type

The Any data type is available from Hopp version 2.3. It is specifically and only for use when defining parameters to 

• Manual Rules
• Manual Bag Methods
• Events

This allow values of any type to be passed to a parameter with the new Any type.

A typical use-case is for instance a validation rule that checks a parameter for null. In previous versions - without the Any type - is would be necessary with a specific rule for each data type that needed to be checked: IsDateNull, IsNumNull, etc.

With the Any data type this can be done with just 1 rule - IsNull - by defining the parameter to the rule to be of the Any type.

In the generated c# code for the corresponding method, the type of the parameter will be object allowing values of any c# type. 

Even though the method parameter is defined as object, the value passed to the parameter when the engine is running is in fact a strongly typed value. The allows a method implementation to inspect the type of the actual value passed and act accordingly:

public override bool FlexibleRule(FlagHandler flag, object any)
{
  // if/else 
  if (any is DateTime date)
  {
    // Do something with the date
  }
  else if (any is decimal num)
  {
    // Do something with the num value
  }

  // Or a switch on type
  switch (any)
  {
    case DateTime date:
      // Do something with the date
      break;
    case decimal num:
      // Do something with the num value
      break;
  }

  return true;
}