Getting Started

This guide will help you quickly integrate IEquatable-Extensions (Wolfgang.Extensions.IEquatable) into your .NET project and start using its features.

Installation

NuGet Package Manager

Install the package using the NuGet Package Manager Console:

Install-Package Wolfgang.Extensions.IEquatable

.NET CLI

Use the .NET CLI to add the package to your project:

dotnet add package Wolfgang.Extensions.IEquatable

Package Reference

Alternatively, add the following to your .csproj file (replace 1.0.0 with the latest version):

<PackageReference Include="Wolfgang.Extensions.IEquatable" Version="1.0.0" />

Note: Check NuGet.org for the latest stable version.

Basic Usage

Once installed, add the using directive to your C# file:

using Wolfgang.Extensions.IEquatable;

The extension methods are now available for all types.

IsInSet Extension Method

Check if a value matches any value in a set:

// Simple value comparison
string status = "active";
bool isValid = status.IsInSet("active", "pending", "approved");  // true

// Works with any type
int value = 5;
bool inRange = value.IsInSet(1, 2, 3, 4, 5);  // true

// Works with collections
string[] validStatuses = { "active", "pending", "approved" };
bool isValidStatus = status.IsInSet(validStatuses);  // true

// Works with IEnumerable
List<int> numbers = new List<int> { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };
bool found = value.IsInSet(numbers);  // true

This replaces verbose code like:

// Before
if (status == "active" || status == "pending" || status == "approved")
{
    // ...
}

// After
if (status.IsInSet("active", "pending", "approved"))
{
    // ...
}

IsNotInSet Extension Method

Check if a value doesn't match any value in a set (inverse of IsInSet):

string status = "rejected";
bool isInvalid = status.IsNotInSet("active", "pending", "approved");  // true

// Works with arrays and collections
string[] validStatuses = { "active", "pending", "approved" };
bool isInvalidStatus = status.IsNotInSet(validStatuses);  // true

This replaces verbose code like:

// Before
if (status != "active" && status != "pending" && status != "approved")
{
    // ...
}

// After
if (status.IsNotInSet("active", "pending", "approved"))
{
    // ...
}

NotEqual Extension Method

Null-safe inequality comparison:

string value1 = "hello";
string value2 = "world";
string? value3 = null;

bool different = value1.NotEqual(value2);   // true
bool differentFromNull = value1.NotEqual(value3);  // true (null-safe)

The NotEqual method handles null references safely, avoiding NullReferenceExceptions.

Common Patterns

Validating Input Against Allowed Values

public void SetStatus(string status)
{
    if (status.IsNotInSet("draft", "published", "archived"))
    {
        throw new ArgumentException("Invalid status value");
    }
    
    // Status is valid, continue processing...
}

Switch-like Comparisons

public string GetPriority(int level)
{
    if (level.IsInSet(1, 2, 3))
        return "High";
    else if (level.IsInSet(4, 5, 6))
        return "Medium";
    else
        return "Low";
}

Collection Membership Checks

HashSet<string> allowedUsers = new HashSet<string> { "admin", "manager", "supervisor" };

public bool CanAccessResource(string username)
{
    return username.IsInSet(allowedUsers);
}

Enum Validation

public enum OrderStatus
{
    Pending,
    Processing,
    Shipped,
    Delivered,
    Cancelled
}

public bool IsFinalStatus(OrderStatus status)
{
    return status.IsInSet(OrderStatus.Delivered, OrderStatus.Cancelled);
}

Method Overloads

The library provides multiple overloads for flexibility:

IsInSet Overloads

// Single value
item.IsInSet(value1)

// Two values
item.IsInSet(value1, value2)

// Three values
item.IsInSet(value1, value2, value3)

// Variable number of values (params array)
item.IsInSet(value1, value2, value3, value4, ...)

// IEnumerable<T>
item.IsInSet(collection)

// ICollection<T>
item.IsInSet(hashSet)

All IsNotInSet overloads mirror the IsInSet overloads.

Framework Compatibility

The library supports a wide range of .NET frameworks:

  • .NET Framework 4.6.2
  • .NET Standard 2.0
  • .NET 8.0
  • .NET 10.0

The library uses conditional compilation to provide nullable reference type support on .NET 5.0 and later (when running on compatible runtimes through .NET Standard 2.0 compatibility).

Next Steps

  • Review the Setup guide for advanced configuration options
  • Explore the API documentation for detailed method descriptions
  • Read the README for additional information about the project

Need Help?

  • Report issues on GitHub Issues
  • Check existing discussions and questions
  • Refer to the inline XML documentation in your IDE
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