Understanding Adapter Pattern

Question

I am trying to understand Adapter pattern and its use in real world. After going through various articles on internet and www.dofactory.com, I created this sample code. I just want to know whether my understanding is correct. In the example below I have created MSDAO object in the Adaptor class. Later I changed it to OracleDAO.

class Client
{
  static void Main(string[] args)
  {
    ITarget objAdapter = new Adapter();
    object dummyObject = objAdapter.GetData();
  }
}

Interface ITarget
{
  public void GetData();
}

//Decision to use MSDAO

class Adapter : ITarget
{
  public void GetData()
  {
    MSDAO objmsdao = new MSDAO();
    objmsdao.GetData();
  }
}

//After a month, the decision to use OracaleDAO was taken, so the code change

class Adapter : ITarget
{
  public void GetData()
  {
    OracleDAO objoracledao = new OracleDAO();
    objoracledao.GetData();
  }
}

Answer 1

A canonical example inside the .NET framework exists in the System.Drawing.Bitmap class.

This Bitmap has a constructor that lets you load an image from a Stream:

public Bitmap(
    Stream stream
)

what you don't know, is that internally the .NET Bitmap class is a wrapper around the GDI+ Bitmap class, and its constructor that takes an IStream:

Bitmap(
  [in]  IStream *stream,
  [in]  BOOL useIcm
);

So in the C# world, when i call:

new Bitmap(stream);

it has to turn around and call:

IStream stm;
IntPtr gpBitmap;
GdipCreateBitmapFromStream(stm, out gpBitmap);

The question is how to present a .NET Stream object to a method that expects a COM IStream interface.

Hence the internal GPStream class:

internal class GPStream : IStream
{
   GPStream(Stream stream) { ... }
}

You need to present an IStream interface to your Stream object:

IStream                                     Stream
=======================================     =====================================
int Read(IntPtr buf, int len);          --> int Read(byte[] buffer, int offset, int count)
int Write(IntPtr buf, int len);         --> void Write(byte[] buffer, int offset, int count);
long Seek(long dlibMove, int dwOrigin); --> long Seek(long offset, SeekOrigin orgin)
...                                         ...

So now you have an adapter:

And the code is something like:

IStream stm = new GPStream(stream); //adapter to convert Stream --> IStream
IntPtr gpBitmap;

GdipCreateBitmapFromStream(stm, out gpBitmap);

Answer 2

I've added comments which will hopefully help you get your head around the whole adaptor/adaptee/client/Itarget jargon - which is a little confusing :

internal class Program
{
    private static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        // Brian and freddie know only how to say Greetings. But when they tour
        // internationally, they will need a translator so when they say Greetings()
        // the appropriate non-English response comes out of their mouth.
        // they need to make use of the adapter pattern:

        // When in Japan:
        ITarget translator = new JapaneseTranslator(new JapaneseSpeaker());
        EnglishMan freddie = new EnglishMan(translator);

        // Freddie greets Tokyo, though he doesn't know a word of Japanese
        Console.WriteLine(freddie.Greetings()); //  "teo torriatte!"

        // when in France:
        ITarget translator2 = new FrenchTranslator(new FrenchSpeaker());
        EnglishMan brian = new EnglishMan(translator2);

        // Brian greets the crowd in Paris, though he doesn't know a word in French
        Console.WriteLine(brian.Greetings()); 
          // "So très charmant my dear! Bonjour"

        // alternatively, the translators can also do the greeting:
        Console.WriteLine(translator.Greetings());  //  "Konichiwa, hisashiburi!"
        Console.WriteLine(translator2.Greetings()); // "Bonjour!"
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// This is the client.
    /// </summary>
    public class EnglishMan : ITarget
    {
        private ITarget target;

        public EnglishMan(ITarget target)
        {
            this.target = target;
        }

        public string Greetings()
        {
            return target.Greetings();
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// The target interface
    /// </summary>
    public interface ITarget
    {
        string Greetings();
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// This is the adaptor
    /// </summary>
    public class JapaneseTranslator : ITarget
    {
        private JapaneseSpeaker japanese;

        public JapaneseTranslator(JapaneseSpeaker japanese)
        {
            this.japanese = japanese;
        }

        public string Greetings()
        {
            return japanese.Konnichiwa();
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// This is the adaptee
    /// </summary>
    public class JapaneseSpeaker
    {
        public JapaneseSpeaker()
        {
        }

        public string Konnichiwa()
        {
            return "Konichiwa, hisashiburi!";
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// This is the adaptor
    /// </summary>
    public class FrenchTranslator : ITarget
    {
        private FrenchSpeaker french;

        public FrenchTranslator(FrenchSpeaker french)
        {
            this.french = french;
        }

        public string Greetings()
        {
            return french.Bonjour();
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// This is the adaptee
    /// </summary>
    public class FrenchSpeaker
    {
        public string Bonjour()
        {
            return "Bonjour!!";
        }
    }
}

Answer 3

A very simple example...

 interface ITarget
    {
      List<string> GetProducts();
    }


    public class VendorAdaptee
    {
       public List<string> GetListOfProducts()
       {
          List<string> products = new List<string>();
          products.Add("Gaming Consoles");
          products.Add("Television");
          products.Add("Books");
          products.Add("Musical Instruments");
          return products;
       }
    }


    class VendorAdapter:ITarget
    {
       public List<string> GetProducts()
       {
          VendorAdaptee adaptee = new VendorAdaptee();
          return adaptee.GetListOfProducts();
       }
    }


    class ShoppingPortalClient
    {
       static void Main(string[] args)
       {
          ITarget adapter = new  VendorAdapter();
          foreach (string product in adapter.GetProducts())
          {
            Console.WriteLine(product);
          }
          Console.ReadLine();
       }
    }

Answer 4

I’ll keep it very simple. What if one caller wants to call the GetData method of MSDAO and other caller wants OracleDAO. Or in future other class can also be added.

In that case your solution will not work.

So I would suggest to declare the GetData method as virtual of the adaptee class. Add a new adapter class, extend the adaptee class and implement your ITarget interface and implement the GetData (declare it override) method accordingly.

Repeat the above step if you will have new class in future.