Using collection initializer syntax on custom types?

Question

I have a large static list which is basically a lookup table, so I initialise the table in code.

private class MyClass
{
    private class LookupItem
    {
        public int Param1    { get; set; }
        public int Param2    { get; set; }
        public float Param2  { get; set; }
        public float Param4  { get; set; }
    }

    private static List<LookupItem> _lookupTable = new List<LookupItem>()
    { 
        new LookupItem() { Param1 = 1, Param2 = 2, Param3 = 3 Param4 = 4 },
        new LookupItem() { Param1 = 5, Param2 = 6, Param3 = 7 Param4 = 8 },
        //etc
    }
}

The real LookupItem has many more properties, so I added a constructor to allow for a more compact initialisation format:

private class MyClass
{
    private class LookupItem
    {
        public int Param1    { get; set; }
        public int Param2    { get; set; }
        public float Param2  { get; set; }
        public float Param4  { get; set; }

        public LookupItem(int param1, int param2, float param3, float param4)
        {
            Param1 = param1;
            Param2 = param2;
            Param3 = param3;
            Param4 = param4;    
        }
    }

    private static List<LookupItem> _lookupTable = new List<LookupItem>()
    { 
        new LookupItem(1, 2, 3, 4),
        new LookupItem(5, 6, 7, 8),
        //etc
    }
}

What I'd really like to do is use the collection initialiser format for the object itself so I can get rid of the new LookupItem() on every line. eg:

private static List<LookupItem> _lookupTable = new List<LookupItem>()
{ 
    { 1, 2, 3, 4 },
    { 5, 6, 7, 8 },
    //etc
}

Is this possible? I like to think it is because the KeyValuePair's of a Dictionary<> can be initialised in this way.

MSDN States:

Collection initializers let you specify one or more element intializers when you initialize a collection class that implements IEnumerable. The element initializers can be a simple value, an expression or an object initializer. By using a collection initializer you do not have to specify multiple calls to the Add method of the class in your source code; the compiler adds the calls.

Does this mean I need to implement IEnumerable on my LookupItem class and return each parameter? My class isn't a collection class though.

Answer 1

I think you need to make a custom collection instead of List. Call it LookupItemTable, for example. Give that collection an Add(int, int, float, float) method and have it implement IEnumerable. For example:

class LookupItem
{
    public int a;
    public int b;
    public float c;
    public float d;
}

class LookupItemTable : List<LookupItem>
{
    public void Add(int a, int b, float c, float d)
    {
        LookupItem item = new LookupItem();
        item.a = a;
        item.b = b;
        item.c = c;
        item.d = d;
        Add(item);
    }
}

private static LookupItemTable _lookupTable = new LookupItemTable {
    { 1, 2, 3, 4 },
    { 5, 6, 7, 8 }
};

I've now tried the above code and it seems to work for me.