If you have a known common base class it's easier to do something like this:

tType = Type.GetType("XmlRouter." + sCurrentNodeName);
if (tType != null)
{
MyBaseClass obj = (MyBaseClass) Activator.CreateInstance(tType);
}

object oOut = obj.ProcessRequest(oXmlHeaderNode, oNode);

I would recommend using something like a Factory to create your types as well if possible, that way you can reduce the cost of reflection with Type.GetType and Activator.CreateInstance.

e.g.

public class XmlRouterFactory {
private XmlRouterFactory() {}
public static XmlRouterBase CreateRouter(string name) {
switch(name) {
case "TypeA": return new TypeA();
case "TypeB": return new TypeB();
default: throw new InvalidOperationException();
}
}
}

public class TypeA : XmlRouterBase { ... }
public class TypeB : XmlRouterBase { ... }

...
XmlRouterBase router = XmlRouterFactory.CreateRouter(sCurrentNodeName);
object oOut = router.ProcessRequest(oXmlHeaderNode, oNode);

Except that won't compile, because obj is out of scope by the time we come to use it. If I were writing this I'd either not bother with the tType != null test at all and let the fatal exception propagate quickly, or do error handling properly and check everything including testing whether "obj is MyBaseClass" before doing the cast (or making sure that it has a ProcessRequest method with the right arguments, in your version).

Sorry, I was referring to my own code when I said it wouldn't compile, not yours Ron! :)

> Except that won't compile, because obj is out of scope by the time we come to use it.

Right, but the point is there. I like the idea of strongly typing it to the base class.

We didn't use a factory because we're going to expand this in the future (starting today, that's my next project) and this will minimize the number of places that the code needs to change. A factory was my first idea, but this was written before I got here.

I still recommend the Factory approach because even if you are forced to use Type.GetType you can increase performance by caching the types.

^_^,Pretty Good!