C# virtual static method

virtual means the method called will be chosen at run-time, depending on the dynamic type of the object. static means no object is necessary to call the method.

How do you propose to do both in the same method?

Eric Lippert has a blog post about this, and as usual with his posts, he covers the subject in great depth:

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ericlippert/archive/2007/06/14/calling-static-methods-on-type-parameters-is-illegal-part-one.aspx

“virtual” and “static” are opposites! “virtual” means “determine the method to be called based on run time type information”, and “static” means “determine the method to be called solely based on compile time static analysis”

The contradiction between "static" and "virtual" is only a c# problem. If "static" were replaced by "class level", like in many other languages, no one would be blindfolded.

Too bad the choice of words made c# crippled in this respect. It is still possible to call the Type.InvokeMember method to simulate a call to a class level, virtual method. You just have to pass the method name as a string. No compile time check, no strong typing and no control that subclasses implement the method.

Some Delphi beauty:

type
  TFormClass = class of TForm;
var
  formClass: TFormClass;
  myForm: TForm;
begin
  ...
  formClass = GetAnyFormClassYouWouldLike;
  myForm = formClass.Create(nil);
  myForm.Show;
end