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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"DiscussionForumPosting","headline":"Enhancement: Ability to invoke generic methods with explicit type parameters when PowerShell cannot figure out \u003cT\u003e from the context","articleBody":"Please provide ability to invoke generic methods with explicit type parameters.\r\n\r\nSteps to demonstrate\r\n------------------\r\n\r\n```powershell\r\n[Array]::Empty[string]()\r\n```\r\n\r\nor using a class:\r\n\r\n```powershell\r\nclass A {\r\n    static [string] GetTypeName[T]() { return [T].Name }\r\n}\r\n\r\n[A]::GetTypeName[string]()\r\n```\r\n\r\n(`Array.Empty` was chosen as a simplest possible example. In scripts Iʼd use `@()`)\r\n\r\nCurrent behavior\r\n---------------\r\n\r\n```none\r\nAt line:1 char:16\r\n+ [Array]::Empty[string]()\r\n+                ~\r\nArray index expression is missing or not valid.\r\nAt line:1 char:16\r\n+ [Array]::Empty[string]()\r\n+                ~~~~~~~\r\nUnexpected token 'string]' in expression or statement.\r\nAt line:1 char:24\r\n+ [Array]::Empty[string]()\r\n+                        ~\r\nAn expression was expected after '('.\r\n    + CategoryInfo          : ParserError: (:) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException\r\n    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : MissingArrayIndexExpression\r\n```\r\n\r\nRuminations\r\n---------------\r\n\r\nI understand that itʼs not important to have full support of generics in a scripting language or to have 100% feature parity with C#  (I might be wrong, — now we have `classes` in PowerShell after all :thinking:)\r\n\r\nHere are some _not-very-elegant_ workarounds from the Interwebs:\r\n\r\n- [Workaround to call to a generic method OfType\u003cT\u003e() in PowerShell, when PowerShell cannot figure out \u003cT\u003e from the context](https://gist.github.com/vors/d6a70e5d3439e928e603) by @vors\r\n- [PSGenericMethods module](https://github.com/dlwyatt/PSGenericMethods/blob/master/GenericMethods.psm1) by @dlwyatt\r\n- [Invoking Generic Methods on Non-Generic Classes in PowerShell](http://www.leeholmes.com/blog/2007/06/19/invoking-generic-methods-on-non-generic-classes-in-powershell/) by @LeeHolmes\r\n- [How do I call a parameterless generic method from Powershell v3?](https://stackoverflow.com/a/18775448)\r\n\r\nHere are my questions:\r\n\r\n- **Is it possible to implement this at all? How hard it could be?**\r\n- **Anyone tried to implement this before?**\r\n- **Is it worthwhile?**\r\n\r\nJust posting this here for discussion. Didnʼt find any mentions of this problem in other issues.","author":{"url":"https://github.com/0xfeeddeadbeef","@type":"Person","name":"0xfeeddeadbeef"},"datePublished":"2017-10-17T19:01:47.000Z","interactionStatistic":{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":"https://schema.org/CommentAction","userInteractionCount":33},"url":"https://github.com/5146/PowerShell/issues/5146"}