c# - How to best implement Equals for custom types?

Question

Say for a Point2 class, and the following Equals:

public override bool Equals ( object obj )

public bool Equals ( Point2 obj )

This is the one that is shown in the Effective C# 3:

public override bool Equals ( object obj )
{
    // STEP 1: Check for null
    if ( obj == null )
    {
        return false;
    }

    // STEP 3: equivalent data types
    if ( this.GetType ( ) != obj.GetType ( ) )
    {
        return false;
    }
    return Equals ( ( Point2 ) obj );
}

public bool Equals ( Point2 obj )
{
    // STEP 1: Check for null if nullable (e.g., a reference type)
    if ( obj == null )
    {
        return false;
    }
    // STEP 2: Check for ReferenceEquals if this is a reference type
    if ( ReferenceEquals ( this, obj ) )
    {
        return true;
    }
    // STEP 4: Possibly check for equivalent hash codes
    if ( this.GetHashCode ( ) != obj.GetHashCode ( ) )
    {
        return false;
    }
    // STEP 5: Check base.Equals if base overrides Equals()
    System.Diagnostics.Debug.Assert (
        base.GetType ( ) != typeof ( object ) );

    if ( !base.Equals ( obj ) )
    {
        return false;
    }

    // STEP 6: Compare identifying fields for equality.
    return ( ( this.X.Equals ( obj.X ) ) && ( this.Y.Equals ( obj.Y ) ) );
}

Answer 1

In the one that takes an obj, if the type of obj is Point2, call the type specific Equals. Inside the type specific Equals, make sure that all the members have the same value.

public override bool Equals ( object obj )
{
   return Equals(obj as Point2);
}

public bool Equals ( Point2 obj )
{
   return obj != null && obj.X == this.X && obj.Y == this.Y ... 
   // Or whatever you think qualifies as the objects being equal.
}

You probably ought to override GetHashCode as well to make sure that objects that are "equal" have the same hash code.