class needs to refer a different class

[Yoriz]

what is the difference between object and cls?

from dataclasses import dataclass
 
 
@dataclass
class AClass:
    situation: bool
 
    def __new__(cls, situation: bool):
        help(cls)
        help(object)
        if situation:
            return DifferentClass(situation)
        return super().__new__(cls)
 
 
@dataclass
class DifferentClass:
    situation: bool
 
 
a_class = AClass(situation=False)
# different_class = AClass(situation=True)
# print(a_class)
# print(different_class)

Output:
Help on class AClass in module __main__:

class AClass(builtins.object)
 |  AClass(situation: bool)
 |
 |  AClass(situation: bool)
 |
 |  Methods defined here:
 |
 |  __eq__(self, other)
 |
 |  __init__(self, situation: bool) -> None
 |
 |  __repr__(self)
 |
 |  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 |  Static methods defined here:
 |
 |  __new__(cls, situation: bool)
 |      Create and return a new object.  See help(type) for accurate signature.
 |
 |  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 |  Data descriptors defined here:
 |
 |  __dict__
 |      dictionary for instance variables (if defined)
 |
 |  __weakref__
 |      list of weak references to the object (if defined)
 |
 |  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 |  Data and other attributes defined here:
 |
 |  __annotations__ = {'situation': <class 'bool'>}
 |
 |  __dataclass_fields__ = {'situation': Field(name='situation',type=<clas...
 |
 |  __dataclass_params__ = _DataclassParams(init=True,repr=True,eq=True,or...
 |
 |  __hash__ = None

Help on class object in module builtins:

class object
 |  The base class of the class hierarchy.
 |
 |  When called, it accepts no arguments and returns a new featureless
 |  instance that has no instance attributes and cannot be given any.
 |
 |  Built-in subclasses:
 |      async_generator
 |      BaseException
 |      builtin_function_or_method
 |      bytearray
 |      ... and 87 other subclasses
 |
 |  Methods defined here:
 |
 |  __delattr__(self, name, /)
 |      Implement delattr(self, name).
 |
 |  __dir__(self, /)
 |      Default dir() implementation.
 |
 |  __eq__(self, value, /)
 |      Return self==value.
 |
 |  __format__(self, format_spec, /)
 |      Default object formatter.
 |
 |  __ge__(self, value, /)
 |      Return self>=value.
 |
 |  __getattribute__(self, name, /)
 |      Return getattr(self, name).
 |
 |  __gt__(self, value, /)
 |      Return self>value.
 |
 |  __hash__(self, /)
 |      Return hash(self).
 |
 |  __init__(self, /, *args, **kwargs)
 |      Initialize self.  See help(type(self)) for accurate signature.
 |
 |  __le__(self, value, /)
 |      Return self<=value.
 |
 |  __lt__(self, value, /)
 |      Return self<value.
 |
 |  __ne__(self, value, /)
 |      Return self!=value.
 |
 |  __reduce__(self, /)
 |      Helper for pickle.
 |
 |  __reduce_ex__(self, protocol, /)
 |      Helper for pickle.
 |
 |  __repr__(self, /)
 |      Return repr(self).
 |
 |  __setattr__(self, name, value, /)
 |      Implement setattr(self, name, value).
 |
 |  __sizeof__(self, /)
 |      Size of object in memory, in bytes.
 |
 |  __str__(self, /)
 |      Return str(self).
 |
 |  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 |  Class methods defined here:
 |
 |  __init_subclass__(...) from builtins.type
 |      This method is called when a class is subclassed.
 |
 |      The default implementation does nothing. It may be
 |      overridden to extend subclasses.
 |
 |  __subclasshook__(...) from builtins.type
 |      Abstract classes can override this to customize issubclass().
 |
 |      This is invoked early on by abc.ABCMeta.__subclasscheck__().
 |      It should return True, False or NotImplemented.  If it returns
 |      NotImplemented, the normal algorithm is used.  Otherwise, it
 |      overrides the normal algorithm (and the outcome is cached).
 |
 |  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 |  Static methods defined here:
 |
 |  __new__(*args, **kwargs) from builtins.type
 |      Create and return a new object.  See help(type) for accurate signature.
 |
 |  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 |  Data and other attributes defined here:
 |
 |  __class__ = <class 'type'>
 |      type(object_or_name, bases, dict)
 |      type(object) -> the object's type
 |      type(name, bases, dict) -> a new type

object is the built in object that all classes subclass
cls is the parameter used in a class __new__ method it is a pointer to the class itself just like self is a pointer to the instance of a class.

---

what i was expecting was foo.__new__() to make a new instance of foo.

Where does foo come into it? you have not mentioned foo until now or given a basic example of your classes yet or modified my version to your needs or closest you feel you can to your needs.