Returning value from Method/Property is Risky

Value types are stored on Stack and reference types are stored on heap. Now here comes the twist as if a programmer by mistake or by intention returns a value from a method or property which is of type value it could lead to havoc.


Let’s take a look at this by an example;


After executing this program you will get the output as 0 instead of 4. This is because the property myNumber of class Arithmetics returns a copy of structure of type MyNumber and not reference type. If you replace the struct with class ypu will get result as 4 instead of 0, because in that case a reference will be passed.

What will be the impact of doing so?
If you call a method or access a property that returns a value-type object, do not modify it or call mutators (methods that modify its state or data) on it. You are dealing with a copy and any change you make does not affect the real instance.
Ref: .Net Gotchas

No comments:

Post a Comment

Labels

.net .Net Instrumentation logging .net localization Agile amazon amazon elasticache amazon services AppDomain Application Domain architecture asp ASP.Net authentication authentication mechanisms Byte order mark c# cache canvas app cdata certifications class classic mode cloud cloud computing cluster code-behind Combobox compilation Configuration providers configurations connection connectionString constructors control controls contructor CSV CTS .net types conversion database DataGridView DataSource DataTable DataType DBML delegates design pattern dispose double encoding Entity framework Events exception handling expiry fault contracts fault exceptions function pointers functions generics help HostingEnvironmentException IIS inner join instance management integrated mode javascript join left outer join LINQ LINQ join LINQ to SQL memory leak methods microsoft model driven app modes in IIS MSIL multiple catch blocks no primary key Nullable Osmos Osmotic Osmotic communication Osmotic communications page events page life cycle partial class PMI powerapps preserve precision points private contructor ProcessExit Project management properties property protect connectionString providerName providers query regular expression repository Responsive Web Design return type run-time RWD Saas self join session session expiry sessions singelton singleton pattern software as a service source control system SQLMetal string toolstrip ToolStrip controls ToolStripControlHost tortoise SVN ToString() try catch finally update wcf web application web design web site web.config where-clause xml

Pages