am learning C# and have written a simple bit of code, but i don't understand why i have to declare the variables userChoice and numberR within the scope of the Main method and not within the scope of the class. If i declare it within the class like this, i get build errors
using System;
namespace FirstProgram
{
class Program
{
string userChoice;
int numbeR;
static void Main()
{
Console.WriteLine("Write a number...");
userChoice = Console.ReadLine();
numbeR = Convert.ToInt32(userChoice);
Console.WriteLine("You wrote {0}", numbeR);
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
}
But only this will give me no errors:
using System;
namespace FirstProgram
{
class Program
{
static void Main()
{
string userChoice;
int numbeR;
Console.WriteLine("Write a number...");
userChoice = Console.ReadLine();
numbeR = Convert.ToInt32(userChoice);
Console.WriteLine("You wrote {0}", numbeR);
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
}
Shouldn't i be able to use those two variables within Main just by declaring them in the Class like above? I am confused... thanks for any advice.
You can't do it because Main() is a static function. Your variables are declared as instance variables and can only be accessed on an instance of the Program class. If you declare userChoice and numbeR as static variables, it will compile.
static string userChoice;
static int numbeR;
static void Main()
{
//your code
}
Static members mean you can use the member without instantiating the class. Imagine:
public class MyClass
{
public static int StaticInt;
public int NonStaticInt;
}
means you could do:
MyClass.StaticInt = 12; // legal
MyClass.NonStaticInt = 12; // error, can't staticly access instance member
and all classes would have access to that change, since there is only one MyClass.StaticInt in your program. To change NonStaticInt, you would have to create an instance of that class, like so:
MyClass mine = new MyClass();
mine.NonStaticInt = 12; // legal
mine.StaticInt = 12; // Error, cannot access static member on instance class.
You have to make your variables static since your Main method is static.
Since Main is static, your variables would also need to be static in order to be used like this. If you declare them as:
static string userChoice;
static int numbeR;
Then it will work.
You currently have them declared inside an instance of a Program object. However, static methods (such as Main) are part of the type, not a specific instance.
because Main is static
if you declare the variables (a.k.a. fields) as static too you can declare them in the class
static string userChoice;
static int numbeR;
Non static methods and variables are called instance methods and variables. Instance variables relates to a specific object while static variables are shared among all created objects within the class.
The rules are that static methods can only call static methods and access static variables, but instance methods can call both static and non static variables and methods.
The reason is because Main() is a static method and the two class fields (userChoice and numbeR) are instance fields.
Main() can be called statically, but the two class fields won't be defined until an instance of the Program class is created.
The Main() method is declared as static. However, in your first code sample you declare two variables (userChoice & number) as instance variables. The static Main() method does not belong to a specific object, but to a certain type. Your variables however do belong to a specific instance of the Program type. You cannot use instance variables in a static method.
The problem is that Main is static. You will have to declare the variables userChoice and numbeR as static. Then it will compile. Here is the corrected example:
using System;
namespace FirstProgram
{
class Program
{
static string userChoice;
static int numbeR;
static void Main()
{
Console.WriteLine("Write a number...");
userChoice = Console.ReadLine();
numbeR = Convert.ToInt32(userChoice);
Console.WriteLine("You wrote {0}", numbeR);
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
}
Related
This is probably something really basic, but I'm not sure what's wrong:
partial class Program {
static void Main(string[] args) {
ADAttributes allObjectAttributes = new ADAttributes("AllObjects");
}
static void calcs() {
var x = allObjectAttributes; // <--- Name does not exist in the current context
}
}
Why is the calcs() method unable to see allObjectAttributes that was created in Main()?
Because C# does not work that way. The scope of the variable allObjectAttribute is to the Main-method, only in that method is the variable visible/usable.
If you want to have access to the variable from another method, you have to create a class field, and in your case, a static one.
Sorry if this is a really stupid question, but I am messing around and fiddling with what I am learning from YouTube beginner tutorials and I'm kind of lost here. can anyone let me know why using the public access specifier before the fields break everything?
namespace ConsoleApp1
{
class Methods
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
public int _first, _second, _third, _fourth, _fifth;
for (int i=1;i<=5;i++)
{
Console.WriteLine("Enter {0}st number:", i);
Console.ReadLine();
switch (i)
{
case 1:
_first = i;
break;
}
}
}
The problem is the scope.
The fields (inside functions or methods it's better use variable) in the scope of a function cannot be "public" or "protected" or... No, are private to the container scope, and, of course, doesn't need access word.
If you make a field outside the function you can make it public, private, internal... etc...
You cannot make fields out of object or structs.
namespace ConsoleApp1
{
public int _secondThing // baaaad
class Methods
{
public static int _thing; //good
int _thing; //good, it's private;
private int _thing; //good, it's the same
public int _firstThing; //good
static void Main(string[] args)
{
public int _first, _second, _third, _fourth, _fifth; //baaad
int _first, _second; //good
}
}
}
As DrkDeveloper mentioned it´s a question of the scope of your variables. Depending on where you define a variable it only exists within that specific scope and all of its child-scopes, but not in parent-scopes. So defining somethin at class-level makes it accessable in the entire class, this is in all of its members. Defining a variable within a member such as a method on the other hand makes that variable existing only in that specific scope - in that method. You can´t access it from anywhere outside its scope.
Your first code without the access-modifier works, because the variables are defined within that method - we call them local variables. The second code with the access-modifiers would turn those variables into members (fields in this case) of the class. So you´d define a member in a method that should have a class-scope. This of course does not work.
So you either leave your variables local, or make them public static within your class.
namespace ConsoleApp1
{
class Methods
{
public int _first, _second, _third, _fourth, _fifth;
static void Main(string[] args)
{
for (int i=1;i<=5;i++)
{
Console.WriteLine("Enter {0}st number:", i);
Console.ReadLine();
switch (i)
{
case 1:
_first = i;
break;
}
}
}
}
}
I want to define a global structure in C# and use it in three separate subroutines. I have already created the structure but I don't know how to make it a global variable so I can use it in multiple sections of my code. Any help is appreciated.
public struct Simple
{
public int Position;
public bool Exists;
public double LastValue;
};
static void Main(string[] args)
{
Simple s;
s.Position = 1;
s.Exists = false;
s.LastValue = 5.5;
}
So I want to use a Simple structure in two other routines in my code and possible pass it to different form (multiple usage of one variable).
The closest thing to "global" in C# is "static". Simply define the class and all members as static and it'll be accessible from anywhere the containing namespace is referenced. EDIT as Servy correctly points out, the class itself does not have to be static; however doing so forces all members to be static at compile-time. Also, static members can have any visibility, so you can have a private static field used by a public static property or method, and you can have an internal static class that won't be visible outside its home assembly. Just being static doesn't automatically make it wide open.
However, a better pattern might be the Singleton; you define a class that has one static instance of itself, that can then be passed around. The benefit is that you can still deal with the object as an instance class if you want to, but the same instance is available everywhere using a static getter. Here's some reading material: http://csharpindepth.com/Articles/General/Singleton.aspx
In your case it appears that you have a object as a local variable in your main method that you need to use in another method. The appropriate solution in this context is to add a parameter to that other method. Take a look at this example:
public class MyObject
{
public int Value;
}
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
MyObject obj = new MyObject();
obj.Value = 42;
PrintObject(obj);
Console.WriteLine("Press any key to exit...");
Console.ReadKey(true);
}
public static void PrintObject(MyObject obj)
{
Console.WriteLine(obj.Value);
}
This is a simple program I created - one table class, one main class. In the table class I created a print method which simply outputs my name. From the main class I am calling the print method but not getting the output.
namespace ConsoleApplication3
{
class table
{
public static void print()
{
Console.WriteLine("My name is prithvi-raj chouhan");
}
}
class Program
{
public static void Main()
{
table t = new table();
t.print(); // Error the program is not giving output while calling the print method
}
}
}
Since the function you are calling is static.
Use this syntax
public static void Main()
{
table.print();
}
Quote from MSDN:-
A static method, field, property, or event is callable on a class even
when no instance of the class has been created. If any instances of
the class are created, they cannot be used to access the static
member. Only one copy of static fields and events exists, and static
methods and properties can only access static fields and static
events. Static members are often used to represent data or
calculations that do not change in response to object state; for
instance, a math library might contain static methods for calculating
sine and cosine.
print is a static method, so call it as a static method:
public static void Main()
{
table.print();
}
try this:
class Program
{
public static void Main()
{
table.Print();
}
}
Print(); is a static method so you dont need to instantiate a new Table object in order to access it's methods
You are calling print() as an instance method but it is static. Try to remove the static keyword from the method.
Try to add a Console.ReadLine(); after table.print();.
UPDATE:
Missed the part with static, now corrected.
I have searched about static variables in C#, but I am still not getting what its use is. Also, if I try to declare the variable inside the method it will not give me the permission to do this. Why?
I have seen some examples about the static variables. I've seen that we don't need to create an instance of the class to access the variable, but that is not enough to understand what its use is and when to use it.
Second thing
class Book
{
public static int myInt = 0;
}
public class Exercise
{
static void Main()
{
Book book = new Book();
Console.WriteLine(book.myInt); // Shows error. Why does it show me error?
// Can't I access the static variable
// by making the instance of a class?
Console.ReadKey();
}
}
A static variable shares the value of it among all instances of the class.
Example without declaring it static:
public class Variable
{
public int i = 5;
public void test()
{
i = i + 5;
Console.WriteLine(i);
}
}
public class Exercise
{
static void Main()
{
Variable var1 = new Variable();
var1.test();
Variable var2 = new Variable();
var2.test();
Console.ReadKey();
}
}
Explanation: If you look at the above example, I just declare the int variable. When I run this code the output will be 10 and 10. Its simple.
Now let's look at the static variable here; I am declaring the variable as a static.
Example with static variable:
public class Variable
{
public static int i = 5;
public void test()
{
i = i + 5;
Console.WriteLine(i);
}
}
public class Exercise
{
static void Main()
{
Variable var1 = new Variable();
var1.test();
Variable var2 = new Variable();
var2.test();
Console.ReadKey();
}
}
Now when I run above code, the output will be 10 and 15. So the static variable value is shared among all instances of that class.
C# doesn't support static local variables (that is, variables that are declared in method scope).
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/programming-guide/classes-and-structs/static-classes-and-static-class-members#static-members
You can declare static fields (class members) though.
Reasoning: Static field is a state, shared with all instances of particular type. Hence, the scope of the static field is entire type. That's why you can't declare static instance variable (within a method) - method is a scope itself, and items declared in a method must be inaccessible over the method's border.
static variables are used when only one copy of the variable is required. so if you declare variable inside the method there is no use of such variable it's become local to function only..
example of static is
class myclass
{
public static int a = 0;
}
Variables declared static are commonly shared across all instances of a class.
Variables declared static are commonly shared across all instances of a class. When you create multiple instances of VariableTest class This variable permanent is shared across all of them. Thus, at any given point of time, there will be only one string value contained in the permanent variable.
Since there is only one copy of the variable available for all instances, the code this.permament will result in compilation errors because it can be recalled that this.variablename refers to the instance variable name. Thus, static variables are to be accessed directly, as indicated in the code.
Some "real world" examples for static variables:
building a class where you can reach hardcoded values for your application. Similar to an enumeration, but with more flexibility on the datatype.
public static class Enemies
{
public readonly static Guid Orc = new Guid("{937C145C-D432-4DE2-A08D-6AC6E7F2732C}");
}
The widely known singleton, this allows to control to have exactly one instance of a class. This is very useful if you want access to it in your whole application, but not pass it to every class just to allow this class to use it.
public sealed class TextureManager
{
private TextureManager() {}
public string LoadTexture(string aPath);
private static TextureManager sInstance = new TextureManager();
public static TextureManager Instance
{
get { return sInstance; }
}
}
and this is how you would call the texturemanager
TextureManager.Instance.LoadTexture("myImage.png");
About your last question:
You are refering to compiler error CS0176. I tried to find more infor about that, but could only find what the msdn had to say about it:
A static method, field, property, or event is callable on a class even
when no instance of the class has been created. If any instances of
the class are created, they cannot be used to access the static
member. Only one copy of static fields and events exists, and static
methods and properties can only access static fields and static
events.
Static variables are used when only one copy of it is required. Let me explain this with an example:
class circle
{
public float _PI =3.14F;
public int Radius;
public funtionArea(int radius)
{
return this.radius * this._PI
}
}
class program
{
public static void main()
{
Circle c1 = new Cirle();
float area1 = c1.functionRaduis(5);
Circle c2 = new Cirle();
float area2 = c1.functionRaduis(6);
}
}
Now here we have created 2 instances for our class circle , i.e 2 sets of copies of _PI along with other variables are created. So say if we have lots of instances of this class multiple copies of _PI will be created occupying memory. So in such cases it is better to make such variables like _PI static and operate on them.
class circle
{
static float _PI =3.14F;
public int Radius;
public funtionArea(int radius)
{
return this.radius * Circle._PI
}
}
class program
{
public static void main()
{
Circle c1 = new Cirle();
float area1 = c1.functionRaduis(5);
Circle c2 = new Cirle();
float area2 = c1.functionRaduis(6);
}
}
Now no matter how many instances are made for the class circle , only one copy exists of variable _PI saving our memory.
Static classes don't require you to create an object of that class/instantiate them, you can prefix the C# keyword static in front of the class name, to make it static.
Remember: we're not instantiating the Console class, String class, Array Class.
class Book
{
public static int myInt = 0;
}
public class Exercise
{
static void Main()
{
Book book = new Book();
//Use the class name directly to call the property myInt,
//don't use the object to access the value of property myInt
Console.WriteLine(Book.myInt);
Console.ReadKey();
}
}
The data members and function members that operate on the instance of the type
are called instance members. The int’s ToString method (for example) are examples of instance members. By default, members are instance members.
Data members and function members that don’t operate on the instance of the type, but rather on the type itself, must be marked as static. The Test.Main and Console.WriteLine methods are static methods. The Console class is actually a static class, which means all its members are static. You never actually create instances of a Console—one console is shared across the whole application.
In response to the "when to use it?" question:
I often use a static (class) variable to assign a unique instance ID to every instance of a class. I use the same code in every class, it is very simple:
//Instance ID ----------------------------------------
// Class variable holding the last assigned IID
private static int xID = 0;
// Lock to make threadsafe (can omit if single-threaded)
private static object xIDLock = new object();
// Private class method to return the next unique IID
// - accessible only to instances of the class
private static int NextIID()
{
lock (xIDLock) { return ++xID; }
}
// Public class method to report the last IID used
// (i.e. the number of instances created)
public static int LastIID() { return xID; }
// Instance readonly property containing the unique instance ID
public readonly int IID = NextIID();
//-----------------------------------------------------
This illustrates a couple of points about static variables and methods:
Static variables and methods are associated with the class, not any specific instance of the class.
A static method can be called in the constructor of an instance - in this case, the static method NextIID is used to initialize the readonly property IID, which is the unique ID for this instance.
I find this useful because I develop applications in which swarms of objects are used and it is good to be able to track how many have been created, and to track/query individual instances.
I also use class variables to track things like totals and averages of properties of the instances which can be reported in real time. I think the class is a good place to keep summary information about all the instances of the class.
Try calling it directly with class name Book.myInt
On comparison with session variables, static variables will have same value for all users considering i am using an application that is deployed in server. If two users accessing the same page of an application then the static variable will hold the latest value and the same value will be supplied to both the users unlike session variables that is different for each user. So, if you want something common and same for all users including the values that are supposed to be used along the application code then only use static.
You don't need to instantiate an object, because yau are going to use
a static variable:
Console.WriteLine(Book.myInt);
Static variable retains it's previous value until the program exit. Static is used by calling directly class_Name.Method() or class_Name.Property. No object reference is needed. The most popular use of static is C#'s Math class.
Math.Sin(), Math.Cos(), Math.Sqrt().