the simple version of get and set in c#

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I understand somehow the get and set in c#.
But I did not understand the simple one like:

C#

public class Customer
{
    public int ID { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
}

what is the advantage of it compared to the one without get and set, namely:

C#

public class Customer
{
    public int ID;
    public string Name;
}

At least, from the calling no any difference although the mechanism behind is different. Anyone can clarify me the concrete advantage by using simple get and set? or give me a concrete exmaple?

I know that above simple version is equivalent to the following.

C#

public class Customer
{
    private int m_id = -1;

    public int ID
    {
        get
        {
            return m_id;
        }
        set
        {
            m_id = value;
        }
    }

    private string m_name = string.Empty;

    public string Name
    {
        get
        {
            return m_name;
        }
        set
        {
            m_name = value;
        }
    }
}

Posted 2-Sep-12 5:49am

Seraph_summer

Updated 2-Sep-12 5:54am

Wendelius

v2

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Seraph_summer 2-Sep-12 15:26pm

thanks a lot to all of you!!
I love the codeproject website and I love you too!

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Wendelius · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-02T05:58:00

What you're referring to is Auto-Implemented properties[^]

Basically they help you to define a property without the complexity of defining a class variable where to hold the data.

The other thing you asked was why to use auto-implemented properties and not simply fields. This is a design question and commonly it's considered a bad practice to define fields public to be modified outside the class.

Another thing is that you can define access levels for autoimplemented properties. For example you can define the following

C#

public class Customer
{
    public int ID { get; private set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
}

That would mean that the ID can only be set from inside the class.

Mehdi Gholam · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-02T06:01:00

Solution 2

C#

...{
    public string Name {get;set;}
}

Is a compiler generated back end field get/set (as opposed to defining your own fields - a short hand for writing code faster).

C#

...{
    public string Name;
}

Is a field access definition.
You need get/set for .net data binding to work (as by default it does not bind to field properties in UI components like the grid etc.).

Generally it is better to have get/set since you can do checking and validation if it is needed in the future and the code using this will not change [fields need a recompile].

Posted 2-Sep-12 6:01am

Mehdi Gholam

Comments

Wendelius 2-Sep-12 12:15pm

Good points, 5'd.

Mehdi Gholam 2-Sep-12 12:20pm

Cheers Mika!
Congratulations on your sixth platinum!

Wendelius 2-Sep-12 13:49pm

Oh, thanks! Looks like I'm having too much spare time... :)

Mehdi Gholam 2-Sep-12 14:02pm

We all suffer, no cure in sight! :)

Wendelius 2-Sep-12 14:04pm

:-D

Manas Bhardwaj 3-Sep-12 6:23am

5+

Mehdi Gholam 3-Sep-12 10:25am

Thanks Manas!

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 11-Jun-13 22:53pm

5ed.
—SA

Mehdi Gholam 11-Jun-13 23:28pm

Cheers Sergey!