How To use Get and Set in C#?

The 'get' and 'set' keywords are used to get the value of a property or to set it.

If you only use 'get' the property is said to be read-only.

If (more rarely) you only use 'set' the property is said to be write-only.

It's also possible to have 'automatic' properties where the 'get' and 'set' parts are empty. The compiler creates a hidden backing field for such properties which can only be accessed via the property - it cannot be accessed directly.

The following program demonstrates all 4 usges:

using System;

public class User

{

private int _age;

private string _gender;

private int _passwordHash;

public int Age // normal property with parameter checking for setter

{

get {return _age; }

set

{

if (value < 0 || value > 122)

{

throw new ArgumentException("Age must be between 0 and 122");

}

_age = value;

}

public string Name {get; set;} // automatic property

public string Gender {get{ return _gender;}} // read-only property

public string Password {set{ _passwordHash = value.GetHashCode();}} // write-only property

public User(string name, string gender, int age)

{

Name = name;

_gender = gender;

_age = age;

}

public void CheckPassword(string password)

{

if (password.GetHashCode() == _passwordHash)

{

Console.WriteLine("That's correct :)");

}

else

{

Console.WriteLine("Sorry that's wrong :(");

}

class Program

{

static void Main()

{

User u = new User("Fred", "M", 35);

Console.Write("Enter you password, {0} : ", u.Name);

u.Password = Console.ReadLine();

Console.WriteLine("You age is {0} and gender is {1}", u.Age, u.Gender);

Console.Write("Enter you password again : ", u.Name); u.CheckPassword(Console.ReadLine());

Console.ReadKey();

}

2 Replies

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Jignesh Trivedi12y ago
Agreee with Vulpes
When you are writing get and set with property is called Auto-Implemented Properties which is introduced in C#3.0. This is used when no additional logic required in the property accessors.
private string _name;
public string Name
{
get
   {
return _name;
    }
set
{
    _name = value;
}
}
equivalent to....

public string Name { get; set; }
hope this will help you.
Vulpes12y ago
The 'get' and 'set' keywords are used to get the value of a property or to set it.

If you only use 'get' the property is said to be read-only.

If (more rarely) you only use 'set' the property is said to be write-only.

It's also possible to have 'automatic' properties where the 'get' and 'set' parts are empty. The compiler creates a hidden backing field for such properties which can only be accessed via the property - it cannot be accessed directly.

The following program demonstrates all 4 usges:

using System;

public class User
{
private int _age;
private string _gender;
private int _passwordHash;

public int Age // normal property with parameter checking for setter
{
get {return _age; }
set
{
if (value < 0 || value > 122)
{
throw new ArgumentException("Age must be between 0 and 122");
}
_age = value;
}
}

public string Name {get; set;} // automatic property

public string Gender {get{ return _gender;}} // read-only property

public string Password {set{ _passwordHash = value.GetHashCode();}} // write-only property

public User(string name, string gender, int age)
{
Name = name;
_gender = gender;
_age = age;
}

public void CheckPassword(string password)
{
if (password.GetHashCode() == _passwordHash)
{
Console.WriteLine("That's correct :)");
}
else
{
Console.WriteLine("Sorry that's wrong :(");
}
}
}
class Program
{
static void Main()
{
User u = new User("Fred", "M", 35);
Console.Write("Enter you password, {0} : ", u.Name);
u.Password = Console.ReadLine();
Console.WriteLine("You age is {0} and gender is {1}", u.Age, u.Gender);
Console.Write("Enter you password again : ", u.Name); u.CheckPassword(Console.ReadLine());
Console.ReadKey();
}
}