Partial Class In C#

Ravi Saklani

14y2.1kVisual Basic .NET

Hi friends,
I want know what is partial class in C#?
thank you.

3 Replies

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Jignesh Trivedi14y ago
hi,

Partial class is a new feature added to C# 2.0. Partial classes span multiple files.
It is possible to split the definition of a class or a struct, or an interface over two or more source files. Each source file contains a section of the class definition, and all parts are combined when the application is compiled.
When working on large projects, spreading a class over separate files allows multiple programmers to work on it simultaneously.
example:
File1.cs
public partial class Employee
{
    public void DoWork()
    {
    }
}
file2.cs
public partial class Employee
{
    public void GoToLunch()
    {
    }
}

please refer
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/x9fsa0sw.aspx
hope this help.
Senthilkumar14y ago
Hi Ravi,

The Partial class concept has introduced in visual studio 2005 onwards. A class can be divided into multiple class, which will be compiled as single class at the time of execution. The physical group of files which has the same name with partial keyword will be combined logically at the execution time.

It allows the large files can be divide into multiple files. All the variables and methods can be called across the partial pages.

A different developers can work on different files.

For example,

Program that uses partial class [C#]

class Program
{
static void Main()
{
A.A1();
A.A2();
}
}

Contents of file A1.cs [C#]

using System;

partial class A
{
public static void A1()
{
Console.WriteLine("A1");
}
}

Contents of file A2.cs [C#]

using System;

partial class A
{
public static void A2()
{
Console.WriteLine("A2");
}
}

Output

A1
A2

When working on large projects, spreading a class over separate files allows multiple programmers to work on it simultaneously.

When working with automatically generated source, code can be added to the class without having to recreate the source file. Visual Studio uses this approach when creating Windows Forms, Web Service wrapper code, and so on. You can create code that uses these classes without having to edit the file created by Visual Studio

All partial-type definitions meant to be parts of the same type must be modified with partial.

The partial modifier can only appear immediately before the keywords class, struct, or interface.

Nested partial types are allowed in partial-type definitions.

All partial-type definitions meant to be parts of the same type must be defined in the same assembly and the same module (.exe or .dll file). Partial definitions cannot span multiple modules.

The class name and generic-type parameters must match on all partial-type definitions. Generic types can be partial. Each partial declaration must use the same parameter names in the same order.

The following keywords on a partial-type definition are optional, but if present on one partial-type definition, cannot conflict with the keywords specified on another partial definition for the same type

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/wa80x488(v=vs.80).aspx
Satyapriya Nayak14y ago
Hi Ravi,

Please refer the below links

http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/uploadfile/puranindia/partial-classes-in-C-Sharp/default.aspx

http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/uploadfile/abhikumarvatsa/partial-classes-in-C-Sharp/default.aspx

http://www.dotnetperls.com/partial

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/wa80x488%28v=vs.80%29.aspx

http://www.devx.com/dotnet/Article/22603

Thanks