In C#, you can pass properties by reference.

Problem

I’m attempting to do the following:

GetString(
    inputString,
    ref Client.WorkPhone)

private void GetString(string inValue, ref string outValue)
{
    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(inValue))
    {
        outValue = inValue;
    }
}

I’m getting a compilation error with this. I believe it is very obvious what I am attempting to do. GetString is supposed to copy the contents of an input string to Client’s WorkPhone property.

Is it feasible to pass a reference to a property?

Asked by yogibear

Solution #1

It is not possible to send properties via reference. Here are a few options for getting past this restriction.

string GetString(string input, string output)
{
    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(input))
    {
        return input;
    }
    return output;
}

void Main()
{
    var person = new Person();
    person.Name = GetString("test", person.Name);
    Debug.Assert(person.Name == "test");
}

void GetString(string input, Action<string> setOutput)
{
    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(input))
    {
        setOutput(input);
    }
}

void Main()
{
    var person = new Person();
    GetString("test", value => person.Name = value);
    Debug.Assert(person.Name == "test");
}

void GetString<T>(string input, T target, Expression<Func<T, string>> outExpr)
{
    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(input))
    {
        var expr = (MemberExpression) outExpr.Body;
        var prop = (PropertyInfo) expr.Member;
        prop.SetValue(target, input, null);
    }
}

void Main()
{
    var person = new Person();
    GetString("test", person, x => x.Name);
    Debug.Assert(person.Name == "test");
}

void GetString(string input, object target, string propertyName)
{
    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(input))
    {
        var prop = target.GetType().GetProperty(propertyName);
        prop.SetValue(target, input);
    }
}

void Main()
{
    var person = new Person();
    GetString("test", person, nameof(Person.Name));
    Debug.Assert(person.Name == "test");
}

Answered by Nathan Baulch

Solution #2

without having to duplicate the property

void Main()
{
    var client = new Client();
    NullSafeSet("test", s => client.Name = s);
    Debug.Assert(person.Name == "test");

    NullSafeSet("", s => client.Name = s);
    Debug.Assert(person.Name == "test");

    NullSafeSet(null, s => client.Name = s);
    Debug.Assert(person.Name == "test");
}

void NullSafeSet(string value, Action<string> setter)
{
    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(value))
    {
        setter(value);
    }
}

Answered by Firo

Solution #3

If anyone is interested, I developed a wrapper using the ExpressionTree variation and c#7:

public class Accessor<T>
{
    private Action<T> Setter;
    private Func<T> Getter;

    public Accessor(Expression<Func<T>> expr)
    {
        var memberExpression = (MemberExpression)expr.Body;
        var instanceExpression = memberExpression.Expression;
        var parameter = Expression.Parameter(typeof(T));

        if (memberExpression.Member is PropertyInfo propertyInfo)
        {
            Setter = Expression.Lambda<Action<T>>(Expression.Call(instanceExpression, propertyInfo.GetSetMethod(), parameter), parameter).Compile();
            Getter = Expression.Lambda<Func<T>>(Expression.Call(instanceExpression, propertyInfo.GetGetMethod())).Compile();
        }
        else if (memberExpression.Member is FieldInfo fieldInfo)
        {
            Setter = Expression.Lambda<Action<T>>(Expression.Assign(memberExpression, parameter), parameter).Compile();
            Getter = Expression.Lambda<Func<T>>(Expression.Field(instanceExpression,fieldInfo)).Compile();
        }

    }

    public void Set(T value) => Setter(value);

    public T Get() => Getter();
}

Also, use it like this:

var accessor = new Accessor<string>(() => myClient.WorkPhone);
accessor.Set("12345");
Assert.Equal(accessor.Get(), "12345");

Answered by Sven

Solution #4

You can use this in C#7 to both get and set the property:

GetString(
    inputString,
    (() => client.WorkPhone, x => client.WorkPhone = x))

void GetString(string inValue, (Func<string> get, Action<string> set) outValue)
{
    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(outValue))
    {
        outValue.set(inValue);
    }
}

Answered by Pellet

Solution #5

that the property is not restricted to strings.

void GetString<TClass, TProperty>(string input, TClass outObj, Expression<Func<TClass, TProperty>> outExpr)
{
    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(input))
    {
        var expr = (MemberExpression) outExpr.Body;
        var prop = (PropertyInfo) expr.Member;
        if (!prop.GetValue(outObj).Equals(input))
        {
            prop.SetValue(outObj, input, null);
        }
    }
}

Answered by Zick Zhang

Post is based on https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1402803/passing-properties-by-reference-in-c-sharp