asked on

C# Method Return Structure by Reference

Hi,

Is it possible to return a structure by reference?

Example:
public struct myStruct
{
string foo;
string bar;
}

public myStruct[] Instances;
Instances = new myStruct[1];
Instances[0].foo = "Hello";
Instances[1].bar = "World";

public myStruct getInstance()
{
return Instances[0];
}

myStruct instance = getInstance();

This will return a copy of the structure, I want it to return the reference to it so I can do this:
myStruct instance = getInstance();
instance.foo = "Source";
instance.bar = "Code";

I know I can pass instance as a reference variable:
myStruct instance = new MyStruct();
getInstance(ref instance);

But I don't want to do this if I don't have to.

Many thanks,
Storm

SOLUTION

Carl Tawn

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ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Avodah

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Cyber-Storm

ASKER

Yeah, wouldn't want to go the unsafe route, how would I fix the below then?
public struct myStruct
{
string foo;
string bar;
}

public myStruct[] Instances;
Instances = new myStruct[1];
Instances[0].foo = "Hello";
Instances[1].bar = "World";

public int getInstanceID()
{
return 0;
}

Now am forced to do this
Instances[getInstanceID()].foo = "Source";
Instances[getInstanceID()].bar = "Code";
but I want to do something like this instead
myStruct instance = Instances[getInstanceID()];

so that I can do this:
instance.foo = "Source";
instance.bar = "Code";
Thanks

Cyber-Storm

ASKER

Thanks DaTribe,
We posted at the same time so I didn't see yours. I wouldn't want to go the object route as it's concidered a "dirty" solution. But I fully understand your logic and while I know doing it this way would work, I was hoping for a "cleaner" solution and was reserving that as my last resort if I didn't come right here.

Avodah

The link I provided explains that it is not possible for two structs to have the same address so I do not think the approach you require is possible.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd183752.aspx

DaTribe

Cyber-Storm

ASKER

I implemented a class instead of a structure and exposed the variables as automatic properties, I think this is the cleanest and most elegant solution in this case.

Both good options you guys put forth as well, thanks guys.