C# anonymous backing fields with non-auto properties

Question

I want to make a private member variable that is private even to the class that owns it, and can ONLY be accessed by its getters and setters. I know you can do this with auto-properties like

private int MyInt{ get; set;}

But I want to be able to modify the getter and setter so (for example) I could log how many times the field has been set (even by the owning class). Something like this

private int MyInt
{
    get{ return hiddenValue; }
    set{ hiddenValue = value; Console.Out.WriteLine("MyInt has been set");}
}

where "hiddenValue" is the member that is only accessible in the getter and setter. Why? because I'm a paranoid defensive programmer, I don't even trust myself :p.

Is this possible in C#? and if so, what is the syntax?

Thanks.

Answer 1

You really should trust yourself.

And no, you can't make a variable so private even the encapsulating class can't see it.

If you really want this, you could encapsulate the value in a nested class, which would be able to cover its own privates.

class Foo 
{
    class Bar // nested
    {
        private int _value;
        public int Value 
        {
            get { return _value; }
            set { _value = value; /* logic */ }
        }
    }
}

Foo can instantiate a Bar, get at bar.Value, but it cannot get to _value.

Answer 2

Is not possible with any language in .Net. And is good. Defensive coding is good, but when becomes paranoid, it makes go crazy other developers who need to maintain it.