Logo Questions Linux Laravel Mysql Ubuntu Git Menu
HTML CSS JAVASCRIPT SQL PYTHON PHP BOOTSTRAP JAVA JQUERY R React Kotlin
 

Is there any reason to have a property with no getter?

Tags:

c#

properties

My manager has asked me if it is good practice to use a property with a setter, but no getter. 

public class PropertyWrapper
{   
    private MyClass _field;

    public MyClass Property
    {
        set { _field = value; } 
    }

    public string FirstProperty
    {
        get { return _field.FirstProperty; } 
    }

    public string SecondProperty
    {
        get { return _field.SecondProperty; } 
    }
}

He would be using other properties to expose properties from a private field, set by this setter.

My suggestion was to just use a private field and set it in the constructor, which works fine in this scenario. If I needed to have a constructed object first (maybe even using polymorphism) I would still prefer a Load method, rather than a getter-less property.

But I'm interested. We're both very concerned by best-practices and try to make sure our code is standarised. Does anyone have any official articles about getter-less properties? Or better still - an example of this usage in the .NET Framework itself?

like image 608
Connell Avatar asked Mar 02 '12 15:03

Connell

People also ask

Should you always have getters and setters?

If the question is between exposing the instance variable itself and using setters/getters, the answer is always to use setters/getters, because there are plenty of instances where a property can reasonably change from something stored in a variable to something calculated.

How do you avoid getters and setters?

The simplest way to avoid setters is to hand the values to the constructor method when you new up the object. This is also the usual pattern when you want to make an object immutable.

What will happen if getters and setters are made private?

The private getter/setter methods provide a place for adding extra behavior or error checking code. They can provide a place for logging state changes or access to the fields. They can provide a place for adding your debug code while testing.

Why are getters and setters needed?

Getters and setters are used to protect your data, particularly when creating classes. For each instance variable, a getter method returns its value while a setter method sets or updates its value. Given this, getters and setters are also known as accessors and mutators, respectively.

2 Answers

Official article: Design Guidelines for Developing Class Libraries -> Member Design Guidelines -> Property Design

Do not provide set-only properties.

If the property getter cannot be provided, use a method to implement the functionality instead. The method name should begin with Set followed by what would have been the property name. For example, AppDomain has a method called SetCachePath instead of having a set-only property called CachePath.

like image 132
Alexei Levenkov Avatar answered Oct 08 '22 04:10

Alexei Levenkov

Considering the questions are: Does anyone have any official articles about getter-less properties? Or better still - an example of this usage in the .NET Framework itself? and not about opinion; I wrote a quick test application to read through all of the properties of all of the type of all of the assemblies loaded in a default console application:

foreach (var assem in AppDomain.CurrentDomain.GetAssemblies())
{
    foreach (var type in assem.GetTypes())
    {
        foreach (var prop in type.GetProperties())
        {
            if (!prop.CanRead)
                Console.WriteLine("Assembly: {0}; Type: {1}; Property: {2}", assem.FullName, type.Name, prop.Name);
        }
    }
}

The results are:

Assembly: mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: FileIOAccess; Property: PathDiscovery

Assembly: mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: RedirectionProxy; Property: ObjectMode

So it looks like the framework uses it sparingly. I'd suggest doing the same.

EDIT

Interestingly enough, running the same code with the debugger attached yields many more results:

Assembly: mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: FileIOAccess; Property: PathDiscovery
Assembly: mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: RedirectionProxy; Property: ObjectMode
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: AxHost; Property: Site
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: DataGridTextBoxColumn; Property: PropertyDescriptor
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: DisplayedBandsData; Property: FirstDisplayedFrozenCol
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: DisplayedBandsData; Property: FirstDisplayedFrozenRow
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: DisplayedBandsData; Property: LastDisplayedFrozenCol
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: DisplayedBandsData; Property: LastDisplayedFrozenRow
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: DisplayedBandsData; Property: LastDisplayedScrollingRow
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: ErrorProvider; Property: Site
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: WebBrowserBase; Property: Site
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: WebBrowser; Property: Site
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: DropDownButton; Property: UseComboBoxTheme
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: GridErrorDlg; Property: Details
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: GridErrorDlg; Property: Message
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: DropDownHolder; Property: ResizeUp
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: GridViewEdit; Property: DontFocus
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: GridViewEdit; Property: DisableMouseHook
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: MouseHook; Property: DisableMouseHook
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: ManifestSignedXml; Property: Resolver
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: ContainerProxy; Property: Bounds
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: RightToLeftProxy; Property: Bounds
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: TopDownProxy; Property: Bounds
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: BottomUpProxy; Property: Bounds
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: ElementProxy; Property: Bounds
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: VerticalElementProxy; Property: Bounds
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: IconComparer; Property: SortOrder
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: MultiPropertyDescriptorGridEntry; Property: PropertyValue
Assembly: System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: ConfigXmlDocument; Property: XmlResolver
Assembly: System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: ConfigXmlDocument; Property: InnerText
Assembly: System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: ProcessThread; Property: IdealProcessor
Assembly: System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: ProcessThread; Property: ProcessorAffinity
Assembly: System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: ConfigXmlAttribute; Property: InnerText
Assembly: System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: ConfigXmlAttribute; Property: InnerXml
Assembly: System.Core, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: AnonymousPipeServerStream; Property: ReadMode
Assembly: System.Core, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: AnonymousPipeClientStream; Property: ReadMode
Assembly: System.Core, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: ManifestSignedXml; Property: Resolver
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlResolver; Property: Credentials
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlNullResolver; Property: Credentials
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlSecureResolver; Property: Credentials
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlUrlResolver; Property: Credentials
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlUrlResolver; Property: Proxy
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlUrlResolver; Property: CachePolicy
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlReaderSettings; Property: XmlResolver
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlTextReader; Property: XmlResolver
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlValidatingReader; Property: XmlResolver
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: DocumentXmlWriter; Property: NamespaceManager
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: DocumentXmlWriter; Property: Navigator
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: DocumentXmlWriter; Property: EndNode
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlAttribute; Property: InnerText
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlAttribute; Property: InnerXml
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlDocument; Property: XmlResolver
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlDocument; Property: InnerText
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlUnspecifiedAttribute; Property: InnerText
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlUnspecifiedAttribute; Property: InnerXml
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlPreloadedResolver; Property: Credentials
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XslTransform; Property: XmlResolver
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlSchemaSet; Property: XmlResolver
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XmlSchemaValidator; Property: XmlResolver
Assembly: System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; Type: XsdValidator; Property: Context
like image 27
M.Babcock Avatar answered Oct 08 '22 06:10

M.Babcock

Sign in to Comment

Related questions

Windows Event Log - how to register an event source?
C# Bind DataTable to Existing DataGridView Column Definitions
Is learning WinForms worthwhile? Is it outdated?
Why Does This Maintainability Index Increase?
Is there a way to make a console window flash in the task bar programmatically
Rule of thumb to test the equality of two doubles in C#?
Backup SQL Server Database with progress
Debug ASP.NET application running on remote IIS Server from VS2010
WebBrowser Control - Prevent Right-Click
Why doesn't C# allow me to use the same variable name in different scopes?
Unbelievable duplicate in an Entity Framework Query
Converting WebBrowser.Document To A Bitmap?
openxml spreadsheat save-as
How to determine if a string contains any matches of a list of strings
Enumerable.Last<T>() and C# arrays
What SqlDbType maps to varBinary(max)?
Remove one directory from full directory path
Summary, badly formed XML comment ignored for member
HOW TO get an overloaded private/protected method using reflection
How to embed Razor C# code in a .js file?

Donate For Us

If you love us? You can donate to us via Paypal or buy me a coffee so we can maintain and grow! Thank you!