CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#classinternal
Assassinbeast
Assassinbeast

Reputation: 1277

Internal class access modifier doesnt work?

I really dont understand why, but it seems like the internal access modifier doesn't work :S

I've looked at this tutorial: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/7c5ka91b(v=vs.110).aspx

But for me, it compiles. ALso, i have a bought a book Illustrated C# 2012. And the author explains the internal class etc etc... But still, it doesn't do anything.

Here is my complete code that works EVEN with internal access.

//Program.cs
namespace ConsoleApplication1
{
    class Program
    {
       static void Main(string[] args)
       {
           Class1 myclass = new Class1(); //works
           myclass.display(); //works
           myclass.display2(); //works even though its not public :S
           Console.Read();
       }
    }
}

-

//Class1.cs
namespace ConsoleApplication1
{
    internal class Class1
    {
       public void display()
       {
           Console.WriteLine("display()");
       }

       internal void display2()
       {
           Console.WriteLine("display2()");
       }
    }
}

I can even access the function internal void display2() :S

Upvotes: 2

Views: 2900

Answers (4)

Trivaxy
Trivaxy

Reputation: 141

The internal access modifier means the member can be accessed anywhere from within the same assembly. In your case, the classes "Program" and "Class1" are within the same assembly, therefore, Program can access display2 (Which is also internal and within the same assembly).

If you don't want display2 to be accessed from the Program class, you could simply make it private and therefore it would only be accessible from Class1.

Upvotes: -1

Matthew Watson
Matthew Watson

Reputation: 109557

internal means "Acessible by anything in the same assembly".

Because your class Class1 and class Program are in the same assembly, class Program can access display2().

I think you've accidentally put them in the same assembly; if you look carefully at Microsoft's sample code you'll see it says "Assembly1.cs" and "Assembly2.cs"

If you are using Visual Studio, the easiest way to test this with a different assembly is to create a new class library project in the same solution. That will then count as a separate assembly. You'd have to add to the main project a reference to the new project (via Add Reference and then the Solution tab).

There's a Stack Overflow question about "What's an assembly?" if you need more info.

Upvotes: 7

Soner Gönül
Soner Gönül

Reputation: 98740

From MSDN;

Internal types or members are accessible only within files in the same assembly

Since Program and Class1 in the same assembly, there shouldn't be a problem..

What does the internal modifier do exactly? It states that "The intuitive meaning of internal is 'access limited to this program.'"

In other words, no external program will be able to access the internal type.

Upvotes: 1

Martin
Martin

Reputation: 16423

If both classes are in the same assembly then internal is working as expected.

The internal modifier is used to make sure that types and members are only available to files in the same assembly.

Ref: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/7c5ka91b%28v=vs.80%29.aspx

Upvotes: 2

Related Questions