CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#structvalue-type
sirival
sirival

Reputation: 275

C# arrays of structs and assignment performance

Suppose I have this code:

struct Normal
{
    public float x;
    public float y;
}

class NormalContainer
{
   public Normal[] Normals
   {
       get; set;
   }
}

class Main
{
     void Run( NormalContainer container )
     {
         Normal[] normals = container.Normals // 1 - see below
         normals[5].x = 4;                    // 3 - see below
         container.Normals = normals;         // 2 - see below
     }
}

Does (1) create a copy of the array or is this a reference to the memory occupied by the array? What about (2) ?

Thanks

Upvotes: 2

Views: 773

Answers (3)

Saeb Amini
Saeb Amini

Reputation: 24400

(1) copies the array's reference

(2) same

Array variables are reference types, regardless of their underlying element type, so whenever you assign an array variable to another, you are just copying the reference.

Upvotes: 1

BrokenGlass
BrokenGlass

Reputation: 160882

Array is a reference type, so you are just copying the reference to the array instance.

Upvotes: 3

JaredPar
JaredPar

Reputation: 754705

An array in C# is a reference type. Items like assignment create copies of the reference vs. the value. At the end of (1) you end up with a local reference to the array stored in container

Note: In C# it's more proper to say "reference to the object" vs. "reference to the memory"

Upvotes: 2

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