Debugging a getter

Hans Ruck

Hi, I am using the following code for testing purposes:

public class VariousTests
{
	public static void Main(string\[\] args)
	{
		AClass c = new AClass();
		int y = c.DemandSupplyMatrix\[0, 0\]; // breakpoint 2
	}
}

class AClass
{
	private int\[,\] \_aMatrix = null;
	public int\[,\] DemandSupplyMatrix
	{
		get
		{
			if (\_aMatrix == null)
				\_aMatrix = new int\[9, 4\];

			return \_aMatrix; // breakpoint 1
		}
	}
}

I run it until I hit breakpoint 2 and I expect to see DemandSupplyMatrix being null in the debugger. Instead, it appears to have been already instantiated, and I have never hit breakpoint 1... I really need to debug the getter but it seems that I have no chance. Is this normal or am I missing something?

Bogdan.

Luc Pattyn

Hi, I tried this on VS 2008 C# Express, and you're right, breakpoints inside getters never get hit. If you turn the getter into a normal method, it works fine. Probably is a bug in VS, properties get translated in methods with a slightly different name... :)

Luc Pattyn

I only read code that is properly indented, and rendered in a non-proportional font; hint: use PRE tags in forum messages

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Lost User

It is also the suggestion of MS FxCop. Never use an array directly in a property. The suggestion is always change it to a method.

Luc Pattyn

I was very surprised to see breakpoints work fine when the getter properties return a simple variable or a collection such as a List<int>, and they don't when the return type is an array. That doesn't make much sense to me. :omg:

Luc Pattyn

I only read code that is properly indented, and rendered in a non-proportional font; hint: use PRE tags in forum messages

Local announcement (Antwerp region): Lange Wapper? Neen!