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Syntax: Element Type Index

An indexer allows an object to behave like an array by accessing its elements using array syntax. Indexers are defined using the this keyword followed by brackets and an index parameter. They contain get and set accessors to retrieve or assign values similarly to a property, but use an index rather than a property name. Indexers can be overloaded to support different index types, allowing flexible element access.

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49 views7 pages

Syntax: Element Type Index

An indexer allows an object to behave like an array by accessing its elements using array syntax. Indexers are defined using the this keyword followed by brackets and an index parameter. They contain get and set accessors to retrieve or assign values similarly to a property, but use an index rather than a property name. Indexers can be overloaded to support different index types, allowing flexible element access.

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pramod3373
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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An indexer allows an object to be indexed such as an array.

When you
define an indexer for a class, this class behaves similar to a virtual array.
You can then access the instance of this class using the array access
operator ([ ]).

Syntax
A one dimensional indexer has the following syntax:

element-type this[int index]


{
// The get accessor.
get
{
// return the value specified by index
}

// The set accessor.


set
{
// set the value specified by index
}
}

Use of Indexers
Declaration of behavior of an indexer is to some extent similar to a
property. similar to the properties, you use get and set accessors for
defining an indexer. However, properties return or set a specific data
member, whereas indexers returns or sets a particular value from the
object instance. In other words, it breaks the instance data into smaller
parts and indexes each part, gets or sets each part.

Defining a property involves providing a property name. Indexers are not


defined with names, but with the this keyword, which refers to the object
instance. The following example demonstrates the concept:

using System;
namespace IndexerApplication
{
class IndexedNames
{
private string[] namelist = new string[size];
static public int size = 10;
public IndexedNames()
{
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
namelist[i] = "N. A.";
}

public string this[int index]


{
get
{
string tmp;

if( index >= 0 && index <= size-1 )


{
tmp = namelist[index];
}
else
{
tmp = "";
}

return ( tmp );
}
set
{
if( index >= 0 && index <= size-1 )
{
namelist[index] = value;
}
}
}
static void Main(string[] args)
{
IndexedNames names = new IndexedNames();
names[0] = "Zara";
names[1] = "Riz";
names[2] = "Nuha";
names[3] = "Asif";
names[4] = "Davinder";
names[5] = "Sunil";
names[6] = "Rubic";
for ( int i = 0; i < IndexedNames.size; i++ )
{
Console.WriteLine(names[i]);
}

Console.ReadKey();
}
}
}

When the above code is compiled and executed, it produces the following
result:

Zara
Riz
Nuha
Asif
Davinder
Sunil
Rubic
N. A.
N. A.
N. A.

Overloaded Indexers
Indexers can be overloaded. Indexers can also be declared with multiple
parameters and each parameter may be a different type. It is not
necessary that the indexes have to be integers. C# allows indexes to be
of other types, for example, a string.

The following example demonstrates overloaded indexers:


using System;
namespace IndexerApplication
{
class IndexedNames
{
private string[] namelist = new string[size];
static public int size = 10;
public IndexedNames()
{
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
{
namelist[i] = "N. A.";
}
}

public string this[int index]


{
get
{
string tmp;

if( index >= 0 && index <= size-1 )


{
tmp = namelist[index];
}
else
{
tmp = "";
}

return ( tmp );
}
set
{
if( index >= 0 && index <= size-1 )
{
namelist[index] = value;
}
}
}
public int this[string name]
{
get
{
int index = 0;
while(index < size)
{
if (namelist[index] == name)
{
return index;
}
index++;
}
return index;
}

static void Main(string[] args)


{
IndexedNames names = new IndexedNames();
names[0] = "Zara";
names[1] = "Riz";
names[2] = "Nuha";
names[3] = "Asif";
names[4] = "Davinder";
names[5] = "Sunil";
names[6] = "Rubic";

//using the first indexer with int parameter


for (int i = 0; i < IndexedNames.size; i++)
{
Console.WriteLine(names[i]);
}

//using the second indexer with the string parameter


Console.WriteLine(names["Nuha"]);
Console.ReadKey();
}
}
}

When the above code is compiled and executed, it produces the following
result:

Zara
Riz
Nuha
Asif
Davinder
Sunil
Rubic
N. A.
N. A.
N. A.

Property Indexer

Allows methods to be called as if they Allows elements of an internal collection of an


were public data members. object to be accessed by using array notation on the
object itself.

Accessed through a simple name. Accessed through an index.

Can be a static or an instance member. Must be an instance member.

A get accessor of a property has no A get accessor of an indexer has the same formal
parameters. parameter list as the indexer.
Property Indexer

A set accessor of a property contains A set accessor of an indexer has the same formal
the implicit value parameter. parameter list as the indexer, and also to
the value parameter.

Supports shortened syntax with Auto- Does not support shortened syntax.
Implemented Properties.

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