Properties In C#

• In C# class has another type of members called properties or regular properties.
• A property is used to access a private field / instance variable outside from a class.
• A property can be used as an expression as well as can be assign to variables like a normal variable / field.
• As compare with methods a property is more secure, better approach and powerful for access to private fields, because we have more controls over on fields using a property.
• A property has two keywords [get] and [set] which are called accessors where the [set] accessor initializes a private field and [get] accessor returns that private field through a property.
• Implementation of the properties make object oriented programing more professional.
• Like other members of the class properties can be static or no-static.

General Syntax:

access-modifier type PropertyName
{
   get { // code for get accessor }

  set { // code for set accessor }
}

Example:

using System;
namespace csharpBasic
{
    class MarkSheet
    {
        // Fields declaration with private access.
        private double AspMarks;
        private double JavascriptMarks;
        private static double TotalMarks;

        // A static property declaration of double type which initializes TotalMarks and returns.
        public static double GetTotalMarks
        { // property starting scope.

            get
            { // get accessor which returns TotalMarks fields.
                return TotalMarks;
            }

            set
            { // set accessor which assigns value to TotalMarks field through "value" parameter.
                TotalMarks = value;
            }

        } // End of property.

        // Parametrized constructor declaration.
        public MarkSheet(double aspMarks, double javascriptMarks)
        {
            AspMarks = aspMarks;
            JavascriptMarks = javascriptMarks;
        }

        // Return type method returns obtain marks.
        public double GetObtainMarks()
        {
            return AspMarks + JavascriptMarks;
        }

        // Return type method returns percentage of obtain marks.
        public double GetPercentage(double obtainMarks, double totalMarks)
        {
            return (obtainMarks / totalMarks) * 100.0;
        }
    }

    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // Marksheet object is being created.
            MarkSheet markSheet = new MarkSheet(80, 70);

            // Statement gets obtain marks by calling GetObtainMarks() method.
            double obtainMarks = markSheet.GetObtainMarks();

            // Statement is accessing property GetTotalMarks and assigns 200 value to it.
            double totalMarks = MarkSheet.GetTotalMarks = 200;

            Console.WriteLine("Total Marks {0}", totalMarks);
            Console.WriteLine("Obtain marks: {0}", obtainMarks);
            Console.WriteLine("Pecentage: {0}", markSheet.GetPercentage(obtainMarks, totalMarks));
            Console.ReadKey();
        }
    }
    /*  The Output will be:
     
        Total Marks 200
        Obtain marks: 150
        Pecentage: 75
     */
}

REMEMBER:

• A property does not define any storage location for fields by itself OR a property does not store a field by itself, it simply manages the access of private fields or instance variables. It is just a way for class fields/instance variables access management.
• By the use of a property you have full control on fields/instance variables.
• A class either has a read only property or write only and also can be both read-write property. If you want to make a read only property simply use a get accessor or want to write only property use only set accessor or use both get and set accessor for read-write property.