Question

Currently, my MVC 3 app has a dependency on a static class that is initialized in the Application_Start() like this:

protected void Application_Start()
{
    MyDependency.Initialize();
}

With the static class looking more or less like the following:

public static class MyDependency
{
    public static void Initialize()
    {
        // Perform some I/O...
    }
}

This dependency is used in an attribute class, which comes with the caveat of having no run-time dependencies (hence the call to initialize in the Application_Start())

public class MyAttributeClass : ...
{
    public MyAttributeClass()
    {
        MyDependency.DoSomething(); //...
    }
}

Ultimately, other developers in our shop will have to use this API, and I’d like to see if there’s a way to get rid of the line in the Application_Start() (an extra line of code in the Global.asax is likely to be a forgotten step)

For instance, is there a way the MyDependency class can “hook” into the pipeline without the needing to edit the Global.asax?

Answer 1

Use a static constructor in MyDependency. Here’s the MSDN explaining the functionality static constructors provide.

By using a static constructor you should then be able to perform all the IO you need, as the constructor will be run before any static members are accessed.