Question

Given a struct like this:

public struct SomeStruct {     public SomeStruct(String stringProperty, Int32 intProperty)     {         this.StringProperty = stringProperty;         this.IntProperty = intProperty;     }      public String StringProperty { get; set; }     public Int32 IntProperty { get; set; } } 

Of course, a compiler error is generated that reads The ‘this’ object cannot be used before all of its fields are assigned to.

Is there a way to assign values to the backing fields or the properties themselves, or do I have to implement properties the old-fashioned way with my own explicit backing fields?

Answer 1

Prior to C# 6, you need to use the ‘this’ constructor in this scenario:

public SomeStruct(String stringProperty, Int32 intProperty) : this() {     this.StringProperty = stringProperty;     this.IntProperty = intProperty; } 

Doing this calls the default constructor and by doing so, it initializes all the fields, thus allowing this to be referenced in the custom constructor.

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Edit: until C# 6, when this started being legal; however, these days it would be much better as a readonly struct:

public readonly struct SomeStruct {     public SomeStruct(string stringProperty, int intProperty)     {         this.StringProperty = stringProperty;         this.IntProperty = intProperty;     }      public string StringProperty { get; }     public int IntProperty { get; } }