Question

I have a little simple method where I would like to pass in a label.

Now by my reading, anything based off the object class should automatically pass by reference, so this was my first try at my method:

        public static void ValiateStepAsInt(String Step, int? Value, Label Error)
        {
            if (Value == null && Step != "")
            {
                Error.Text = "Error!!!";
                return;
            }
            Error.Text = "";
        }

I didn’t get any compilor errors, but whenever i called this, it would set the Error.text, but once it got out of the method, that value would disappear (so not really pass by reference).

So next I added the “ref” option to the Label Error; hoping this might fix the issue, but still the same thing, the method sets it, but once its done, ths value disappears.

What I am missing when trying to pass a label by reference?

Answer 1

You’re resetting the Text property to an empty string just below your conditional statement. Maybe you want to wrap Error.Text = ""; into an else.

If that’s not it, then perhaps you’re setting the value somewhere else as well and thus overwrite the change in the method you’ve shown us here.