Question

I have inherited some code. I see that this code exists:

private List<int> Data { get; set; }

private CsClipboard()
{
    Data = new List<int>();
}

public List<int> ComponentIDs
{
    get
    {
        return Data;
    }
    set
    {
        Data.Clear();
        Data = value;
    }
}

I don’t see any reason to call clear before setting Data to value. I’m wondering if there are scenarios in C# where I would want to call clear before setting the value aside from something like triggering an OnClear event. It’s a fairly large code base with tech. debt, so just being overly cautious.

Answer 1

That code could have some nasty side affects.

What happens there is that the original list gets cleared. so every other place in the code that holds the original list will now hold an empty list.

Every new get request will hold the new list. But the the data isn’t concurrent across the program.