Question

i’m using asp.net and c#.
I have some variable like CurrentCulture, SignedinUserEmail, MenuItemID for for each page that are used in different method and events, which way is the best for holding their values?

private string _CurrentCulture;
private string CurrentCulture
{
    get
    {
        return _CurrentCulture;
    }
    set
    {
        _CurrentCulture = value;
    }
}

or

private string CurrentCulture
{
    get
    {
        if (ViewState["CurrentCulture"] == null)
        {
            return "en-UK";
        }
        else
        {
            return ((string)ViewState["CurrentCulture"]);
        }
    }
    set
    {
        ViewState["CurrentCulture"] = value;
    }
}

their values might assign by query string or another local variable.

Answer 1

We can best use each one as:

• Save it to viewstate if you need to have it after the post back. If you do not make post back there is no reason to save it there.
• Save it to a variable if you like to get it from the page it self, or to send it to other custom controls on the page.
• Save it to the session if you like to use it on other pages – for example if some user select a language that prefer, then save that selection on session and use it on the next pages.
• Use the url parameters if you won the user to be able to save the url, and together keep that parameters.

The CurrentCulture, SignedinUserEmail is better to saved on session because you want to use it on every call, on every page view, with and with out post back.