Question

Just wondering in the below function

        public Dictionary<string, List<TrainingItem>> TrainingItems
    {
        set
        {
            trainingItems = SanitizeTrainingItems(value);

            Results_Repeater.DataSource = trainingItems;
            Results_Repeater.DataBind();
        }
    }

How does the value of (value) get past here and what is it. I mean there is no parameters to function but yet I am still passing a value in function I just don’t understand where it comes from ?

Answer 1

A property in C# simulates a data member when in reality it’s a set of accessor methods, specifically a get accessor and a set accessor (unless the property is read-only). In most cases, a property is used to read, write or compute the value of a private field.

A common use for a property would be:

private string _firstName;

public int FirstName
{
  get { return _firstName; }
  set { _firstName = value; }
}

The get and set blocks within the property definition represent the accessor method bodies that either read or write the value of _firstName. In the set accessor, value is a contextual keyword representing the parameter of the set_FirstName accessor method generated by the compiler.

Without properties, you would have to write these methods yourself, i.e., you’d have a public string getFirstName(); and a public void setFirstName(string value); and you would call each method accordingly. A C# property is just a shortcut and gives you an easy to use mechanism to invoke the correct accessor.