C# class not public

Question

I am trying to make a class so when I do the following inside a file:

Functions LoginFunctions = new Functions(); LoginFunctions.loadFunctions();

It will create my object which I need, and make it public so every form which calls the class will be able to use it. The class file is below.

namespace App { public class Functions { public void loadFunctions() { TaskbarItemInfo taskbarItemInfo = new TaskbarItemInfo(); } } }

It doesn't seem to be making the taskbarItemInfo object public, and it is not letting me use it anywhere else other then inside the class. How do I make it public so every file that calls the class can use the object?

Looks more like this should be a static class, with static methods — CaffGeek
– CaffGeek, Commented Jul 19, 2010 at 16:10
Huh? Are you trying to return a TaskbarItemInfo isntance or creating a static class? TaskbarItemInfo loadFunctions() {...} or List<object> loadFunctions() {...}, public TaskbarItemInfo myTaskbarItemInfo; etc. — Jaroslav Jandek
– Jaroslav Jandek, Commented Jul 19, 2010 at 16:13

Dirk Vollmar · Accepted Answer · 2010-07-19 16:18:20Z

As the others have mentioned, make it a property, for example like so:

public class Functions { public TaskbarItemInfo TaskbarItemInfo { get; private set; } public void loadFunctions() { this.TaskbarItemInfo = new TaskbarItemInfo(); } }

skyfoot · Accepted Answer · 2010-07-19 16:30:04Z

Your taskbaritem class is in the scope of the method and therefore you wont be able to access it outsite of the class.

Create a public property or return it in the method.

 namespace App { public class Functions { private TaskbarItemInfo _taskbarItemInfo; public TaskbarItemInfo taskbarItemInfo { get { return _taskbarItemInfo; } } public void loadFunctions() { _taskbarItemInfo = new TaskbarItemInfo(); } } }

I would also go and change the loadFunctions method to a constructor which creates all the objects you need.

public Functions() { _taskbarItemInfo = new TaskbarItemInfo(); }

This is not a property but a public field! Properties would be the way to go here.
You could just use public TaskbarItemInfo TaskbarItemInfo { get; protected set; }.

Andrew Flanagan · Accepted Answer · 2010-07-19 16:10:07Z

In the example you provide, taskbarItemInfo is declared within the local scope of the loadFunctions() method. If you want it to be public for some class, you must make it a class member before you can make it public.

CaffGeek · Accepted Answer · 2010-07-19 16:34:34Z

You need to make the variable public.

namespace App { public class Functions { public TaskbarItemInfo TaskbarItemInfo { get; private set; } public void loadFunctions() { TaskbarItemInfo = new TaskbarItemInfo(); } } }

EDIT: You could also do the initialization of the items in the constructor.

namespace App { public class Functions { public TaskbarItemInfo TaskbarItemInfo { get; private set; } public Functions() { loadFunctions(); } private void loadFunctions() { TaskbarItemInfo = new TaskbarItemInfo(); } } }

Then you don't need the LoginFunctions.loadFunctions(); line of code after you initialize your LoginFunctions object.

0xA3, I'm not questioning you, but why use properties instead of a public variable? Just curious. Thanks!
I recommend you Jon's article on the matter: Why Properties Matter. It might not be relevant for the sample given by the OP, but after all we should be teaching best practices here :-)
@0xA3, fixed... should have wrote it like that in the first place

Kimball Robinson · Accepted Answer · 2010-07-19 16:25:34Z

You probably want to access it as a property which generates a private static member when needed.

namespace App { public class Functions { private static TaskbarItemInfo _taskbarItemInfo; public static TaskbarItemInfo TaskBarItemInfoProperty { get{ if (_taskbarItemInfo == null) { _taskbarItemInfo = new TaskbarItemInfo(); } return _taskbarItemInfo; } } } public class Test { public void testFunction() { Functions.TaskBarItemInfoProperty.doSomething(); } } }

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