Structure in C#

 

Structure:

 

v In C#, Structure are used to hold data of various data types into a single variable.

 

v The struct keyword is used for creating a structure.

 

v Structure is a value type data type.

 

v Structures can have methods, fields, indexers, properties, operator, methods, and events etc.

 

v Structures cannot inherit other structures or classes.

 

v Structures cannot be used as a base for other structures or classes.

 

v A structure can implement interfaces.

 

v Structure members cannot be specified as abstract, sealed virtual, or protected.

 

v A structure can be instantiated with or without using a new keyword.

 

v If the New operator is not used, the fields remain unassigned and the object cannot be used until all the fields are initialized.

 

 

 

Structure Declaration & Object Creation:

The keyword struct can be used to declare a structure. The general form of a structure declaration in C# is as follows.        

 

AccessModifier struct StructureName

{

   // Fields

   // parameterized constructor

   // Constants

   // Properties

   // Indexers

   // Events

   // Methods etc.  

}

Where the AccessModifier can be private, public, internal or public. The struct is the required keyword. StructureName is user define structure name.

 

Example:

public struct MyStruct { 

    public int x; 

    public string y; 

}  

 

The objects of a struct can be created by using the new operator as follows.   

 

MyStruct ms = new MyStruct ();  

 

 

 

Copy Structure:

In C#, user can copy one structure object into another one using ‘=’ (Assignment) operator.

 

Syntax:

 

StructureObjectDestination = StructureObjectSources;

 

Nesting of Structures:

C# allows the declaration of one structure into another structure and this concept is termed as the nesting of the structure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class vs. Structure:

Class	Structure
1.    Classes are reference types.	Structure are value types.
2.    Objects of class types are always created on heap memory.	Objects of struct types are always created on the stack.
3.    Class support inheritance.	Structure do not support inheritance
4.    Class have default constructor.	Structures cannot have default constructor but contain only constructors that have parameters.
5.    Class Implement using class keyword.	Structure Implement using struct keyword.
6.    Class always instantiated with using a new operator.	Structure can be instantiated with or without using a new operator.