C# method call with parameter name and colon

c# language-features method-call
Zann Anderson picture Zann Anderson · Mar 10, 2011 · Viewed 28.3k times · Source

I've begun to notice at times when I'm making method calls in C# that the names of the parameters for the method I'm calling will show up in the intellisense list appended with a colon, and that I can then format the method call thusly:

MethodCall(parameter1:value1, parameter2:value2);

Is this a new language feature? It reminds me of the way you can call stored procedures in SQL and specify parameter names like so:

spDoSomeStuff @param1 = 1, @param2 = 'other param'

Is this a similar feature? If so, to what end? If not, what is it and what is it to be used for.

Answer

Krumelur picture Krumelur · Mar 10, 2011

It's a new feature. See here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd264739.aspx Named parameters are standard in ObjectiveC for instance. It takes some time to get used to them but they are a good thing. Only from looking you can tell what a parameter is meant for.

Related questions

How to loop through all enum values in C#?

This question already has an answer here: How do I enumerate an enum in C#? 26 answers public enum Foos { A, B, C } Is there a way to loop through the possible values of Foos? Basically? foreach(Foo in Foos)

Read More
Why Doesn't C# Allow Static Methods to Implement an Interface?

Why was C# designed this way? As I understand it, an interface only describes behaviour, and serves the purpose of describing a contractual obligation for classes implementing the interface that certain behaviour is implemented. If classes wish to implement that …

Read More
VB.NET equivalent of C# property shorthand?

Is there a VB.NET equivalent to the C#: public string FirstName { get; set; } I know you can do Public Property name() As String Get Return _name.ToString End Get Set(ByVal value As String) _name = value End Set End …

Read More