Session 1

C# Basics

Objectives

Explain the need for C#

Discuss flow of control of a C# program
List the fundamental data types in C#
Discuss the concepts of Boxing and
UnBoxing
Discuss Structures and enumerators
Discuss a simple C# program

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Microsoft .NET

New platform for developing

windows & web applications
Supports more than 20 languages
Revolutionizes facilities available
for Windows programming

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Introduction to C#

C# compiler is the most efficient

compiler in the .NET family
Provides native support for COM
(Component Object Model)
Enhances developer productivity and
increases safety, by enforcing strict
type checking
Allows restricted use of native pointers
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C# Program Flow
A simple C# program
/* This is the Hello world Program in C# */
using System;
class HelloWorldDemo
{
public static void Main()
{
Console.WriteLine (This is the Hello World
program);
}
}

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C# Constructs
Variables in C# are declared as follows
AccessModifier DataType Variable
Public

int

Private

string

Protected

float

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C# Constructs Contd
To use a keyword as a variable name,
prefix the variable name with a @ symbol.
using System;
class VariableDemo
{
public static void Main()
{
string @string;
@string = string is a keyword but used as a
variable name
in
this example;
Console.WriteLine (@string);
}
}
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C# Constructs Contd
using System;
class DefaultValDemo
{
public static void Main()
{
int[] array1 = new int[5];
Console.WriteLine(10 multiplied by default value
of second array element is {0} , 10 *
array1[2]);
}
}

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C# Data Types
C# Data
type

Description

Example

object

Base data type for all other types.

object o = null;

string

Declares a variable that can store string

values

string s = hello;

int

Declares a variable that can store integer

values.

int val = 12;

byte

Declares a variable that can store byte

integer values.

byte val = 12;

float

Declares a variable, which can store real

number values that have integer and
decimals parts

float val = 1.23F;

bool

Declares a variable, which can store real

number values that have integer and
decimals parts

bool val1 = true;

bool val2 = false;
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Default Values
Default values of the common data types:

Type
Numeric
(int,float,short)
Bool
Char
Enum

Default Value
0
False
\0
0
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Input / Output In C#

Uses methods of the Console class

in the System namespace

The most widely used methods are

Console.ReadLine()
Console.WriteLine()

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Input / Output In C# Contd

using System;
class TestDefaultValues
{
static void Main()
{
int number, result;
number=5;
result=100 * number;
Console.WriteLine (Result is {0} when 100
is multiplied by number {1}, result, number);
}
}

The highlighted line uses the placeholder {0} where the

value of the specified variables (result and number) will be
substituted and displayed.
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Input / Output In C# - Contd

using System;
class InputStringDemo
{
public static void Main()
{
string input;
input = Console.ReadLine();
Console.WriteLine (The input string was :{0},
input);
}
}

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The if construct

Used for performing conditional branching

Syntax -

if (expression)
{
//One or more statements to be executed if the
expression evaluates to true
}
[else
{
//One or more statements to be executed if the
expression evaluates to false
}]

The expression should always evaluate to an

expression of Boolean type
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Selection Statement

string str = hello;

if (str)
System.Console.WriteLine (The value
is True);
if (str == hello)
System.Console.WriteLine (The Value
isThe
True);
above piece of code will display an error message
Error CS0029 : Cannot implicitly convert
type 'int' to 'bool'

C# Simplified / Session 1 / 15 of 45

The switch Statement

Syntax
switch(variable)
{
case value:
//Statements
break;
case value:
//Statements
break;
default:
//Statements
break;
}
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The switch Statement

Contd
switch(weekday)
{
case 1:
Console.WriteLine (You have selected Monday);
break;
case 2:
Console.WriteLine (You have selected Tuesday);
break;
default:
Console.WriteLine (Sunday is the Default choice!);
break;
}

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Iteration Constructs

Perform a certain set of instructions for a

certain number of times or while a
specific condition is true
Types of iteration constructs

The
The
The
The

While Loop
Do Loop
For Loop
foreach Loop

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The while loop

The while loop iterates through the

specified statements till the condition
specified is true
Syntax
The break statement - to break out of
the loop at anytime
The continue statement - to skip the
current iteration and begin with the
next iteration

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The do loop
Syntax -

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The for loop

Syntax -

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The foreach loop (1)

The foreach loop is used to iterate

through a collection or an array
Syntax -

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The foreach loop Contd

using System;
public class ForEachDemo
{
static void Main (String[] args)
{
int index;
String[] array1=new String[3];
for (index=0;index<3;index++)
{
array1[index]=args [index];
}
foreach (String strName in array1)
{
Console.WriteLine (strName);
}
}
}

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Fundamental Types Of C#

C# divides data types into two

fundamental categories

Value Types
-

int, char , and structures

Reference Types
- classes, interfaces, arrays and strings
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Fundamental Types Of C#
- Contd
Value Types

Just hold a value in memory

Are stored in a stack

Contains the address of the

Reference Types object in the heap
= null means that no object
has
been referenced
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Value Types
using System;
class DataTypeTest
{
public static void Main()
{
int variableVal = 100;
funcTest(variableVal);
Console.WriteLine(This value of the variable
is {0}",variableVal);
}
static void funcTest (int variableVal)
{
int tempVar = 10;
variableVal = tempVar*20;
}
}

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Reference Types
using System;
class DataTypeTest
{
public int variableVal;
}
class DataTypeTestRef
{
static void Main()
{
DataTypeTest dataTest = new
DataTypeTest();
dataTest.variableVal = 100;
funcDataTypeTest(dataTest);
Console.WriteLine (dataTest.variableVal);
}
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Reference Types - Contd

static void funcDataTypeTest(DataTypeTest dataTest)
{
int tempVar = 10;
dataTest.variableVal = tempVar*20;
}
}

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Value types vs. Reference

types
Value

Reference

Variable Holds

Actual Value

Reference

Allocated

Inline (Stack)

Heap

Default Value

Zero

Null

Parameter to
functions

Copy Value

Copy
Reference

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Boxing & Unboxing

Boxing is conversion of a value

type into a reference type

Unboxing is the conversion of a

reference type into a value type

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Boxing & Unboxing Contd

...
class BoxEx
{
int objsTaker(object objectX)
{
//objsTaker takes an object
//and processes it here
}
object objsConverter()
{
//objsConverter does the processing
//and returns an object
}
}
...
//Implementation of code
int variable1;
variable1 = 5;
BoxEx boxVar = new BoxEx();
boxVar.objsTaker(variable1); //line 1
int convertVar = (int) boxVar.objsConverter(); //line 2
...
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Data Types In C#

C# provides us with a Unified Type System

All data types in C#, are derived from just one
class, the object class

using System;
class ObjectProff
{
public static void Main()
{
string objectVal;
objectVal = 7.ToString();
Console.WriteLine (The value now is
+objectVal);
}
}

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Static Members

Members are not associated with

any particular object or the class
Only one instance of this member
is possible

static int staticMem;

static int instanceCount()

{
//instanceCount Implementation
}

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Arrays

A group of values of similar data type

Belong to the reference type and hence
are stored on the heap
The declaration of arrays in C# follow
the syntax given below -

DataType[number of elements] ArrayName;

int[6] array1;
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Structures

Custom data Types

Can have methods
defined within them
Cannot implement
inheritance
Represent Value types

struct structEx
{
public int structDataMember;
public void structMethod1()
{
//structMethod1
Implementation
}
}

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Enumerators
public class Holiday
{
public enum WeekDays
{
Monday,
Tuesday,
Wednesday,
Thursday,
Friday
}
public void GetWeekDays (String EmpName, WeekDays DayOff)
{
//Process WeekDays
}
static void Main()
{
Holiday myHoliday = new Holiday();
myHoliday.GetWeekDays (Richie,
Holiday.WeekDays.Wednesday);
}
}
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Enumerators Contd

Enumerators in C# have numbers associated with the values

By default, the first element of the enum is assigned a value
of 0 and is incremented for each subsequent enum element
The default value can be overridden during initialization

public enum WeekDays

{
Monday=1,
Tuesday=2,
Wednesday=3,
Thursday=4,
Friday=5
}
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Compiling and Executing C#

Program

Click 'Start Programs Microsoft

Visual Studio.Net 2003'

Start Page screen showing recently

used projects is displayed on the
screen

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Compiling and Executing C#

Program Contd

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Compiling and Executing C#

Program Contd

Click File New Project to start a new project

Select 'Visual C# Projects' from the list on the
right hand side and 'Console Application' from
the list on the left hand side
Type the name of the project in the 'Name'
section as Example 1.
In the Solution Explorer rename
ConsoleApplication1 to Chapter1
Rename the project to Example1 and Class1.cs to
HelloWorldDemo.cs

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Compiling and Executing C#

Program Contd

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Compiling and Executing C#

Program Contd

Save the file and Select Build

Build Solution option to build the
solution
Select Start without Debugging
option from the Debug menu to
execute the application

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Compiling and Executing C#

Program Contd

Another method to compile and execute a

program is using notepad and DOS prompt
Step 1 Type your code in Notepad
Step 2 Save the file with a .cs extension
Step 3 Switch to DOS prompt and type
the following command
csc <filename>.cs
To run the C# file, type the name of the file
without the extension
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Summary

C# is an object oriented language with many powerful

features and is an integral part of the .Net platform
Variables in C# are declared in the following way
AccessModifier DataType VariableName;
C# provides the if and switchcase constructs to
perform operations based on the value of an expression.
C# provides the following types of iteration constructs,
while loop
do loop
for loop
foreach loop

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Summary

In C#, the data types are divided into two fundamental

categories namely value types and reference types.

Boxing is the conversion of a value type into a

reference type while Unboxing refers to converting a
reference type into a value type.
Structs in C# can have methods defined within them,
and represent Value types.
Enums (short for Enumerators) are a set of named
numeric constants.
C# programs can be written using the Visual Studio
.NET IDE as well as Notepad

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