Visions of Software

Optional parameters and named parameters in C#4.0

If you are familiar with C++ or VB then you will already be familiar with optional parameters. They are parameters that are assigned a default value at compile time and that can be omitted when calling a method.

  public void LayoutElements(IList<Element> elements, int xOrig = 0, int yOrig = 0)
  {
    ...
  }
  
    ...

    layoutTool.LayoutElements(elementList);         // Will layout at 0, 0
    layoutTool.LayoutElements(elementList, 25, 25)  // Will layout at 25, 25

C#4.0 adds the ability to define optional parameters for methods, constructors and indexers.

An obvious area of use is constructors. Optional parameters remove the need to define multiple overloaded constructors with a variety of parameters all calling into a single constructor which does the work.

Any optional parameters must be declared after all non-optional parameters. You can overload a method to have two versions – one with an optional parameter and one without. In this case the compiler will resolve to the method without the optional parameter (following the principal of least surprise.)

    
  public void LayoutElements(IList<Element> elements)
  {
     LayoutElements(elements, 5, 5);
     ...
  }

  public void LayoutElements(IList<Element> elements, int xOrig = 0, int yOrig = 0)
  {
    ...
  }

    ...

    // Resolves to first method - will layout at 5, 5
    layoutTool.LayoutElements(elementList);

Another addition, named parameters, helps when calling a method, constructor or indexer. Similar in function to named parameters used with attributes.

You use the name of the variable to fill the parameter – using a colon to specify the value.

  // Will layout at 0, 10
  layoutTool.LayoutElements(elementList, yOrig: 10);

Named parameters can be used for both optional and positional parameters. When making the function call all named parameters must occur after any positional parameters. The named parameters do not have to appear in the order of the parameters in the method declaration.

  // Will layout at 15, 10
  layoutTool.LayoutElements(yOrig: 10, xOrig: 15, elements: elementList);

If you use partial methods, then for both optional and named parameters the declaration in the definition is used at compile time.

  partial void LayoutElements(IList<Element> elements, int xOrig = 0, int yOrig = 0);

   ...

  partial void LayoutElements(IList<Element> elements, int x = 5, int y = 5)
  {
    ...
  }

    ...

//    layoutTool.LayoutElements(elementList, y : 10);    // Will not compile
    layoutTool.LayoutElements(elementList, yOrig : 10);  // Will layout at 0, 10

Be aware that if you rename parameters in a method that is called elsewhere with the named parameter syntax, then the names will no longer match and the calling code will not compile.