C Sharp

Installing Dotnet

This should be as simple as

sudo snap install dotnet-sdk --classic

But with dotnet 5 preview we get

cannot snap-exec: cannot exec "/snap/dotnet-sdk/67/snap/command-chain/snapcraft-runner": permission denied

To fix this we need to do this from https://github.com/dotnet/core/issues/4446

# Install the .NET 5 SDK as a snap package.
# The snap package will automatically be mounted.
snap install dotnet-sdk --channel=5.0/beta --classic

# To find out where the snap package has been mounted,
# list all block devices and look for /snap/dotnet-sdk/
# in the MOUNTPOINT column. Remember the name of the loop
# device.
lsblk

# To get the actual path of the snap package file, run
# the following command with the name of the loop device.
# Replace XXX with the number of your loop device.
# The path in the BACK-FILE column points to the snap package.
losetup --list /dev/loopXXX

# Create a folder where we're extracting the snap package into.
mkdir dotnet-snap-fix
cd dotnet-snap-fix

# Extract the snap package into this directory.
# Add the correct BACK-FILE path to your snap package here.
sudo unsquashfs /var/lib/snapd/snaps/dotnet-sdk_67.snap

# Change the permissions of the snap folder containing the runner
# to be readable and executable. This will fix the permission problem.
sudo chmod -R +rx ./squashfs-root/snap/

# Create a new snap package with the changed permissions.
# Make sure to use the same file name as in the BACK-FILE path.
sudo mksquashfs ./squashfs-root/ dotnet-sdk_67.snap -comp xz -all-root

# Overwrite the old snap package with our new one.
# Make sure the file name is correct (same as in BACK-FILE).
sudo mv ./dotnet-sdk_67.snap /var/lib/snapd/snaps/

# Finally reboot your machine so the changes are detected.
sudo reboot

C# 12.0

Primary Constructor

The languages merge in my brain. But there goes. Basically you now can declare the parameters with the class. And have them referenced by the class without a constructor. Gosh C# seems verbose to me. So we used to do this

namespace Example.Worker.Service
{
    public class Worker : BackgroundService
    {
        private readonly ILogger<Worker> _logger;

        public Worker(ILogger<Worker> logger)
        {
            _logger = logger;
        }

        protected override async Task ExecuteAsync(CancellationToken stoppingToken)
        {
            while (!stoppingToken.IsCancellationRequested)
            {
                if (_logger.IsEnabled(LogLevel.Information))
                {
                    _logger.LogInformation("Worker running at: {time}", DateTimeOffset.Now);
                }
                await Task.Delay(1000, stoppingToken);
            }
        }
    }
}

Now we can do this

namespace Example.Worker.Service
{
    public class Worker(ILogger<Worker> logger) : BackgroundService
    {
        protected override async Task ExecuteAsync(CancellationToken stoppingToken)
        {
            while (!stoppingToken.IsCancellationRequested)
            {
                if (logger.IsEnabled(LogLevel.Information))
                {
                    logger.LogInformation("Worker running at: {time}", DateTimeOffset.Now);
                }
                await Task.Delay(1000, stoppingToken);
            }
        }
    }
}

Spread Operator for C#

Like Typescript/Javascript there is now a spread operator.

int[] row0 = [1, 2, 3];
int[] row1 = [4, 5, 6];
int[] row2 = [7, 8, 9];
int[] single = [.. row0, .. row1, .. row2];

C# 10.0

File Scoped Namespaces

Previously

namespace FileScopedNamespace
{
    public class Customer
    {
        // properties and methods
    }
}

Now

namespace FileScopedNamespace;

public class Customer
{
    // properties and methods
}

Extended property patterns

// In 10 we can do this
{ Prop1.Prop2: pattern }

// Instead of 
{ Prop1: { Prop2: pattern } }

C# 9.0

Required

2019 16.8.2 and .NET 5.0

Records and Properties

Records

• Used to make read only struct (you can use struct too!
• Equality is value based rather than referenced
• Use init to allow old time initialize

public record Person
{
    public required string FirstName { get; init; }
    public required string LastName { get; init; }
};

We can clone immutable records using the clone oops with command

var myThing2 = mything with { Name = "Derek"}

Records support constructors, functions and properties too

public record MyDto(String Name) {

    public string City {get; init;}

    public void SuperFunctionOopsMethod(} {
    }
}

Type not Required For New is implied

Like auto in c++ or var in c# we can now omit the new Keyword if the type can be implied

public IainType ConvertToIain(String inParam1) {
//    return new IainType(inParam1);
    return new(inParam1);
}

Init for Properties

The init keyword on a property means that the value can only be set at initialisation time.

class Thing {
  public int Id {get; init; }
  public String Name {get; init; }
}
...
// Works
var myThing = new MyThing {
    Id = 123,
    Name = "No Name"
}
// No longer works
myThing.id = 55

Patterns and Expression

Finally switch with expression has arrived

var myBaseViewModel = type switch {
    Type.Unknown => new BaseViewModel(),
    Type.Sport => new SportViewModel(),
    not null =>  throw new ArgumentException($"Unknown type {type}"),
    _ => throw new ArgumentException($"Unknown type {type}")
};

In c# 9.0 the boolean expression is now a direct pattern called a relational pattern. The old approach

price += e,.numberOfDays switch {
   var days when days < 3 => price * e.NumberOfDays,
   var days when days >= 3 && days < 6 => 200,
   var days when days >= 6 => 360 
}

The new. Note the && become "and".The fancy words for this is conjunctive pattern.

price += e,.numberOfDays switch {
   < 3 => price * e.NumberOfDays,
   >= 3 and days < 6 => 200,
   >= 6 => 360 
}

Other Additions

• Covariant Return Types
• Minor enhancements for lambdas
• Main can be created without a class or namespace

C# 8.0 and .Net Core 3.0

Intro

Here is the history of C#

• 2.0 included generics
• 3.0 Added Linq with Lambda and anonymous types
• 4.0 Added Dynamics
• 5.0 Added Async and Await
• 6.0 Added Null propagating operator (targer?.IsActive ?? false;
• 7.0 Expressions, Span and Tuples

C# 8.0 brings

• Nullable Reference Types
• Pattern Matching
• Indices and Ranges
• Built-in Json Support
• Windows Desktop Support
• Build and Deploy Improvements
• Other Language Improvements
• Other .NET Core Platform Improvements

Nullable Reference Types

This allows you to specify a possibility of null. e.g.

class
{
    public string? Title {get; set;}
    public List<Comment> Title {get;} = new List<Comment>();
}

Bad code is highlighted a compile time with CS8618 Non-nullable property and via intellisence.

You and enable and restore this feature on a file basis using #nullable enable and #nullable restore

Pattern Matching

Deconstructors

Hardcoded unlike javascript

claas Test
{
    public PropA {get; set;}
    public PropB {get; set;}
    public PropC {get; set;}
    public PropD {get; set;}

    Test(string a, string b, string c, string d)
    {
      PropA = a;
      PropB = b;
      PropC = c;
      PropD = d;
    }

    void Deconstructor(
       out string a,
       out string b,
       out string c,
       out string d)
    {
       a = PropA;
       b = PropB
       c = PropC;
       d = PropD;
    } 
}

Positional Pattern

public static bool TestHasCValue5(Test inTest)
{
    return inTest is Test(_,_,"5",_);
}

Property Pattern

public class Employee
{
    public string FirstName {get; set;}
    public string LastName {get; set;}
    public string Region {get; set;}
    public Employee ReportsTo {get; set;}
}

public static bool IsUsBasedWithUkManager(object o)
{
    return o is Employee e && 
        e is { Region: "US", ReportsTo: {Region:" UK" }};
}

Switch Expression

Allows switching on types
var result = shape switch
{
    Rectangle r => "{r.Length}",
    Circle {Radius: 1} c => "Small Circle", // We can use LHS too!
    Circle c => "{c.Radius}",
    Triangle t => "{t.Side1}",
    _ => "Default"
}

Tuple Pattern

public statis bool MakesBlue(Color c1, Color c2)
{
    return (c1,c2) is (Color.Red, Color.Green) ||
           (c2,c1) is (Color.Red, Color.Green);
}

Indices and Ranges

Index reference as location in the sequence

var numbers = new[] {0,1,2,3,4,5};
var number = numbers[1]; // number is 1
var numberFromRHS = numbers[^2]; // number is 4

Note ^1 is the last element

C# now supports the range expressions with dots.

var numbers = Enumerable.Range(1,10).ToArray();
var copy = numbers[0..^0];
var lastThreeItems = numbers[3^..];

Built-in Json Support

Adds support similar to NewtownSoft but does lack features. Just some key reminders in the code below. Google examples

// Reading as Tokens
    var myBytes = File.ReadAllBytes("my.json");
    var jsonSpan = myBytes.AsSpan();
    var json = new Utf8JsonReader(jsonSpan);
    while(json.Read()) // goes to next token
    {
       GetData(json);
    } 

// Parse
    using var stream = File.OpenRead("my.json");
    using var document = JsonDocument.Parse(stream);
    var root = document.RootElement;

    foreach(var prop in root.EnumerateObject())
    {
        if(prop.Value.ValueKind == JsonValueKind.Object) 
        ...
    }

// Writing
    var outputOptions = new JsonWriteOptions {
       Indented = true;
    };

    var buffer = new ArrayBufferWriter<byte>();
    using var json = new Utf8JsonWriter(buffer, outputOptions);

    json.WriteStartObject();
    json.WritePropertyName("NAME");
    json.WriteStringValue"Value");
...
    json.WriteEndObject();
    json.Flush();

// Deserialize
    var serialOptions = new JsonSerializerOptions {
       PropertyNamingPolicy = JsonNamingPolicy.CamelCase;
    };

    var myTestObject = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<TestObject>(text,serialOptions);  

// Serialize
    JsonSerializer.Serialize(myTestObject, serialOptions);

Windows Desktop Support

• Only on Windows
• Supports WPF in Core
• Supports WinForms in Core

Build and Deploy Improvements

• Builds a platform application .exe and deps copied
• Can publish single file (not default)
• Trimmed only publishes used parts (not default)
• ReadyToRun Image, as Native and .Net Code (Difficult o understand what this is)

  <TarghetFramework>3.0<TarghetFramework>
  <PublishSingleFile>true</PublishSingleFile>
  <PublishTrimmed>true</PublishTrimmed>
  <PublishReadyToRun>true</PublishReadyToRun>

Other Language Improvements

Supports Default Implementation on Interface

public interface IStarTrekWidget
{
   string Captain {get; }

   string WriteLog() // Not allowed prior to 8.0
   {
       Console.WriteLine("Captain's Log Stardate");
   }
}

Using Fixed

Finally the language supports this

using var leakingResource = new LeakyResource();

Asyncronous Streams

When consuming an asynchronous stream, you need to specify the await keyword followed by the foreach keyword. You can call the method in the above example from the Main method as shown in the code snippet below.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
namespace Test
{
    class Program
    {
        const int DELAY = 1000;
        const int MIN = 1;
        const int MAX = 10;
        static async Task Main(string[] args)
        {
            await foreach (int number in GetData())
            {
                Console.WriteLine(number);
            }
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
        static async IAsyncEnumerable<int> GetData()
        {
            for (int i = MIN; i < MAX; i++)
            {
                yield return i;
                await Task.Delay(DELAY);  
            }
        }
    }
}

Local Functions

You can add static to local function to disallow access to global, local values

public  void Run()
{
    var state = "42";

    static string NotAllowed()
    {
        return state + "99";
    }
}

Disposable ref Structs

You can now use the using keyword to destroy.

public unsafe ref struct UnmanagedHandle
{
    private int* handle;

    public UnmanagedHandle(int* handle) = this.handle = handle;

    public int* GetHandle() {
       return handle;
    }

    public void Dispose() {
        ResourceManager.Free(this.handle);
    }
}

Other .NET Core Platform Improvements

• Supports Intrinsics (SSE etc)
• Supports OpenSSL 1.1.1
• Floating point Support
• HTTP 2.0 protocol
• GPIO Support