{"id":279,"date":"2023-07-07T09:33:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-07T08:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ishooscode.com\/?p=279"},"modified":"2023-07-07T09:35:13","modified_gmt":"2023-07-07T08:35:13","slug":"access-private-member","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ishooscode.com\/index.php\/2023\/07\/07\/access-private-member\/","title":{"rendered":"How to access private member of class"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This article reflect on how to access private member of class. There are multiple routes to achieve this but in this article we will focus on the right approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Setting or getting private variable is quite a corner scenario while developing new application. Developers always find a work around to make the data available in private member to them. However, There is a more efficient and recommended mechanism to access private member. Here we can access the private variable using reflection and in built microsoft libraries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Real-world scenario where access private member is required?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In real-world, it is possible that you never encounter such scenario where there is a need to access private variable. Nevertheless, If you do then you\u2019ll simply change access specifier for the member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In UTC or TDD development you might find yourself in scenario where you need to access or change the value of private variable of a class. In UTCs we often do such things to re-create negative scenario. We might need to access private variable of a third-party variable to generate desirable result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can we access private member of class?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Quite simple, you just need to do some R&D with reflection classes and need to spend some time with Type<\/strong> class provided in .net .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

using System;\r\nusing System.Collections;\r\nusing System.Collections.Generic;\r\nusing System.Linq;\r\nusing System.Text;\r\nusing System.Threading.Tasks;\r\n\r\nnamespace CrossProjectDemo\r\n{\r\n    public class Car : IEnumerable\r\n    {\r\n        private string name = string.Empty;\r\n        private string prvtVariable = \"PrivateVariable\";\r\n\r\n        public string Name {\r\n            get { return name; }\r\n            set { name = value; }\r\n        }\r\n\r\n    }\r\n}<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
As you can see, here are two private variables,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. name<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. prvtVariable <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    While name is being accessed in a public Property Name, prvtVariable will be accessed directly<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    Let\u2019s see how,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
    First in your application import Reflection<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    using System.Reflection;<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
    Then follow the code,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    Car c = new Car();\nType typ = typeof(Car);\nFieldInfo type = typ.GetField(\"prvtVariable\", System.Reflection.BindingFlags.NonPublic | System.Reflection.BindingFlags.Instance);\nvar value = type.GetValue(c);<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
    C#Copy<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    \"Access<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    In the above image, you can see the type.IsPrivate is true which means the variable is private,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    And we can access its value into the value variable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    That\u2019s easy right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    Write to private member<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    Now, Let\u2019s move towards how we can change its value. Lets\u2019 make few changes to the existing code<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    Just add one-line right after Getvalue() method call,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    var value = type.GetValue(c);\ntype.SetValue(c, \"Not so much\");<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
    and now you have changed the value of a private variable,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    Easy, isn\u2019t it. So here we\u2019re accessing private variables through reflection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    For details on reflection visit microsoft learner site here<\/a>. Cheers!!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    More posts like this<\/h4>\n\n\n