Programming Forums > Application Development > C#

alphonso · May 12th, 2007, 12:41 PM

Hi

I seem to run into code from books wherein the name of a field in either a struct or a class is prefixed with an underscore. What does this mean? The books don't explain them. I knew for one thing that it couldn't have been naming convention, because they always advise NEVER EVER use underscores when it comes to naming fields, methods, properties, etc. Can anyone help me, please? Here's an example:

(Toggle Plain Text)

 class Order

 {

    private Int _orderID;

    private ArrayList _orderItems;

      public int OrderID;

        {

          get {return _orderID;}

          set {_orderID = value;}

        }

...

lectricpharaoh · May 12th, 2007, 4:11 PM

You'll notice the underscores are for the private class variables. Another common convention is to use things like m_orderID for private variables; I myself prefer a simple leading underscore, as in your example code. The idea here is that only the person(s) who implemented the class will see these names. The class's externally-visible (public, as well as protected, internal, and protected internal) members probably should not be named this way, but I'm not aware of any language rule this would violate (it's simply a convention).

milot · May 12th, 2007, 4:20 PM

Hi,

It's not anything special but in C# it allows you to use underscore in front of a variable followed by letters (or numbers), but it is not very recommended because it sometimes is hard to read but it can used for special commands, at least some programmers practice this method, but I'm not still used to it but I'm trying. I use variables like my_var but not as _my_var.

alphonso · May 12th, 2007, 10:19 PM

I see. Thanks for all your help

May 12th, 2007, 12:41 PM	#1
alphonso Programmer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Philippines, where the seasons are: hot, and hotter Posts: 72 Rep Power: 3	Underscores in a field? Hi I seem to run into code from books wherein the name of a field in either a struct or a class is prefixed with an underscore. What does this mean? The books don't explain them. I knew for one thing that it couldn't have been naming convention, because they always advise NEVER EVER use underscores when it comes to naming fields, methods, properties, etc. Can anyone help me, please? Here's an example: (Toggle Plain Text) class Order { private Int _orderID; private ArrayList _orderItems; public int OrderID; { get {return _orderID;} set {_orderID = value;} } ... class Order { private Int _orderID; private ArrayList _orderItems; public int OrderID; { get {return _orderID;} set {_orderID = value;} } ... __________________ "The most incomprehensible idea about the universe is that it is comprehensible" - Albert Einstein

May 12th, 2007, 4:11 PM	#2
lectricpharaoh Caffeinated Neural Net Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Dry west coast of Canada Posts: 1,010 Rep Power: 5	You'll notice the underscores are for the private class variables. Another common convention is to use things like m_orderID for private variables; I myself prefer a simple leading underscore, as in your example code. The idea here is that only the person(s) who implemented the class will see these names. The class's externally-visible (public, as well as protected, internal, and protected internal) members probably should not be named this way, but I'm not aware of any language rule this would violate (it's simply a convention). __________________ And once again, Probability proves itself willing to sneak into a back alley and service Drama as would a copper-piece harlot. - Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick

May 12th, 2007, 10:19 PM	#4
alphonso Programmer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Philippines, where the seasons are: hot, and hotter Posts: 72 Rep Power: 3	I see. Thanks for all your help __________________ "The most incomprehensible idea about the universe is that it is comprehensible" - Albert Einstein

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May 12th, 2007, 4:20 PM	#3
milot Programmer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kosov�/Prishtin� Posts: 47 Rep Power: 0	Hi, It's not anything special but in C# it allows you to use underscore in front of a variable followed by letters (or numbers), but it is not very recommended because it sometimes is hard to read but it can used for special commands, at least some programmers practice this method, but I'm not still used to it but I'm trying. I use variables like my_var but not as _my_var.

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Programming Forums > Application Development > C#

Underscores in a field?