Get a string to reference another in C#

Question

I'm coming from a C++ background. This question has been asked before, but try as I might I cannot find the answer. Let's say I have:

string[] ArrayOfReallyVeryLongStringNames = new string[500];
ArrayOfReallyVeryLongStringNames[439] = "Hello world!";

Can I create a string that references the above (neither of these will compile):

string a = ref ArrayOfReallyVeryLongStringNames[439];  // no compile
string a = &ArrayOfReallyVeryLongStringNames[439];     // no compile

I do understand that strings are immutable in C#. I also understand that you cannot get the address of a managed object.

I'd like to do this:

a = "Donkey Kong";  // Now ArrayOfReallyVeryLongStringNames[439] = "Donkey Kong";

I have read the Stack Overflow question Make a reference to another string in C# which has an excellent answer, but to a slightly different question. I do NOT want to pass this parameter to a function by reference. I know how to use the "ref" keyword for passing a parameter by reference.

If the answer is "You cannot do this in C#", is there a convenient workaround?

EDIT: Some of the answers indicate the question was unclear. Lets ask it in a different way. Say I needed to manipulate all items in the original long-named array that have prime indices. I'd like to add aliases to Array...[2], Array...[3], Array...[5], etc to a list. Then, modify the items in the list using a "for" loop (perhaps by passing the list just created to a function).

In C# the "using" keyword creates an alias to a class or namespace. It seems from the answers, that it is not possible to create an alias to a variable, however.

Answer 1

You could create a wrapper that keeps a reference to the underlying array AND the index of the string:

public sealed class ArrayStringReference
{
    private readonly string[] _array;
    private readonly int      _index;

    public ArrayStringReference(string[] array, int index)
    {
        _array = array;
        _index = index;
    }

    public string Value
    {
        get
        {
            return _array[_index];
        }

        set
        {
            _array[_index] = value;
        }
    }

    public override string ToString()
    {
        return Value;
    }
}

Then this will work:

    string[] ArrayOfReallyVeryLongStringNames = new string[500];
    ArrayOfReallyVeryLongStringNames[439] = "Hello world!";

    var strRef = new ArrayStringReference(ArrayOfReallyVeryLongStringNames, 439);
    Console.WriteLine(ArrayOfReallyVeryLongStringNames[439]); // Outputs "Hello world!"
    strRef.Value = "Donkey Kong";
    Console.WriteLine(ArrayOfReallyVeryLongStringNames[439]); // Outputs "Donkey Kong"

You could make this more convenient to use by providing an implicit string operator so you don't have to use .Value to access the underlying string:

// Add this to class ArrayStringReference implementation

public static implicit operator string(ArrayStringReference strRef)
{
    return strRef.Value;
}

Then instead of having to access the underlying string like this:

strRef.Value = "Donkey Kong";
...
string someString = strRef.Value;

You can do this:

strRef.Value = "Donkey Kong";
...
string someString = strRef; // Don't need .Value

This is just syntactic sugar, but it might make it easier to start using an ArrayStringReference in existing code. (Note that you will still need to use .Value to set the underlying string.)

Answer 2

The closest you can get is this:

unsafe
{
    string* a = &ArrayOfReallyVeryLongStringNames[439];     // no compile
}

Which gives an exception:

Cannot take the address of, get the size of, or declare a pointer to a managed type ('string')

So no, not possible...

Also read this MSDN article which explains what types can be used (blittable types).

Answer 3

When I do something like this in C#:

string a = "String 1";
string b = a;
a = "String 2";

Console.WriteLine(a); // String 2
Console.WriteLine(b); // String 1

The thing is, both "String 1" and "String 2" literals are created at the start of the program, and strings are always pointers: at first a references "String 1" literal and afterwards it references "String 2". If you want them to always reference the same thing, in C# you just use the same variable.

The string objects themselves are immutable in C#:

Because a string "modification" is actually a new string creation, you must use caution when you create references to strings. If you create a reference to a string, and then "modify" the original string, the reference will continue to point to the original object instead of the new object that was created when the string was modified.

When the string mutability is needed, for example, to concatenate a lot of strings faster, other classes are used, like StringBuilder.

To sum it up, what you're trying to do is impossible.

Answer 4

In C#, a String is an Object. Therefore String a = "Donkey Kong" says that a now have a reference to this string that is being allocated over the memory. Then all you need to do is:

ArrayOfReallyVeryLongStringNames[439] = a;

And that will copy the refrence (which you should be thinking of in C#!!!) to the location in the string.

BUT!! When you do a="new string";, a will get a new reference. See the example I made: http://prntscr.com/3kw18v

You can only do this with unsafe mode.

Answer 5

You could create a wrapper

public class StringWrapper
{
    public string Value {get;set;}
}

StringWrapper[] arrayOfWrappers = new StringWrapper[500];
arrayOfWrappers[439] = new StringWrapper { Value = "Hello World" };
StringWrapper a = arrayOfWrappers[439];
a.Value = "New Value";

Answer 6

What you are trying to do is universally discouraged, and actively prevented, in C#, where the logic should be independent of the memory model, however, refer to related SO question C# memory address and variable for some info.

EDIT 1

A more canonical approach to your actual problem in C# would be:

        // using System.Linq;

        string[] raw = new string[] { "alpha", "beta", "gamma", "delta" };

        List<int> evenIndices = Enumerable.Range(0, raw.Length)
            .Where(x => x % 2 == 0)
            .ToList();

        foreach (int x in evenIndices)
            raw[x] = raw[x] + " (even)";

        foreach (string x in raw)
            Console.WriteLine(x);

        /*
        OUTPUT: 

        alpha (even)
        beta
        gamma (even)
        delta
        */

If you really want to modify the original memory structure itself, then perhaps C++ is a more appropriate language choice for the solution.

EDIT 2

Looking around on SO, you may want to look at this answer Hidden Features of C#? to an unrelated question.

Answer 7

        [TestMethod]
    public void TestMethod1()
    {
        string[] arrayOfString = new string[500];
        arrayOfString[499] = "Four Ninty Nine";
        Console.WriteLine("Before Modification : {0} " , arrayOfString[499]);

        string a = arrayOfString[499];

        ModifyString(out arrayOfString[499]);

        Console.WriteLine("after a : {0}", a);
        Console.WriteLine("after arrayOfString [499]: {0}", arrayOfString[499]);

    }

    private void ModifyString(out string arrayItem)
    {
        arrayItem = "Five Hundred less one";
    }

Answer 8

Of course you can, hehe:

var a = __makeref(array[666]);
__refvalue(a, string) = "hello";

But you would have to have a very good reason to do it this way.