How can I access the registry from C# code?

By using the Registry and RegistryKey classes in Microsoft.Win32, you can easily access the registry.

The following is a sample that reads a key and displays its value:using System;using Microsoft.Win32;

class regTest{

public static void Main(String[] args)

{

RegistryKey regKey;

Object value;

regKey = Registry.LocalMachine;

regKey =regKey.OpenSubKey("HARDWAREDESCRIPTIONSystemCentralProcessor ");

value = regKey.GetValue("VendorIdentifier");

Console.WriteLine("The central processor of this machine is: {0}.", value);}}



How can you sort the elements of the array in descending order?

By calling Sort() and then Reverse() methods.



How do you debug an ASP.NET Web application?

Attach the aspnet_wp.exe process to the DbgClr debugger.



How do you mark a method obsolete?

Assuming you've done a "using System;": [Obsolete]

public int Foo()

{...}

or [Obsolete("This is a message describing why this method is obsolete")]

public int Foo() {...}

Note: The O in Obsolete is capitalized.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS-23 POST...

How do you generate documentation from the C# file commented properly with a command-line compiler?

Compile it with a /doc switch.



When you inherit a protected class-level variable, who is it available to?

Classes in the same namespace.



How can I get the ASCII code for a character in C#?

Casting the char to an int will give you the ASCII value: char c = 'f';

System.Console.WriteLine((int)c); or for a character in a string:

System.Console.WriteLine((int)s[3]);

The base class libraries also offer ways to do this

with the Convert class or Encoding classes if you need a particular encoding.



Is there an equivalent to the instanceof operator in Visual J++?

C# has the is operator:expr is type


My switch statement works differently! Why?

C# does not support an explicit fall through for case blocks.

The following code is not legal and will not compile in C#: switch(x)

{case 0:

// do something

case1:

// do something in common with

0default:

// do something in common with

//0, 1 and everything else

break;

}

To achieve the same effect in C#, the code must be modified as

shown below (notice how the control flows are explicit): class Test

{

public static void Main(){

int x = 3;

switch(x){

case 0:

// do something

goto case 1;case 1:

// do something in common with 0

goto default;

default:

// do something in common with 0, 1, and anything else

break;

}

}

}

What is the difference between a struct and a class in C#?

From language spec:The list of similarities between classes and structs is as follows. Longstructs can implement interfaces and can have the same kinds of members as classes. Structs differ from classes in several important ways;

however, structs are value types rather than reference types, and inheritance is not supported for structs. Struct values are stored on the stack or in-line. Careful programmers can sometimes enhance performance through judicious use of structs.

For example, the use of a struct rather than a class for a Point can make a large difference in the number of memory allocations performed at runtime. The program below creates and initializes an array of 100 points. With Point implemented as a class, 101 separate objects are instantiated-one for the array and one each for the 100 elements.

What is the difference between the Debug class and Trace class?

Documentation looks the same. Use Debug class for debug builds, use Trace class for both debug and release builds.


How can you overload a method?

Different parameter data types, different number of parameters, different order of parameters.


What debugging tools come with the .NET SDK?

CorDBG - command-line debugger, and DbgCLR - graphic debugger. Visual Studio .NET uses the DbgCLR. To use CorDbg, you must compile the original C# file using the /debug switch.What does Dispose method do with the connection object?Deletes it from the memory.

How do I convert a string to an int in C#?

Here's an example: using System;

class StringToInt{

public static void Main(){

String s = "105";

int x = Convert.ToInt32(s);

Console.WriteLine(x);

}

}


How do you directly call a native function exported from a DLL?

Here's a quick example of the DllImport attribute in action: using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

class C

{

[DllImport("user32.dll")]

public static extern int MessageBoxA(int h, string m, string c, int type);

public static int Main()

{

return MessageBoxA(0, "Hello World!", "Caption", 0);

}

}

This example shows the minimum requirements for declaring a C# method that is implemented in a native DLL. The method C.MessageBoxA() is declared with the static and external modifiers, and has the DllImport attribute, which tells the compiler that the implementation comes from the user32.dll, using the default name of MessageBoxA. For more information, look at the Platform Invoke tutorial in the documentation.


What is the .NET datatype that allows the retrieval of data by a unique key?

HashTable.


How do you specify a custom attribute for the entire assembly (rather than for a class)?

Global attributes must appear after any top-level using clauses and before the first type or namespace declarations.

An example of this is as follows:

using System;

[assembly : MyAttributeClass]

class X {}

Note that in an IDE-created project, by convention, these attributes are placed inAssemblyInfo.cs.

Q) I was trying to use an out int parameter in one of my functions. How should I declare the variable that I am passing to it?

You should declare the variable as an int, but when you pass it in you must specify it as ‘out’, like the following: int i; foo(out i); where foo is declared as follows:[return-type] foo(out int o) { }


Q) How does one compare strings in C#?

In the past, you had to call .ToString() on the strings when using the == or != operators to compare the strings’ values. That will still work, but the C# compiler now automatically compares the values instead of the references when the == or != operators are used on string types. If you actually do want to compare references, it can be done as follows:

if ((object) str1 == (object) str2) { } Here’s an example showing how string compares work:

using System;

public class StringTest

{

public static void Main(string[] args)

{

Object nullObj = null; Object realObj = new StringTest();

int i = 10;

Console.WriteLine(\"Null Object is [\" + nullObj + \"]\n\"

+ \"Real Object is [\"

+ realObj + \"]\n\"

+ \"i is [\" + i + \"]\n\");

// Show string equality operators

string str1 = \"foo\";

string str2 = \"bar\";

string str3 = \"bar\";

Console.WriteLine(\"{0} == {1} ? {2}\", str1, str2, str1 == str2 );

Console.WriteLine(\"{0} == {1} ? {2}\", str2, str3, str2 == str3 );}}

Output:

Null Object is

[]Real Object is [StringTest]

i is [10]

foo == bar ? Falsebar == bar ? True

What does assert() do?

In debug compilation, assert takes in a Boolean condition as a parameter, and shows the error dialog if the condition is false. The program proceeds without any interruption if the condition is true.


How do I get deterministic finalization in C#?

In a garbage collected environment, it's impossible to get true determinism. However, a design pattern that we recommend is implementing IDisposable on any class that contains a critical resource. Whenever this class is consumed, it may be placed in a using statement, as shown in the following Example:

using(FileStream myFile = File.Open(@"c:temptest.txt",

FileMode.Open))

{

int fileOffset = 0;

while(fileOffset <>


How can I get around scope problems in a try/catch?

If you try to instantiate the class inside the try, it'll be out of scope when you try to access it from the catch block. A way to get around this is to do the following: Connection conn

= null;

try{

conn = new Connection();

conn.Open();

}

finally

{

if (conn != null) conn.Close();

}

By setting it to null before the try block, you avoid getting the CS0165 error (Use of possibly unassigned local variable 'conn').


Why do I get an error (CS1006) when trying to declare a method without specifying a return type?

If you leave off the return type on a method declaration, the compiler thinks you are trying to declare a constructor. So if you are trying to declare a method that returns nothing, use void. The following is an example: // This results in a CS1006 error public static staticMethod (mainStatic obj) // This will work as wanted public static void staticMethod (mainStatic obj)

What is a multicast delegate?

It is a delegate that points to and eventually fires off several methods.


How does one compare strings in C#?

In the past, you had to call .ToString() on the strings when using the == or != operators to compare the strings' values. That will still work, but the C# compiler now automatically compares the values instead of the references when the == or != operators are used on string types. If you actually do want to compare references, it can be done as follows: if ((object) str1 == (object) str2) { ... } Here's an example showing how string compares

work: using System;

public class StringTest

{

public static void Main(string[] args)

{

Object nullObj = null;

Object realObj = new StringTest();

int i = 10;

Console.WriteLine("Null Object is [" + nullObj + "]n" +

"Real Object is [" + realObj + "]n" +

"i is [" + i + "]n");

// Show string equality operators

string str1 = "foo";

string str2 = "bar";

string str3 = "bar";

Console.WriteLine("{0} == {1} ? {2}", str1, str2, str1 == str2 );

Console.WriteLine("{0} == {1} ? {2}", str2, str3,str2 == str3 );

}

}

Output: Null Object is []

Real Object is [StringTest]

i is [10]

foo == bar ? False

bar == bar ? True

Can multiple catch blocks be executed?

No, once the proper catch code fires off, the control is transferred to the finally block (if there are any), and then whatever follows the finally block.

Can you override private virtual methods?

No, moreover, you cannot access private methods in inherited classes, have to be protected in the base class to allow any sort of access.

What is a pre-requisite for connection pooling?

Multiple processes must agree that they will share the same connection, where every parameter is the same,


What is the data provider name to connect to Access database?

Microsoft.Access.

Why does my Windows application pop up a console window every time I run it?

Make sure that the target type set in the project properties setting is set to Windows Application, and not Console Application. If you're using the command line, compile with /target:winexe & not target:exe.


What is the wildcard character in SQL?

Let us say you want to query database with LIKE for all employees whose name starts with La. The wildcard character is %, the proper query with LIKE would involve La%.


What is the role of the DataReader class in ADO.NET connections?

It returns a read-only dataset from the data source when the command is executed.


What does the This window show in the debugger?

It points to the object that is pointed to by this reference. Object’s instance data is shown.


Describe the accessibility modifier protected internal?

It is available to derived classes and classes within the same Assembly (and naturally from the base class it is declared in).What is an interface class?It is an abstract class with public abstract methods all of which must be implemented in the inherited classes.

Is it possible to have a static indexer in C#?

No. Static indexers are not allowed in C#.


Does C# support #define for defining global constants?

No. If you want to get something that works like the following C code:

#define A 1

use the following C# code: class MyConstants

{

public const int A = 1;

}

Then you use MyConstants.A where you would otherwise use the A macro.Using MyConstants.A has the same generated code as using the literal 1.

Does C# support templates?

No. However, there are plans for C# to support a type of template known as a generic. These generic types have similar syntax but are instantiated at run time as opposed to compile time. You can read more about them here.



Does C# support parameterized properties?

No. C# does, however, support the concept of an indexer from language spec. An indexer is a member that enables an object to be indexed in the same way as an array. Whereas properties enable field-like access, indexers enable array-like access. As an example, consider the Stack class presented earlier. The designer of this class may want to expose array-like access so that it is possible to inspect or alter the items on the stack without performing unnecessary Push and Pop operations.

That is, Stack is implemented as a linked list, but it also provides the convenience of array access.Indexer declarations are similar to property declarations, with the main differences being that indexers are nameless (the name used in the declaration is this, since this is being indexed) and that indexers include indexing parameters. The indexing parameters are provided between square brackets.


Does C# support C type macros?

No. C# does not have macros. Keep in mind that what some of the predefined C macros (for example, __LINE__ and __FILE__) give you can also be found in .NET classes like System.Diagnostics (for example, StackTrace and StackFrame), but they'll only work on debug builds.


Can you store multiple data types in System.Array?

No.


Is it possible to inline assembly or IL in C# code?

No.


Can you declare the override method static while the original method is non-static?

No, you cannot, the signature of the virtual method must remain the same, only the keyword virtual is changed to keyword override.


Does C# support multiple inheritance?

No, use interfaces instead.

What are three test cases you should go through in unit testing?

Positive test cases (correct data, correct output), negative test cases (broken or missing data, proper handling), exception test cases (exceptions are thrown and caught properly).


How do you inherit from a class in C#?

Place a colon and then the name of the base class. Notice that it is double colon in C++.


How do I port "synchronized" functions from Visual J++ to C#?

Original Visual J++ code: public synchronized void Run()

{

// function body}

Ported C# code: class C

{

public void Run()

{

lock(this)

{

// function body

}

}

public static void Main()

{

}

}


Can I define a type that is an alias of another type (like typedef in C++)?

Not exactly. You can create an alias within a single file with the "using" directive: using System; using Integer = System.Int32; // aliasBut you can't create a true alias, one that extends beyond the file in which it is declared. Refer to the C# spec for more info on the 'using' statement's scope.


Is it possible to have different access modifiers on the get/set methods of a property?

No. The access modifier on a property applies to both its get and set accessors.

What you need to do if you want them to be different is make the property read-only (by only providing a get accessor) and create a private/internal set method that is separate from the property.

What are advantages and disadvantages of Microsoft-provided data provider classes in ADO.NET?

SQLServer.NET data provider is high-speed and robust, but requires SQL Server license purchased from Microsoft. OLE-DB.NET is universal for accessing other sources, like Oracle, DB2, Microsoft Access and Informix, but it is a .NET layer on top of OLE layer, so not the fastest thing in the world. ODBC.NET is a deprecated layer provided for backward compatibility to ODBC engines.


Why do I get a security exception when I try to run my C# app?

Some security exceptions are thrown if you are working on a network share. There are some parts of the frameworks that will not run if being run off a share (roaming profile, mapped drives, etc.). To see if this is what's happening, just move the executable over to your local drive and see if it runs without the exceptions. One of the common exceptions thrown under these conditions isSystem.Security.SecurityException.To get around this, you can change your security policy for the intranet zone, code group 1.2, (the zone that running off shared folders falls into) by using the caspol.exe tool.


Is there any sample C# code for simple threading?

Some sample code follows: using System;

using System.Threading;

class ThreadTest

{

public void runme()

{Console.WriteLine("Runme Called");

}

public static void Main(String[] args){

ThreadTest b = new ThreadTest();

Thread t = new Thread(new ThreadStart(b.runme));

t.Start();

}

}


What is the difference between // comments, /* */ comments and /// comments?

Single-line, multi-line and XML documentation comments.


What is the difference between and XML documentation tag?

Single line code example and multiple-line code example.Explain the three services model (three-tier application).Presentation (UI), business (logic and underlying code) and data (from storage or other sources).

Can you change the value of a variable while debugging a C# application?

Yes, if you are debugging via Visual Studio.NET, just go to Immediate window.


Are private class-level variables inherited?

Yes, but they are not accessible, so looking at it you can honestly say that they are not inherited. But they are.


Can you inherit multiple interfaces?

Yes. .NET does support multiple interfaces.


From a versioning perspective, what are the drawbacks of extending an interface as opposed to extending a class?

With regard to versioning, interfaces are less flexible than classes. With a class, you can ship version 1 and then, in version 2, decide to add another method. As long as the method is not abstract (i.e., as long as you provide a default implementation of the method), any existing derived classes continue to function with no changes. Because interfaces do not support implementation inheritance, this same pattern does not hold for interfaces. Adding a method to an interface is like adding an abstract method to a base class--any class that implements the interface will break, because the class doesn't implement the new interface method.


Which one is trusted and which one is untrusted?

Windows Authentication is trusted because the username and password are checked with the Active Directory, the SQL Server authentication is untrusted, since SQL Server is the only verifier participating in the transaction.


What namespaces are necessary to create a localized application?

System.Globalization, System.Resources.


Does Console.WriteLine() stop printing when it reaches a NULL character within a string?

Strings are not null terminated in the runtime, so embedded nulls are allowed. Console.WriteLine() and all similar methods continue until the end of the string.


What is the advantage of using System.Text.StringBuilder over System.String?

StringBuilder is more efficient in the cases, where a lot of manipulation is done to the text. Strings are immutable, so each time it is being operated on, a new instance is created.

How do I declare inout arguments in C#?

The equivalent of inout in C# is ref. , as shown in the followingexample: public void MyMethod (ref String str1, out String str2)

{

...

}

When calling the method, it would be called like this: String s1;

String s2;

s1 = "Hello";

MyMethod(ref s1, out s2);

Console.WriteLine(s1);

Console.WriteLine(s2);

Notice that you need to specify ref when declaring the function and calling it.

Is there a way of specifying which block or loop to break out of when working with nested loops?

The easiest way is to use goto: using System;

class BreakExample

{

public static void Main(String[] args)

{

for(int i=0; i<3; j="0" j ="=">


What is the difference between const and static read-only?

The difference is that static read-only can be modified by the containing class, but const can never be modified and must be initialized to a compile time constant.

To expand on the static read-only case a bit, the containing class can only modify it:

-- in the variable declaration (through a variable initializer).

-- in the static constructor (instance constructors if it's not static).


What does the parameter Initial Catalog define inside Connection String?

The database name to connect to.


What is the difference between System.String and System.StringBuilder classes?

System.String is immutable; System.StringBuilder was designed with the purpose of having a mutable string where a variety of operations can be performed.


What is the top .NET class that everything is derived from?

System.Object.


Can you allow class to be inherited, but prevent the method from being over-ridden?

Yes, just leave the class public and make the method sealed.

Why do I get a "CS5001: does not have an entry point defined" error when compiling?

The most common problem is that you used a lowercase 'm' when defining the Main method. The correct way to implement the entry point is as follows:class test

{

static void Main(string[] args) {}

}

What does the keyword virtual mean in the method definition?

The method can be over-ridden.


What optimizations does the C# compiler perform when you use the /optimize+ compiler option?

The following is a response from a developer on the C# compiler team:

We get rid of unused locals (i.e., locals that are never read, even if assigned).

We get rid of unreachable code.

We get rid of try-catch w/ an empty try.

We get rid of try-finally w/ an empty try (convert to normal code...).

We get rid of try-finally w/ an empty finally (convert to normal code...).

We optimize branches over branches:

gotoif A, lab1

goto lab2:

lab1:

turns into: gotoif !A, lab2

lab1:

We optimize branches to ret, branches to next instruction, and branches to branches.

How can I create a process that is running a supplied native executable (e.g., cmd.exe)?

The following code should run the executable and wait for it to exit beforecontinuing:

using System;

using System.Diagnostics;

public class ProcessTest {

public static void Main(string[] args) {

Process p = Process.Start(args[0]);

p.WaitForExit();

Console.WriteLine(args[0] + " exited.");}}

Remember to add a reference to System.Diagnostics.dll when you compile.


What is the difference between the System.Array.CopyTo() and System.Array.Clone()?


The first one performs a deep copy of the array, the second one is shallow.

What is the equivalent to regsvr32 and regsvr32 /u a file in .NET development?

Try using RegAsm.exe. The general syntax would be: RegAsm. A good description of RegAsm and its associated switches is located in the .NET SDK docs. Just search on "Assembly Registration Tool". Explain ACID rule of thumb for transactions.

Transaction must be Atomic (it is one unit of work and does not dependent on previous and following transactions), Consistent (data is either committed or roll back, no in-between case where something has been updated and something hasnot), Isolated (no transaction sees the intermediate results of the current transaction), Durable (the values persist if the data had been committed even if the system crashes right after).


Where is the output of TextWriterTraceListener redirected?

To the Console or a text file depending on the parameter passed to the constructor.


How do I create a multilanguage, single-file assembly?

This is currently not supported by Visual Studio .NET.


Why cannot you specify the accessibility modifier for methods inside the interface?

They all must be public. Therefore, to prevent you from getting the false impression that you have any freedom of choice, you are not allowed to specify any accessibility, it is public by default.


Is it possible to restrict the scope of a field/method of a class to the classes in the same namespace?

There is no way to restrict to a namespace. Namespaces are never units of protection. But if you're using assemblies, you can use the 'internal' access modifier to restrict access to only within the assembly.

Why do I get a syntax error when trying to declare a variable called checked?

The word checked is a keyword in C#.

Why are there five tracing levels in System.Diagnostics.TraceSwitcher?

The tracing dumps can be quite verbose and for some applications that are constantly running you run the risk of overloading the machine and the hard drive there. Five levels range from None to Verbose, allowing to fine-tune the tracing activities.

What is the syntax for calling an overloaded constructor within a constructor (this() and constructorname() does not compile)?

The syntax for calling another constructor is as follows:

class B{

B(int i)

{ }

}

class C : B{

C() : base(5) // call base constructor B(5)

{ }

C(int i) : this() // call C()

{ }

public static void Main() {}

}

>>PREVIOUS>>

Q) What's C# ?

C# (pronounced C-sharp) is a new object oriented language from Microsoft and is derived from C and C++. It also borrows a lot of concepts from Java too including garbage collection.

Q) It possible to inline assembly or IL in C# code?

- No.

Q) Is it possible to have different access modifiers on the get/set methods of a property?

- No. The access modifier on a property applies to both its get and set accessors. What you need to do if you want them to be different is make the property read-only (by only providing a get accessor) and create a private/internal set method that is separate from the property.

Q) Is it possible to have a static indexer in C#? allowed in C#.

- No. Static indexers are not

Q) If I return out of a try/finally in C#, does the code in the finally-clause run?

-Yes. The code in the finally always runs. If you return out of the try block, or even if you do a goto out of the try, the finally block always runs:using System;class main{public static void Main()

{

try

{

Console.WriteLine(\"In Try block\");

return;

}

finally

{

Console.WriteLine(\"In Finally block\");

}

}

}

Both In Try block and In Finally block will be displayed. Whether the return is in the try block or after the try-finally block, performance is not affected either way. The compiler treats it as if the return were outside the try block anyway. If it’s a return without an expression (as it is above), the IL emitted is identical whether the return is inside or outside of the try. If the return has an expression, there’s an extra store/load of the value of the expression (since it has to be computed within the try block).

>>NEXT>>