Why do we need the “event” keyword while defining events?

Question

I don\'t understand why do we need the \"event\" keyword while defining events, when we can do the same thing without using \"event\" keyword, just by using the delegates.

Answer 1

delegate is a reference type. It inherit MulticastDelegate. event is a Modifier. event is a special modifier for delegate. It modifies some function/method accessibility, for example Invoke method. After modified by modifier event, a delegate instance become an new concept "Event". So Event is just one modified delegate. You cannot directly change reference or invoke an Event outside the class where the Event was defined, but you can change reference or invoke a normal delegate instance. Event provide additional protection, so that Event have more safety features. When you are outside the class where the event was defined, your are allow to do two kind of operations to the Event, "+=" and "-=". But you can do access all the public field, properties, methods etc. of a normal delegate instance. Here is one example:

namespace DelegateEvent
{
    //the following line behave as a class. It is indeed a reference type
    public delegate void MyDelegate(string inputs);

    //The following line is illegal. It can only be an instance. so it cannot be directly under namespace
    //public event MyDelegate MyEvent;


    public class MyClassA
    {
        public event MyDelegate MyEventA;
        public MyDelegate MyDelegateA;


        System.Threading.ManualResetEvent MyResetEvent = new System.Threading.ManualResetEvent(false);
        public void TryToDoSomethingOnMyDelegateA()
        {
            if (MyDelegateA != null)
            {
                //User can assecc all the public methods.
                MyDelegateA("I can invoke detegate in classA");         //invoke delegate
                MyDelegateA.Invoke("I can invoke detegate in classA");  //invoke delegate
                IAsyncResult result = MyDelegateA.BeginInvoke("I can invoke detegate in classA", MyAsyncCallback, MyResetEvent);    //Async invoke
                //user can check the public properties and fields of delegate instance
                System.Reflection.MethodInfo delegateAMethodInfo = MyDelegateA.Method;

                MyDelegateA = testMethod;                   //reset reference
                MyDelegateA = new MyDelegate(testMethod);   //reset reference
                MyDelegateA = null;                         //reset reference


                MyDelegateA += testMethod;                  //Add delegate
                MyDelegateA += new MyDelegate(testMethod);  //Add delegate
                MyDelegateA -= testMethod;                  //Remove delegate
                MyDelegateA -= new MyDelegate(testMethod);  //Remove delegate
            }
        }

        public void TryToDoSomethingOnMyEventA()
        {
            if (MyEventA != null)
            {
                MyEventA("I can invoke Event in classA");           //invoke Event
                MyEventA.Invoke("I can invoke Event in classA");    //invoke Event
                IAsyncResult result = MyEventA.BeginInvoke("I can invoke Event in classA", MyAsyncCallback, MyResetEvent);      //Async invoke
                //user can check the public properties and fields of MyEventA
                System.Reflection.MethodInfo delegateAMethodInfo = MyEventA.Method;


                MyEventA = testMethod;                   //reset reference
                MyEventA = new MyDelegate(testMethod);   //reset reference
                MyEventA = null;                         //reset reference


                MyEventA += testMethod;                  //Add delegate
                MyEventA += new MyDelegate(testMethod);  //Add delegate
                MyEventA -= testMethod;                  //Remove delegate
                MyEventA -= new MyDelegate(testMethod);  //Remove delegate
            }
        }

        private void MyAsyncCallback(System.IAsyncResult result)
        {
            //user may do something here
        }
        private void testMethod(string inputs)
        {
            //do something
        }

    }
    public class MyClassB
    {
        public MyClassB()
        {
            classA = new MyClassA();
        }
        public MyClassA classA;
        public string ReturnTheSameString(string inputString)
        {
            return inputString;
        }


        public void TryToDoSomethingOnMyDelegateA()
        {
            if (classA.MyDelegateA != null)
            {
                //The following two lines do the same job --> invoke the delegate instance
                classA.MyDelegateA("I can invoke delegate which defined in class A in ClassB");
                classA.MyDelegateA.Invoke("I can invoke delegate which defined in class A in ClassB");
                //Async invoke is also allowed

                //user can check the public properties and fields of delegate instance
                System.Reflection.MethodInfo delegateAMethodInfo = classA.MyDelegateA.Method;

                classA.MyDelegateA = testMethod;                   //reset reference
                classA.MyDelegateA = new MyDelegate(testMethod);   //reset reference
                classA.MyDelegateA = null;                         //reset reference


                classA.MyDelegateA += testMethod;                  //Add delegate
                classA.MyDelegateA += new MyDelegate(testMethod);  //Add delegate
                classA.MyDelegateA -= testMethod;                  //Remove delegate
                classA.MyDelegateA -= new MyDelegate(testMethod);  //Remove delegate

            }

        }
        public void TryToDoSomeThingMyEventA()
        {
            //check whether classA.MyEventA is null or not is not allowed
            //Invoke classA.MyEventA is not allowed
            //Check properties and fields of classA.MyEventA is not allowed
            //reset classA.MyEventA reference is not allowed

            classA.MyEventA += testMethod;                  //Add delegate
            classA.MyEventA += new MyDelegate(testMethod);  //Add delegate
            classA.MyEventA -= testMethod;                  //Remove delegate
            classA.MyEventA -= new MyDelegate(testMethod);  //Remove delegate
        }

        private void testMethod(string inputs)
        {
            //do something here
        }
    }
}