Store a reference to an object

Question

A bit of a weird question but I was wondering anyone could help...

In C++, I could do something like this

class MyOtherClass
{
     private:
                 


        

Answer 1

adding comment for future me as sometime I also forget, also for someone new in c# want to visualize "c++ pointer" vs "c# object reference" vs "C# object reference By Ref". Notice how Passing By Ref(Last method call) and assigning new obj, changes original object.

using System;

public class Emp
{
    public int TimeSpentInCompany {get; set;}
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        
        Emp t1 = new Emp{TimeSpentInCompany = 5};
        Console.WriteLine("original obj before method call-->" + t1.TimeSpentInCompany);
        
        // Test is one by one
        
        // var res = PassObject_SimpleUpdateMemberAndPrint(t1);
        // var res = PassObject_SimpleUpdateObjectAndPrint(t1);
        // var res = PassObjectByRef_SimpleUpdateMemberAndPrint(ref t1);
        var res = PassObjectByRef_SimpleUpdateObjectAndPrint(ref t1);
        
        Console.WriteLine("original obj after method call-->" + t1.TimeSpentInCompany);
        Console.WriteLine("obj from method response-->" + res.TimeSpentInCompany);
    }
    
    static Emp PassObject_SimpleUpdateMemberAndPrint(Emp data)
    {
        /*
            original obj before method call-->5
            in method before modification obj member--> 5
            in method AFTER modification obj member--> 9
            original obj after method call-->9
            obj from method response-->9
        */      
        Console.WriteLine("in method before modification obj member--> "+ data.TimeSpentInCompany);
        data.TimeSpentInCompany += 4;
        Console.WriteLine("in method AFTER modification obj member--> "+ data.TimeSpentInCompany);
        return data;
    }   
    
    static Emp PassObject_SimpleUpdateObjectAndPrint(Emp data)
    {
        /*
            original obj before method call-->5
            in method before assigning new obj --> 5
            in method AFTER assigning new obj --> 9
            original obj after method call-->5
            obj from method response-->9
        */
        Console.WriteLine("in method before assigning new obj --> "+ data.TimeSpentInCompany);
        data = new Emp{TimeSpentInCompany = 9};
        Console.WriteLine("in method AFTER assigning new obj --> "+ data.TimeSpentInCompany);
        return data;
    }
    
    static Emp PassObjectByRef_SimpleUpdateMemberAndPrint(ref Emp data)
    {
        /*
            original obj before method call-->5
            in method before modification obj member--> 5
            in method AFTER modification obj member--> 9
            original obj after method call-->9
            obj from method response-->9
        */      
        Console.WriteLine("in method before modification obj member--> "+ data.TimeSpentInCompany);
        data.TimeSpentInCompany += 4;
        Console.WriteLine("in method AFTER modification obj member--> "+ data.TimeSpentInCompany);
        return data;
    }   
    
    static Emp PassObjectByRef_SimpleUpdateObjectAndPrint(ref Emp data)
    {
        /*
            original obj before method call-->5
            in method before assigning new obj --> 5
            in method AFTER assigning new obj --> 9
            original obj after method call-->9
            obj from method response-->9
        */
        Console.WriteLine("in method before assigning new obj --> "+ data.TimeSpentInCompany);
        data = new Emp{TimeSpentInCompany = 9};
        Console.WriteLine("in method AFTER assigning new obj --> "+ data.TimeSpentInCompany);
        return data;
    }
}