I'm working on a feature for work that requires me to combine a set number of memory streams based on specific conditions.

Previous Code

Before based on documentation/examples online. In order to create a PDF to print, you have to create a Memory Stream and save that document into a Memory Stream. Here lies my old code.

    PdfDocument testDocument1 = new PdfDocument(testParametersToDesignUniquePDF1);
    PdfDocument testDocument2 = new PdfDocument(testParametersToDesignUniquePDF2);
    PdfDocument testDocument3 = new PdfDocument(testParametersToDesignUniquePDF3);
    MemoryStream testDocument1Stream = new MemoryStream();
    MemoryStream testDocument2Stream = new MemoryStream();
    MemoryStream testDocument3Stream = new MemoryStream();
    testDocument1.Save(testDocument1Stream);
    testDocument2.Save(testDocument2Stream);
    testDocument3.Save(testDocument3Stream);

    Stream[] source = { testDocument1, testDocument2};

    if (testCondition)
    {
        source = { testDocument1Stream, testDocument2Stream, testDocument3Stream}
    }

As you can see its only a matter of time before my code gets chunkier as for every PdfDocument, I create I have to create a new memory stream. There's also a limitation of having a static array that I have to keep initializing a new array as more condition applies. I fixed this code with the following below.

New Code

My Code Refactor is to create a dynamic List that I can add x number of streams based on x conditions. Then convert back to a static size array after I'm done. It saves a lot of extra code creating memory streams and saving my documents on it.

    List<MemoryStream> memoryStreams = new List<MemoryStream>();

    memoryStreams.Add(ConvertToMemoryStream(new PdfDocument(testParametersToDesignUniquePDF1)));
    memoryStreams.Add(ConvertToMemoryStream(new PdfDocument(testParametersToDesignUniquePDF2)));

    if (testCondition)
    {
       memoryStreams.Add(ConvertToMemoryStream(new PdfDocument(testParametersToDesignUniquePDF3)));
    }

    //Convert dynamic linked list back to an array of steam.
    Stream[] source = new Stream[memoryStreams.Count];
        int index = 0;
        foreach (MemoryStream stream in memoryStreams)
        {
            source[index] = stream;
            index++;
        }

Method to convert PdfDocument to a stream.

 private MemoryStream ConvertToMemoryStream(PdfDocument document)
    {
        MemoryStream stream = new MemoryStream();

        document.Save(stream);

        return stream;
    }
   

I tested this code to have the same performance and output as the original code. However, the code has more flexibility adding more conditions and PDF's. It is also a lot more readable than the previous code. However, I am worried about a few things.

1. Deallocation - I might not be taking care of disposing my streams if I manipulate it this way.
2. Time of Deallocation - I'm worried that since I don't have a reference to my streams that it might get disposed on its own before actually using it when I Print the PDF's showing a blank PDF.