Is there a way to get a reference to a C# Array element?

Question

I would like to know if there is a way to get a ref to an array element in c# .

Something like this but without the pointers :

SomeClass *arr[5];
...    
SomeClass** p = &arr[2];

So far I got this :

SomeClass arr[] = new SomeClass[5];
// Put something in the array
SomeClass p = arr[2]; // This will give me the initial object, not the array ref
p = new SomeClass(); // I want the array to now use this new object

If SomeClass is a reference type, then you have a reference to the object at arr[2], and changing a property of p will change the same property in arr[2]. — Joel Coehoorn
– Joel Coehoorn, Commented Apr 10, 2021 at 4:07
I will edit the question to explain the problem a bit better — Antoine Gagnon
– Antoine Gagnon, Commented Apr 10, 2021 at 4:08
Why do you want to make this a field? Sounds like an XY problem. If you just want a way to "get and set a SomeClass", you can store a Func<SomeClass> and Action<SomeClass> instead. — Sweeper
– Sweeper, Commented Apr 10, 2021 at 4:19

Theraot · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-10 04:11:49Z

4

Isn't this what you want?

var arr = new SomeClass[5];
ref SomeClass p = ref arr[2];
p = new SomeClass();

answered Apr 10, 2021 at 4:11

Theraot

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3 Comments

Antoine Gagnon Over a year ago

Yes, but is there a way to declare p as a member variable ?

Sweeper Over a year ago

@AntoineGagnon That's quite an unsafe thing to do, so you have to use pointers.

Theraot Over a year ago

@AntoineGagnon ref exist in the stack. This is how C# ensure the lifetime. Although, you can make the array a field, then take the ref every time you need it.

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