C#•3w ago

✅ why is the code so short?

so i have a piece of code:

public enum UserStatus
{
    Active,
    Inactive,
    Suspended
};

public enum UserStatus
{
    Active,
    Inactive,
    Suspended
};

thats a whole file and i dont know why it is so short, its in a folder called "Enums" and in file called "UserStatus", im providing a screenshot for better understanding of the whole project, but for example the file "SampleInterests" has all of this:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net.NetworkInformation;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

namespace klasy.Data
{
    internal class SampleInterests
    {
        public static List<string> Interests = new List<string>()
        {
            "Programowanie",
            "Gotowanie",
            "Granie",
            "Podróże",
            "Sport",
            "Muzyka"
        };
    }
}

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net.NetworkInformation;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

namespace klasy.Data
{
    internal class SampleInterests
    {
        public static List<string> Interests = new List<string>()
        {
            "Programowanie",
            "Gotowanie",
            "Granie",
            "Podróże",
            "Sport",
            "Muzyka"
        };
    }
}

so why is the 1st file different from the 2nd one, can someone explain? why is the 2nd one in a class but the 1st one not?

24 Replies

mich4sOP•3w ago

please mention when reply so i can see

mg•3w ago

@mich4s because one is an enum and one is a list of strings

mich4sOP•3w ago

so enum just doesnt need anything and a list needs a class?

mtreit•3w ago

I'm not really sure I understand the question.

mg•3w ago

there's not really a meaningful comparison you can make between them

mtreit•3w ago

Do you know what an enum is?

mich4sOP•3w ago

yeah

mg•3w ago

what is it

mich4sOP•3w ago

idk how to say it in english but its basically a set of values like in my example active is 0 cuz thats default starting value, inactive is 1 and suspended is 2 we usually used it in switch statements

mg•3w ago

right it's a set of named constants what's a list?

mtreit•3w ago

If you're asking why dedicate an entire source code file to a tiny enum, the answer is that you don't have to do that. C# used to have a pretty heavily followed convention of "one file per type" but I think people have since realized that's a bit silly.

mich4sOP•3w ago

idk how to explain it like a dynamic data storage of the same type in my example string no set length of the list its similar to an array if i remember correctly

mg•3w ago

pretty much so what's your question? "why is the enum so short" well, because it can be

mich4sOP•3w ago

okay so what about the 2nd file why does it need a class

mg•3w ago

why does what need a class

mich4sOP•3w ago

my list

mtreit•3w ago

C# does not have true global state. Everything is attached to a class.

mg•3w ago

mtreit•3w ago

If you want a list of something it has to be part of some class somewhere.

mich4sOP•3w ago

okay

mg•3w ago

"everything" meaning everything that is not itself a type, which an enum is

mtreit•3w ago

If you are confusd why this is a valid C# program:

Console.WriteLine("Hello, World");

Console.WriteLine("Hello, World");

...when there is no class to be seen, that's because the compiler will generate one for you. It's special and only applies to the Main method entry point of your program.

mich4sOP•3w ago

okay thanks

Unknown User•3w ago

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✅ why is the code so short?

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