C# learner: What actually happens when i access an array[indexed] value vs direct value

Question

i like understanding how things work and i can't seem to find a simple explanation with google.

public class Understanding { 
    public int[] array = new[] {5, 6, 7};
    public int x = 5;
    public int y = 6;
    public int z = 7;
}

for example, if i access array[0] how is that done compared to just accessing x?

So ClrCORE is now open source and available on GitHub. That source may answer your question best. Also, this questions seems to have good information: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/19370231/how-do-arrays-work-internally-in-c-c — Sam Axe, Mar 08 '15 at 06:16
Search for beginner C tutorial - will show what happens in details... C# internal implementation of assignment for int is almost the same. — Alexei Levenkov, Mar 08 '15 at 06:16

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 08 '15 at 06:29

3

The same as in any other language from the C-family (and almost all others, I guess): The physical memory address gets computed at runtime. The difference to a simple local variable is that for a local variable the address is fixed whereas for array elements it gets computed through the simple formula:

[base address of array] + index * [size of array element]

answered Mar 08 '15 at 06:29

Thomas Weller

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Thank YOU Thomas Weller !!! Very much appreciate it when one takes the time to explain something without any buzz :) – AVOlight Mar 08 '15 at 06:49

C# learner: What actually happens when i access an array[indexed] value vs direct value

1 Answers1