declaring strings inside vs. outside of functions

[darrel]

Often, I want to use a string in multiple functions on a page. I can declare
and re-set the string in each function, or I can just delcare the string
outside of the individual functions so that they can all see it.

This works fine.

My question is if there is any reason NOT to go ahead and declare ALL
strings at the top? Is there a performance/memory hit in doing that? Or is
it simply a matter of clean code syntax/layout?

-Darrel

[Scott Allen]

Go for clear code that is also easy to read and maintainable. If the
string serves different purposes in the different methods, than you
should keep the declaration inside the methods as this can reduce
confusion tremendously.

--
Scott
http://www.OdeToCode.com

On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 10:06:40 -0500, "darrel" <no*****@hotmail.com>
wrote:

Often, I want to use a string in multiple functions on a page. I can declare
and re-set the string in each function, or I can just delcare the string
outside of the individual functions so that they can all see it.

This works fine.

My question is if there is any reason NOT to go ahead and declare ALL
strings at the top? Is there a performance/memory hit in doing that? Or is
it simply a matter of clean code syntax/layout?

-Darrel

[William F. Robertson, Jr.]

Strings are immutable in .NET. What that means is every operation, every
change, any time you change a string, and new string is created and the old
one is marked for GC.

string s = "hello";
s = s.Replace( "hell", "heaven" );

Two strings were created. I think there is actually more because the string
literals must be loaded.

IMHO, it is more a style issue. I like to have strings declared inside my
methods, they are marked for GC faster when the methods exits, rather than
when the Page is done processing a request.

HTH,

bill
"darrel" <no*****@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:uJ**************@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...

Often, I want to use a string in multiple functions on a page. I can declare and re-set the string in each function, or I can just delcare the string
outside of the individual functions so that they can all see it.

This works fine.

My question is if there is any reason NOT to go ahead and declare ALL
strings at the top? Is there a performance/memory hit in doing that? Or is
it simply a matter of clean code syntax/layout?

-Darrel

[Kevin Spencer]

You're talking about the issue of scope. There is a reason why variables
declared inside functions aree not accessible from outside those functions.
They are scoped to function scope, and are protected from any other code
modifying them unintentionally. When you want to use a variable in more than
one function, it is good to declare it global to the class (as a field or
property). When you don't, it is dangerous to declare it global, as it may
be unintentionally modified by some other code than the function for which
you intended it.

--
HTH,
Kevin Spencer
..Net Developer
Microsoft MVP
Big things are made up
of lots of little things.

"darrel" <no*****@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:uJ**************@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...

Often, I want to use a string in multiple functions on a page. I can declare and re-set the string in each function, or I can just delcare the string
outside of the individual functions so that they can all see it.

This works fine.

My question is if there is any reason NOT to go ahead and declare ALL
strings at the top? Is there a performance/memory hit in doing that? Or is
it simply a matter of clean code syntax/layout?

-Darrel