C# const declaration doc error

[Blah]

In MSDN documentation it states..

Remarks
The constant declaration can declare multiple constants,
for example:
public const double x = 1.0, y = 2.0, z = 3.0;
The static modifier is not allowed in a constant
declaration.
A constant can participate in a constant expression, for
example:
public const int c1 = 5.0;
public const int c2 = c1 + 100;
Yet in VS.NET 2003 the compiler generates a static
modifier yet in MSDN it says its not allowed. If i dont
declare it static the object viewer says its static, and i
am also permitted to specify it as a static const. So,
MSDN wrong? or just typical developer badly explaining it?

[Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]]

What do you mean the compiler generates a static modifier? If you are
talking about what IL is produced, then you can't apply what is in the C#
language spec to what you see in the IL, because that follows a different
spec. Ultimately, a constant is represented as a static variable. It is a
C# construct only, and has nothing to do how it is represented in IL.

Hope this helps.

"Blah" <an*******@disc ussions.microso ft.com> wrote in message
news:0f******** *************** *****@phx.gbl.. .

In MSDN documentation it states..

Remarks
The constant declaration can declare multiple constants,
for example:
public const double x = 1.0, y = 2.0, z = 3.0;
The static modifier is not allowed in a constant
declaration.
A constant can participate in a constant expression, for
example:
public const int c1 = 5.0;
public const int c2 = c1 + 100;
Yet in VS.NET 2003 the compiler generates a static
modifier yet in MSDN it says its not allowed. If i dont
declare it static the object viewer says its static, and i
am also permitted to specify it as a static const. So,
MSDN wrong? or just typical developer badly explaining it?

[Daniel Pratt]

Hi Blah,

"Blah" <an*******@disc ussions.microso ft.com> wrote in message
news:0f******** *************** *****@phx.gbl.. .

In MSDN documentation it states..

Remarks
The constant declaration can declare multiple constants,
for example:
public const double x = 1.0, y = 2.0, z = 3.0;
The static modifier is not allowed in a constant
declaration.
A constant can participate in a constant expression, for
example:
public const int c1 = 5.0;
public const int c2 = c1 + 100;
Yet in VS.NET 2003 the compiler generates a static
modifier yet in MSDN it says its not allowed. If i dont
declare it static the object viewer says its static, and i
am also permitted to specify it as a static const. So,
MSDN wrong? or just typical developer badly explaining it?

Constants are implicitly static. Since they can only be one value
there's no reason to make them instance members and being static makes them
more flexible (can reference without an instance of the class). Are you sure
you can specify "static const"? For me the compiler (VS 2003) detects an
error as expected ("The constant 'MyClass.MY_CON STANT' cannot be marked
static").

Regards,
Dan

[100]

Hi Blah,
Actually constants are only a meta data. There is no any fields behind them.
You can see that so called field has attribute *literal* applied.
Nicholas is right. The way you declare and use constants in c# is according
the c# spec and has nothing to do with IL and CLR.

B\rgds
100

"Blah" <an*******@disc ussions.microso ft.com> wrote in message
news:0f******** *************** *****@phx.gbl.. .

In MSDN documentation it states..

Remarks
The constant declaration can declare multiple constants,
for example:
public const double x = 1.0, y = 2.0, z = 3.0;
The static modifier is not allowed in a constant
declaration.
A constant can participate in a constant expression, for
example:
public const int c1 = 5.0;
public const int c2 = c1 + 100;
Yet in VS.NET 2003 the compiler generates a static
modifier yet in MSDN it says its not allowed. If i dont
declare it static the object viewer says its static, and i
am also permitted to specify it as a static const. So,
MSDN wrong? or just typical developer badly explaining it?

[bwahahahaha]

The documentation states that its not possible to declare them static, when
infact i was permited to, its a doc error. Or badly explained.

It clearly states...
"The static modifier is not allowed in a constant declaration."

Yet I can do what it says I cannot do. and also the compiler itself (if you
check object browser) states that they are what the documentation says they
are Not.
My point is, its confusing and inaccurate in the documentation.
"100" <10*@100.com> wrote in message
news:Op******** ******@tk2msftn gp13.phx.gbl...

Hi Blah,
Actually constants are only a meta data. There is no any fields behind them. You can see that so called field has attribute *literal* applied.
Nicholas is right. The way you declare and use constants in c# is according the c# spec and has nothing to do with IL and CLR.

B\rgds
100

"Blah" <an*******@disc ussions.microso ft.com> wrote in message
news:0f******** *************** *****@phx.gbl.. .

In MSDN documentation it states..

Remarks
The constant declaration can declare multiple constants,
for example:
public const double x = 1.0, y = 2.0, z = 3.0;
The static modifier is not allowed in a constant
declaration.
A constant can participate in a constant expression, for
example:
public const int c1 = 5.0;
public const int c2 = c1 + 100;
Yet in VS.NET 2003 the compiler generates a static
modifier yet in MSDN it says its not allowed. If i dont
declare it static the object viewer says its static, and i
am also permitted to specify it as a static const. So,
MSDN wrong? or just typical developer badly explaining it?

[bwahahahaha]

What is the benifit of specifying a const in C# as static then? What is the
difference between a static const (which MSDN says clearly that cannot be
done but it can) and a non static const.

Anybody care to enlighten me as MSDN does a good job of confusing the issue.
"100" <10*@100.com> wrote in message
news:Op******** ******@tk2msftn gp13.phx.gbl...

Hi Blah,
Actually constants are only a meta data. There is no any fields behind them. You can see that so called field has attribute *literal* applied.
Nicholas is right. The way you declare and use constants in c# is according the c# spec and has nothing to do with IL and CLR.

B\rgds
100

"Blah" <an*******@disc ussions.microso ft.com> wrote in message
news:0f******** *************** *****@phx.gbl.. .

In MSDN documentation it states..

Remarks
The constant declaration can declare multiple constants,
for example:
public const double x = 1.0, y = 2.0, z = 3.0;
The static modifier is not allowed in a constant
declaration.
A constant can participate in a constant expression, for
example:
public const int c1 = 5.0;
public const int c2 = c1 + 100;
Yet in VS.NET 2003 the compiler generates a static
modifier yet in MSDN it says its not allowed. If i dont
declare it static the object viewer says its static, and i
am also permitted to specify it as a static const. So,
MSDN wrong? or just typical developer badly explaining it?

[100]

Hi,

The documentation states that its not possible to declare them static, when infact i was permited to, its a doc error.

What do you mean? My C# compiler emits an error if I try to put *static*
modifier in constant declaration.

B\rgds
100

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

100 <10*@100.com> wrote:

Actually constants are only a meta data. There is no any fields behind them.

In what way? I can't see anything in any spec saying there aren't any
fields behind them, and reflection can certainly get them as fields:

using System;
using System.Reflecti on;

public class Test
{
public const int x = 5;

static void Main()
{
foreach (FieldInfo fi in typeof(Test).Ge tFields())
{
Console.WriteLi ne ("{0}={1}", fi.Name, fi.GetValue(nul l));
}
}
}

Yes, references to them are inlined, but I don't think that means
they're not fields.

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.co m>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

bwahahahaha <bw*******@bwah ahaha.org.ie> wrote:

The documentation states that its not possible to declare them static, when
infact i was permited to, its a doc error. Or badly explained.

It clearly states...
"The static modifier is not allowed in a constant declaration."

Yet I can do what it says I cannot do.

Really? I get a compile-time error:

using System;

public class Test
{
static const int x = 5;

static void Main()
{
}
}

Test.cs(5,22): error CS0504: The constant 'Test.x' cannot be marked
static

Does the above really compile for you?

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.co m>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

[bwahahahaha]

Mine builds ok on 2003. Bloody odd.

public static const int WM_COMMAND = 0x112;

Works for me.
"Jon Skeet [C# MVP]" <sk***@pobox.co m> wrote in message
news:MP******** *************** *@msnews.micros oft.com...

bwahahahaha <bw*******@bwah ahaha.org.ie> wrote:

The documentation states that its not possible to declare them static, when infact i was permited to, its a doc error. Or badly explained.

It clearly states...
"The static modifier is not allowed in a constant declaration."

Yet I can do what it says I cannot do.

Really? I get a compile-time error:

using System;

public class Test
{
static const int x = 5;

static void Main()
{
}
}

Test.cs(5,22): error CS0504: The constant 'Test.x' cannot be marked
static

Does the above really compile for you?

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.co m>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too