Cannot add to an array [c#]

[Markus]

I'm trying to take values from an .xml file and add them into an array, but I keep hitting this error: Error 1 An object reference is required for the non-static field, method, or property 'ConsoleApplication1.Program.Names'

Here is the c# (line #23)

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Xml;
 
namespace ConsoleApplication1
{
    class Program
    {
        string[] Names = new String[500];
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            //Create instance and then call read method
            XmlTextReader TextReader = new XmlTextReader("C:\\names.xml");
            TextReader.Read();
            //While there is a value
            int i = 0;
            while (TextReader.Read())
            {
 
                TextReader.MoveToElement();
                Names[i] = TextReader.Value;
                i++;
            }
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }
}
 

[Plater]

Main() is always a static function. You need to create an instance of the Program class if you want to use its member variables.

[Curtis Rutland]

The best way to take care of this is to declare Names as static, since that is how you are going to use it here.

[Markus]

Main() is always a static function. You need to create an instance of the Program class if you want to use its member variables.

How would you do that?

And thanks Kurt/Curt.

[r035198x]

How would you do that?

And thanks Kurt/Curt.

To declare something as static just prepend it with the static modifier or declare it in a static context. You could declare that array inside the Main method itself.

[Curtis Rutland]

//change
string[] Names = new String[500];
//to
static string[] Names = new String[500];

[Markus]

To declare something as static just prepend it with the static modifier or declare it in a static context. You could declare that array inside the Main method itself.

No, I got that. I was asking about the 'create an instance of the program class'.

[Curtis Rutland]

No, I got that. I was asking about the 'create an instance of the program class'.

Program program = new Program();

But you really don't have any need to do that. The Program class is there to contain your static void Main() method, the entry point of the application. Since Main is static, you can't access non-static members of Program without making an instance of program. But there's really no point in doing that, seeing as you want to use that array statically too.