What happens during Array Assignment? Examine MSIL?

[tom]

Hello

I was wondering what happens when one declares 2 arrays:

private object [] arr1;
private object [] arr2;

fills them appropriately and then writes:
arr1 = arr2;

I was wondering if only a reference was changed or if some
copying was occurring.

Also, Im using C#.Net V7.1.3088 in the IDE and was
wondering how I could examine the generated MSIL code to
answer questions like this for myself.

TIA,
Tom.

 

[Jon Skeet]

I was wondering what happens when one declares 2 arrays:

private object [] arr1;
private object [] arr2;

fills them appropriately and then writes:
arr1 = arr2;

I was wondering if only a reference was changed or if some
copying was occurring.

Arrays are reference types - only the reference is copied. The two
variables would then refer to the same array, so changes made via one
variable could be seen via the other.

Also, Im using C#.Net V7.1.3088 in the IDE and was
wondering how I could examine the generated MSIL code to
answer questions like this for myself.

You could use ildasm...

 

[Michael Mayer]

Also, Im using C#.Net V7.1.3088 in the IDE and was
wondering how I could examine the generated MSIL code to
answer questions like this for myself.

I highly recommend Luts Roeder's Reflector:
http://www.aisto.com/roeder/dotnet/

Very easy to use, powerful, and (for me) stable. There is also a plugin for
vs that uses reflector, but I had poor success with the plug-in. So I just
use the app standalone.

-mike