[RESOLVED] [2.0] Optional Parameters

[Fromethius]

I believe it is possible to have optional parameters in C#. Some programmers will swear by overloading constructors, but in my eyes, less code is easier to understand and just better for me.

I am aware that there is a question mark.. I guess I would call it.. an operator?

You can put it after types in variable declarations and stuff of the sort. For example:

private Rectangle? sourceRectangle;

public SpriteToRender(Rectangle? sourceRectangle)
{
    this.sourceRectangle = sourceRectangle;
}

Anyways, that's how I believe it works. I find it rather redundant to create an overload of the constructor multiple times when you can just use the "?" (operator?)

Anyways, try searching for a "?" on google or msdn. I can't really find any documentation on it! Can anyone explain this (operator?) to me? Is it good to use? My friend who is a game programmer for exDream and Microsoft for a couple projects uses them a lot. Since I know he is a great programmer, I wanted to learn these for myself. Are they good practice? Am I better off just overloading the constructor instead of using these? Are they the equivalent to the "Optional" keyword in VB?

Thanks a bunch.

[jmcilhinney]

There is no such thing as optional parameters in C#. What you have done there has nothing to do with optional parameters. That is simply using a nullable type. That code is shorthand for this:

private Nullable<Rectangle> sourceRectangle;

public SpriteToRender(Nullable<Rectangle> sourceRectangle)
{
    this.sourceRectangle = sourceRectangle;
}

A nullable type is basically a structure that can have a null value. You should read the MSDN documentation for the Nullable<T> type.

[Fromethius]

Oh alright. Thanks.