Why is System.DateTime a structure?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pram
  • Start date Start date
P

Pram

I am curious why did Microsoft write System.DateTime as a structure instead
of a class?

Maybe for backward compatibilty with any existing old code?

FYI, one of the differences between structure and class is we can set the
structure to Nothing.
 
Sorry it should be:
one of the differences between structure and class is we can NOT set the
structure to Nothing.
 
* "Pram said:
I am curious why did Microsoft write System.DateTime as a structure instead
of a class?

Maybe for backward compatibilty with any existing old code?

FYI, one of the differences between structure and class is we can set the
structure to Nothing.
Click to expand...

Why is a 'Point' a structure? Why a 'Rectangle'? I think that most of
the structures in the .NET framework have two things in common: They are
very simple, use mostly simple datatypes (value types) and when working
with them often copies of the objects are created.

--
Herfried K. Wagner
MVP · VB Classic, VB.NET
<http://www.mvps.org/dotnet>

Improve your quoting style:
<http://learn.to/quote>
<http://www.plig.net/nnq/nquote.html>
 
Pram,
I believe DateTime is a structure, as it meets all the criteria to use when
deciding to make a type a Structure as set forth by the .NET Design
Guidelines for Class Library Developers, in that it:

- Acts like a primitive type
- It has an instance size of under 16 bytes
- It is immutable
- It has value semantics.

Which is 4 for 4!

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...genref/html/cpconvaluetypeusageguidelines.asp

The one item that is not listed, but is implied by the above list is as a
Structure it is significantly easier to work with as opposed to being a
class!

Hope this helps
Jay
 
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