Getting the name of a reference variable

Question

So,I have a class student and I created a reference variable pointing to the object of class student.I want to get the name of the reference variable in my code.I want o/p as Harry(which is my reference variable).Is this thing possible?

Code:

   using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using System.Linq;
    using System.Text;

        namespace ConsoleApplication1
        {
            class Program
            {
                static void Main(string[] args)
                {
                    student harry = new student();
                    //OUTPUT:harry
                }
            }

            public class student { }
        }

Do you want the name of the student or the name of the variable as its declared in the code. — ta.speot.is, Feb 07 '14 at 07:23
As a side node, please take the time to read about C#'s conventions. For example, your class name should be written in PascalCase. It'll make it easier for everyone if you follow them, and it's easier to pick them up when you're learning the language. — Pierre-Luc Pineault, Feb 07 '14 at 07:24
@ta.speot.is I want the name of the reference variable i.e harry in the above code — Ajay, Feb 07 '14 at 07:27
possible duplicate of [How to get variable name using reflection?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2566101/how-to-get-variable-name-using-reflection) — Pierre-Luc Pineault, Feb 07 '14 at 07:30
...and example why you want it... There could be much better way to achieve your actual goal (unless it is an programming exercise) — Alexei Levenkov, Feb 07 '14 at 07:40

Carlos Landeras · Answer 1 · 2014-02-07T07:43:19.817

1

Better use a public property than a field and and do it like this:

//Class

public class Student { public string Name { get; set; }}

//Instantiate class method 1:

Student harry = new Student() {Name = "Harry"};

//Instantiate class method 2:

Student harry = new Student();
harry.Name="Harry";


//get property output:


Console.WriteLine(harry.Name);

edited Feb 07 '14 at 07:43

answered Feb 07 '14 at 07:21

Carlos Landeras

11,025
11
56
82

you use `property` instead field :-) – Grundy Feb 07 '14 at 07:22
Yeah. Did it on purpose :). I guess is better but he can choose. The dynamic is the same – Carlos Landeras Feb 07 '14 at 07:23
You have also changed the field to a property – Rune FS Feb 07 '14 at 07:23
1

@CarlosLanderas: I agree it's better to make it a property - but it's worth calling that out in your answer. You *claim* you're making the field public, but you're not. – Jon Skeet Feb 07 '14 at 07:23
Name of the reference variable in my code is "Harry".So,is there any library fn. possible in c# which can give me the o/p as "Harry".Just like if I want the object's class name I could have used System.GetType().Name. – Ajay Feb 07 '14 at 07:25
@JonSkeet, tell me if I am wrong, I already corrected it but it's not named "PascalCase"? – Carlos Landeras Feb 07 '14 at 07:36
@CarlosLanderas: Doh doh doh! Absolutely. Will delete the comment through embarrassment. – Jon Skeet Feb 07 '14 at 07:38

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 07 '14 at 07:27

No there is not a way to do this. You can only access data that are stored in a class.

What you can do is to compare references e.g.

 if( otherStudent == student ) {  }

In this case you test weather the variable otherStudent points to the same object as the variable student points to.

Getting the name of a reference variable

2 Answers2