Instantiate an empty string[] as a parameter to make it optional

Question

I have something super similar to:

private void Method(string[] Parameters= {})
{
    // execute code here
}

The issue I run into here is an error stating:

invalid expression term '{'

so if I remove the '= {}' I no longer have an optional string[] as a parameter. I need to have a string[] as an optional parameter.

Let me know if I need to clarify anything.

see this https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3480382/passing-an-empty-array-as-default-value-of-an-optional-parameter — apomene, Feb 13 '19 at 15:50
@whoever closed my question, that one you marked as duplicate was before 4.0 was released. Im certain there is an implementation of something better in 4.0. — LOGANr18, Feb 13 '19 at 16:05
Dear LOGAN. I was the one that initially tried to answer your question and after better search marked it as duplicate. From my narrow knowledge I believe this holds for new versions of .NET. In any case if you are certain there exists a better implementation why not try to search before asking? — apomene, Feb 13 '19 at 16:12
@LOGANr18 If you, or anyone else, comes up with a better solution to the problem than what's already on the existing question, you/they are free to post a new answer with a different solution. — Servy, Feb 13 '19 at 16:13

Murray Foxcroft · Answer 1 · 2019-02-13T15:45:36.187

1

You need to supply null as the default value for an optional string array.

  private void Method(string[] Parameters = null)
  {
        if (Parameters == null)
        {
            // optional parameter not passed in
        }
        else
        {
            // do work with the parameter
        }
  }

edited Feb 13 '19 at 15:45

answered Feb 13 '19 at 15:37

Murray Foxcroft

12,785
7
58
86

Instantiate an empty string[] as a parameter to make it optional

1 Answers1