Standard Collection for IDisposable objects

Question

I've got a bunch of IDisposable objects in a lookup table (plain old Dictionary<>, right now), but to simplify the code and avoid error's I'm looking for a collection class which "owns" the items it holds, and to avoid reinventing the wheel - does such a class already exist?

The specification should be that: - The collection must be disposable, and when it is disposed all contained items should be disposed too. - Whenever an item is removed, it is Dispose()-d first. - ideally, the collection would be generic with the type constraint enforcing the IDisposable-ness of the contained type.

I sorta doubt such a class exists, but I've been pleasantly surprised by the existence of ReadOnlyCollection and ObservableCollection before...

Essentially, I'd like the equivalent of the C++ STL containers but then for the CLR ;-).

Answer 1

I see what you're asking but how hard is it to make your own remove method that disposes the element before you remove it?

Answer 2

From what I know, there is only exits such collection for IComponents - Container implements IContainer. For generic IDisposable I think you have no other options but "reinvent the wheel".

Answer 3

Remember that your collection might not be the only one containing the disposable objects ... What if another object (external to the collection) is referencing one of those? If you dispose it when the collection is disposed, then what would happen to the object?

If these objects implement IDisposable for some unmanaged resources cleaning then make sure they implement finalization as well and dispose of unmanaged resources there.