C#: List of custom class a property of another class

Question

I have a C# class to store my User details and another for storing JOBS details.The scenario is like each User can have multiple JOBS. I have UserId,UserName,Age etc as my User class properties. Now i want to associate the of JOBS class objects to a property called JOBS so that i can store multiple jobs associated with this user to that as a List. How to write the Property in my USerClass ? .How should be the set and get ?

Answer 1

public class User
{
 private List<Jobs> m_JobList = new List<Jobs>();

 public List<Jobs> JobList
 {
  get { return m_JobList; }
 }
}

try something like this.

Answer 2

If you want to depend upon abstractions

public interface IUser
{
    IList<IJob> Jobs { get; set; }
}

public class User : IUser
{
    IList<IJob> Jobs { get; set; }  // Automatic properties C# >= 3

    public User(IList<IJob> jobs)
    {
        Jobs = jobs; 
    }
}

Replace IList with ICollection if you don't need indexing and just want a count and be able to enumerate through the jobs. Also consider ReadOnlyCollection<IJob> if a user can't change jobs (immutable), by removing set; from interface and replace set; with private set; in the class.

Answer 3

You can also use ArrayList as the following:

public class User
{
private ArrayList m_Jobs = new ArrayList();

 public ArrayList Jobs
 {
  get {return m_Jobs;}
 }
}

Answer 4

Another two thoughts; you can use C# 3.0 auto props if you like, but you need to use the constructor to do the initial set:

class User {
    public List<Job> Jobs {get; private set;}
    public User() {
        Jobs = new List<Job>();
    }
}

Also; if you are using xml serialization via XmlSerializer, the property (annoyingly) needs to have a (public) setter (regardless of whether you use auto-props or an explicit field); much gnashing of teeth over this (also, the class must be public):

public class User {
    public List<Job> Jobs {get; set;}
    public User() {
        Jobs = new List<Job>();
    }
}