Correct use of Object Properties

Question

Below is a Class I created to track the current Person in my glorified Data Entry and retrieval app. Once they select a person it calls the constrtuctor which then calls the database to fill in all the rest of the info. Also, throughout the program they will be able to change the various fields.

With this in mind do I have the below set up correctly? I am inexpierenced with properties and using Objects to store data across multiple forms and would appreciate any insight.

Thanks!

class CurrentPerson
{
    public string FirstName { get; set; }
    public string LastName { get; set; }
    public string MiddleName { get; set; }
    public string SuffixID { get; set; }
    public string TitleID { get; set; }
    public string SocialSn { get; set; }
    public string BirthDate { get; set; }
    public string Gender { get; set; }
    public string DlNumber { get; set; }
    public string DlStateID { get; set; }
    public string PrimaryRace { get; set; }
    public string SecondaryRace { get; set; }
    public string EmailAddress { get; set; }
    public string MaritalStatus { get; set; }
    public string InsertProgram { get; set; }
    public string InsertUserID { get; set; }
    public string UpdateProgram { get; set; }
    public string UpdateUserID { get; set; }
    public string LockID { get; set; }

    public int PersonID { get; set; }
    public int ClientID { get; set; }
    public int ResidencyCountyID { get; set; }
    public int ResponsibilityCountyID { get; set; }

    public bool HispanicOriginFlag { get; set; }
    public bool CitizenFlag { get; set; }
    public bool VeteranFlag { get; set; }

    public DateTime DeathDate { get; set; }
    public DateTime InsertDateTime { get; set; }
    public DateTime UpdateDateTime { get; set; }

    // Put the default Constructor back in
    public CurrentPerson(){}

    // Custom Constructor that needs the PersonID
    public CurrentPerson(int pID)
    {
        PersonID = pID;

        // Methods to get rest of data here
    }
}

Answer 1

yup, looks good. you can, btw, set access on the get/set as well, to make it read/write only publicly

public DateTime DeathDate
{
    get;
    private set;
}

Answer 2

This is technically fine. They are all declared perfectly well.

However, often, with DB apps, you'll want to not use automatic properties, since property setters are often a great place to do some validation, as well as potentially marking properties/objects as "dirty" and requiring saving of some sort.

Answer 3

The auto property is always get and set, so that you have no control about properties set (to mark the instance as dirty, or whatever). Therefore, while this is an acceptable class as data entity only, I usually find that auto properties are only rarely really applicable.