static methods

[aewarnick]

Are there any disadvantages to making static methods for classes instead of just public?

 

[Nerseus]

Not so much disadvantages as just differences. A static method is like a global function. A public method is intended to do some action on a specific instance of a class.

So a Car object might have a method named Start() but you wouldnt make it static because you only start a specific car (for example).

The DateTime object has a static method IsLeapYear(int year) that returns true or false whether the year is a leap year. Its static because you dont want to have to create a DateTime object just to call that function.

Whether your objects have static or just public methods is entirely up to you - its just whatever makes sense.

-Nerseus

 

[aewarnick]

Static methods are more convenient and eisier to use but I have seen that when I try to create a thread for the method I cannot. Or at least I dont know how. I will post a new post right now about threads.

 

[Cywizz]

Nerseus...
This brings me to questions that bugged me for a while:

How does the garbage collector handle static vars/methods? Looking at memory resources, is it good or bad to use statics?
Any guidelines?

Thanks!

 

[Nerseus]

Again, its not good or bad to do anything if its needed. But you probably dont need very many static variables, in general (Ive never had the need for more than 2 or 3). Static methods only take up the memory for the compiled instructions of course, just like any other code.

I dont remember offhand how the garbage collector treats static variables - I would imagine it treats them like any other chunk of memory.

-Nerseus

 

[aewarnick]

Thank you Nerseus. You were very helpful.