Set array type property size

Question

I have a property that is of type array. This array should have two dimensions being 7 rows and 4 columns, ie, Anytype[7.4], code:

public class WorkingDays
{
    public TimeSpan[,] Times { get; set; }

}

How do I fix a size, forcing a 7x4 array, ie [7,4]? I know it is possible to make validations on set but I think of something like C where you already set the size in the type declaration.

Answer 1

That is not possible.

How you intend this property to be "arrow" by the consumer of the code, the best alternative would be to validate in the method set of property

using System;

public class WorkingDays
{
    private TimeSpan[,] _times;

    public TimeSpan[,] Times
    {
        get { return _times; }
        set
        {
            if (value.GetLength(0) != 7 || value.GetLength(1) != 4)
                throw new Exception("Tamanho de matriz inválido");
            _times = value;
        }
    }
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        var wd = new WorkingDays();
        try 
        {
            wd.Times = new TimeSpan[8, 4];
        }
        catch(Exception ex) 
        {
            Console.WriteLine(ex.Message); //Só pra não quebrar o exemplo
        }

        wd.Times = new TimeSpan[7, 4];
    }
}

^{See working on . NET Fiddle}

---

By way of curiosity, it is possible to define arrays fixed size in contexts unsafe. However, in addition to being highly recommended, it is not possible to do this with arrays multidimensional, in classes (only for struct) and containing types outside the predefined.

An example:

void Main()
{
    var wd = new UWorkingDays();

    unsafe{
        Console.WriteLine(wd.Times[0]);
    }
}

public unsafe struct UWorkingDays
{   
    public fixed int Times[7];
}