using() in a method that returns....

belphoebes_friend · April 12th, 2007, 03:19 PM

I've been given some code to maintain has this structure throughout:

Code:

public DataSet GetData()
{
    using(DataSet myData = 
        // local method that hits a database
        RunProcedure(
            "fetch_data", 
            new IDataParameter[]{}, 
            "dataType"))
    {
        return myData;
    }    
}

I'm relatively new to dotNet so I'm unsure, but I'm thinking that the using block is completely useless here. If the object were actually getting disposed, the method would not be useful. I'm betting that the object is not disposed, the local reference goes out of scope, and the returned object should then be disposed when appropriate.

Hopefully someone here can verify or refute my theory.

-Andy

Imar · April 12th, 2007, 04:41 PM

Yes, your assumptions are correct. The method will successfully return the DataSet so there's no point in trying to dispose it in the method. Instead, you could do something like this if you want to dispose the DataSet explicitly:

public void SomeMethod()
{
    using(DataSet myData = GetData())
    {
        // work with the dataset here
    }
    // Here it will be disposed off
}

Cheers,

Imar

---------------------------------------
Imar Spaanjaars
http://Imar.Spaanjaars.Com
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