Section 10.6. Array Methods

10.6. Array Methods

Although you've been using arrays as built-in types throughout this chapter, an array is actually an object of type System.Array . ^[*] Arrays in C# thus provide you with the best of both worlds : easy-to-use syntax underpinned with an actual class definition so that instances of an array have access to the methods and properties of System.Array . You've seen the Length property of arrays used several times already. Some of the other important methods and properties appear in Table 10-1.

^[*] Of course, when you create an array with int[] myArray = new int[5] , what you actually create in the IL code is an instance of System.int32[] . Because this derives from the Abstract Base Class System.Array , however, it is fair to say you've created an instance of a System.Array .

Table 10-1. System.Array methods and properties

Method or property	Purpose
BinarySearch( )	Overloaded public static method that searches a one-dimensional sorted array
Clear( )	Public static method that sets a range of elements in the array either to zero or to a null reference
Copy( )	Overloaded public static method that copies a section of one array to another array
CreateInstance ( )	Overloaded public static method that instantiates a new instance of an array
IndexOf( )	Overloaded public static method that returns the index (offset) of the first instance of a value in a one-dimensional array
LastIndexOf( )	Overloaded public static method that returns the index of the last instance of a value in a one-dimensional array
Reverse( )	Overloaded public static method that reverses the order of the elements in a one-dimensional array
Sort ( )	Overloaded public static method that sorts the values in a one-dimensional array
Length	Public property that returns the length of the array
GetEnumerator( )	Public method that returns an IEnumerator