C# programming tips - setter to use Property while getter to use field

It is a common practise to have a backend field and a property that guard the access to it. 

 

if you type something like the propful , then you will have something like this 

 

 

    private string backendField;

    public string Property
    {
      get { return backendField; }
      set { backendField = value; }
    }

 

 

When you use the code, internally you might want to read raw data (the backend field directly), so that you will have the best flexibility. 

 

well, you may want to call the Property when you try to set some values, because in the setter, you can also update properties/fields that depends on the property. 

 

 internal PageOrientation PageOrientation
    {
      get { return m_pageOrientation; }
      set 
      {
        m_pageOrientation = value;
        PageOrientationString = value.ToString();
      }
    }

    internal string PageOrientationString
    {
      get { return (string)GetValue(PageOrientationStringProperty); }
      set {
        SetAndRaisePropertyChanged(PageOrientationStringProperty, value);
      }
    }
   // set the property via the PropertyKey and send notification on the update 
  // requirement on the containing object is that it should be a DependencyObject
    private void SetAndRaisePropertyChanged(DependencyProperty dp, object newvalue)
    {
      var oldvalue = GetValue(dp);
      SetValue(dp, newvalue);
      OnPropertyChanged(new DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs(dp, oldvalue, newvalue));
    }

 

 

In the above code, the PageOrientationString depends on the Property of PageOrientation. so it makes sense to ripple the update when you set the value of PageOrientation; otherwise, you may call SetValue(PageOrientationProperty, value) followed by another call to SetValue(PageOrientationStringProperty, value);

 

which is tedious and error prone. 

 

 

NOTE: another tip is that it may also fine if  you read the property directly rather than read the backend field directly, it has advantage in certain situation, e..g if the property is a derived property which depends on several fields/properties.