WriteOnlyArrayAttribute Class

Definition

Namespace:

System.Runtime.InteropServices.WindowsRuntime

Assembly:

System.Runtime.InteropServices.WindowsRuntime.dll

When applied to an array parameter in a Windows Runtime component, specifies that the contents of an array that is passed to that parameter are used only for output. The caller does not guarantee that the contents are initialized, and the called method should not read the contents.

public ref class WriteOnlyArrayAttribute sealed : Attribute

[System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Parameter, AllowMultiple=false, Inherited=false)]
public sealed class WriteOnlyArrayAttribute : Attribute

[<System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Parameter, AllowMultiple=false, Inherited=false)>]
type WriteOnlyArrayAttribute = class
    inherit Attribute

Public NotInheritable Class WriteOnlyArrayAttribute
Inherits Attribute

Inheritance

Object

Attribute

WriteOnlyArrayAttribute

Attributes

AttributeUsageAttribute

Remarks

If an array parameter in your Windows Runtime component is passed by value (ByVal in Visual Basic), you must apply one of the following attributes to it:

• Apply the ReadOnlyArrayAttribute attribute if you intend the contents of the array to be used for input only.

• Apply the WriteOnlyArrayAttribute attribute if you intend the contents of the array to be used for output only (that is, the method sets the contents of the array but does not read them).

Applying both attributes to a parameter causes an error. For more information, including the standard pattern for making changes to an array, see Passing arrays to a Windows Runtime component in the Windows Dev Center.

Important

Parameters that have the WriteOnlyArrayAttribute attribute behave differently depending on whether the caller is written in native code or managed code. If the caller is native code (JavaScript or Visual C++ component extensions), the called method can't make any assumptions about the contents of the original array. For example, the array the method receives might not be initialized, or might contain default values. The method is expected to set the values of all the elements in the array.

If the caller is managed code, the caller's original array is passed to the called method, as it would be in any method call in the .NET Framework. Array contents are mutable in managed code, so the method can selectively read and change those values. This is important to remember because it affects unit tests written for a Windows Runtime component. If the tests are written in managed code, the contents of an array will appear to be mutable during testing, and the results are likely to be different if the method is called from native code later.

Applying this attribute to an out parameter or to a parameter that has the InAttribute attribute causes an error when the module is exported. Applying the attribute to a parameter that has the OutAttribute attribute causes an error unless the parameter also has the Visual Basic ByRef modifier. In that case, the attribute is redundant but allowed.

Constructors

WriteOnlyArrayAttribute()

Initializes a new instance of the WriteOnlyArrayAttribute class.

Properties

TypeId

When implemented in a derived class, gets a unique identifier for this Attribute. (Inherited from Attribute)

Methods

Equals(Object)	Returns a value that indicates whether this instance is equal to a specified object. (Inherited from Attribute)
GetHashCode()	Returns the hash code for this instance. (Inherited from Attribute)
GetType()	Gets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object)
IsDefaultAttribute()	When overridden in a derived class, indicates whether the value of this instance is the default value for the derived class. (Inherited from Attribute)
Match(Object)	When overridden in a derived class, returns a value that indicates whether this instance equals a specified object. (Inherited from Attribute)
MemberwiseClone()	Creates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object)
ToString()	Returns a string that represents the current object. (Inherited from Object)

See also

• ReadOnlyArrayAttribute
• Winmdexp.exe (Windows Runtime Metadata Export Tool)
• Creating Windows Runtime Components in C# and Visual Basic
• Passing arrays to a Windows Runtime component