Working with Integer Arrays

Question

Hi all Here is my simple piece of code of a Console Application.. int[] a= {1234}; char[] b= {'a''b''c'}; Console.WriteLine(a); Console.WriteLine(b); Result: System.Int32[] abc When printing why it is displaying 'System.Int32[]'?

Vulpes · Answer

Console.WriteLine has 19 overloads: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/System.Console.WriteLine.aspx Console.WriteLine(a) invokes the overload which takes an 'object' parameter as there is no better alternative. This overload applies the ToString() method to the object parameter which in this case simply prints the name of the actual type which is System.Int32[]. However Console.WriteLine(b) invokes the overload which takes a char[] parameter which is obviously the best fit. This overload writes the individual chars of the array one after the other to the console and therefore prints 'abc' in this case.

Terrance C · Answer

Because in C# arrays are actually objects. The char datatype however is a value type and not a reference type like int.