Partial Class

A partial class, or partial type, is a feature of some OOPS in which the declaration of a class may be split across multiple source-code files, or multiple places within a single file.

Purpose

• Very large classes
• Allowing multiple developers to work on a single class at the same time without the need for later merging files in source control.
• Allowing a separation between the class interface and the implementation-related definitions (Separate definitions of the public and private parts)

Implementation

The implementation of partial classes is quite straight-forward and architecture-transparent. When compiling, the compiler performs a phase of precompilation first it "unifies" all the parts of the partial class into one logical class, and from that point, normal compilation takes place.

Example

using System;

partial class Cylinder

{     

private double hgt;

private double rad;  

public Cylinder(double radius = 0D,  

               double height = 0D)    

 {         

this.rad = radius;         

this.hgt = height;     

}      

public double Radius     

{         

get 

{ 

return rad; 

}      

set 

{ 

rad = value; 

}     

}      

public double Height     

{      

get { return hgt; }      

set { hgt = value; }     

} }

Example1

using System; 

class Program 

{     

static Cylinder Initialize()     

{         

Cylinder c = new Cylinder(36.12, 18.84);         

return c;     

}      

static void Show(Cylinder vol)     

{         

Console.WriteLine("Radius: {0}", vol.Radius);         

Console.WriteLine("Height: {0}", vol.Height);     

}         

static int Main()    

{         

Cylinder cyl = Initialize();          

Show(cyl);          

Console.WriteLine();         

return 0;     

} }