Return multiple values to a method caller

This is a code sample for returning multiple values from a c# method. For example, imagine a method that accepts multiple parameters and return two parameters;

So far the best method that I have found is this;

public Tuple<int, int> GetMultipleValue()
{
     return Tuple.Create(1,2);
}

This works in .NET 4 and up. Tuples with two values have Item1 and Item2 as properties.

Here is a list of different methods;

1. ref / out parameters

using ref:

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    int a = 10;
    int b = 20;
    int add = 0;
    int multiply = 0;
    Add_Multiply(a, b, ref add, ref multiply);
    Console.WriteLine(add);
    Console.WriteLine(multiply);
}

private static void Add_Multiply(int a, int b, ref int add, ref int multiply)
{
    add = a + b;
    multiply = a * b;
}

using out:

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    int a = 10;
    int b = 20;
    int add;
    int multiply;
    Add_Multiply(a, b, out add, out multiply);
    Console.WriteLine(add);
    Console.WriteLine(multiply);
}

private static void Add_Multiply(int a, int b, out int add, out int multiply)
{
    add = a + b;
    multiply = a * b;
}

2. struct / class

struct Result
{
    public int add;
    public int multiply;
}
static void Main(string[] args)
{
    int a = 10;
    int b = 20;
    var result = Add_Multiply(a, b);
    Console.WriteLine(result.add);
    Console.WriteLine(result.multiply);
}

private static Result Add_Multiply(int a, int b)
{
    var result = new Result
    {
        add = a * b,
        multiply = a + b
    };
    return result;
}

using class:

class Result
{
    public int add;
    public int multiply;
}
static void Main(string[] args)
{
    int a = 10;
    int b = 20;
    var result = Add_Multiply(a, b);
    Console.WriteLine(result.add);
    Console.WriteLine(result.multiply);
}

private static Result Add_Multiply(int a, int b)
{
    var result = new Result
    {
        add = a * b,
        multiply = a + b
    };
    return result;
}

3. Tuple

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    int a = 10;
    int b = 20;
    var result = Add_Multiply(a, b);
    Console.WriteLine(result.Item1);
    Console.WriteLine(result.Item2);
}

private static Tuple<int, int> Add_Multiply(int a, int b)
{
    var tuple = new Tuple<int, int>(a + b, a * b);
    return tuple;
}

C# 7 Tuples

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    int a = 10;
    int b = 20;
    (int a_plus_b, int a_mult_b) = Add_Multiply(a, b);
    Console.WriteLine(a_plus_b);
    Console.WriteLine(a_mult_b);
}

private static (int a_plus_b, int a_mult_b) Add_Multiply(int a, int b)
{
    return(a + b, a * b);
}

C# 7 Tuples More..

(string, string, string) LookupName(long id) // tuple return type
{
    ... // retrieve first, middle and last from data storage
    return (first, middle, last); // tuple literal
}

which could then be used like this:

var names = LookupName(id);
WriteLine($"found {names.Item1} {names.Item3}.");

You can also provide names to your elements (so they are not “Item1”, “Item2” etc). You can do it by adding a name to the signature or the return methods:

(string first, string middle, string last) LookupName(long id) // tuple elements have names

or

return (first: first, middle: middle, last: last); // named tuple elements in a literal

They can also be deconstructed, which is a pretty nice new feature:

(string first, string middle, string last) = LookupName(id1); // deconstructing declaration

Resource

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/748062/return-multiple-values-to-a-method-caller

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