Implementation example

This section describes a possible implementation of anonymous function conversions in terms of other C# constructs. The implementation described here is based on the same principles used by the Microsoft C# compiler, but it is by no means a mandated implementation, nor is it the only one possible. It only briefly mentions conversions to expression trees, as their exact semantics are outside the scope of this specification.

The remainder of this section gives several examples of code that contains anonymous functions with different characteristics. For each example, a corresponding translation to code that uses only other C# constructs is provided. In the examples, the identifier D is assumed by represent the following delegate type:

public delegate void D();

The simplest form of an anonymous function is one that captures no outer variables:

class Test
{
static void F() {
D d = () => { Console.WriteLine("test"); };
}
}

This can be translated to a delegate instantiation that references a compiler generated static method in which the code of the anonymous function is placed:

class Test
{
static void F() {
D d = new D(__Method1);
}

static void __Method1() {
Console.WriteLine("test");
}
}

In the following example, the anonymous function references instance members of this:

class Test
{
int x;

void F() {
D d = () => { Console.WriteLine(x); };
}
}

This can be translated to a compiler generated instance method containing the code of the anonymous function:

class Test
{
int x;

void F() {
D d = new D(__Method1);
}

void __Method1() {
Console.WriteLine(x);
}
}

In this example, the anonymous function captures a local variable:

class Test
{
void F() {
int y = 123;
D d = () => { Console.WriteLine(y); };
}
}

The lifetime of the local variable must now be extended to at least the lifetime of the anonymous function delegate. This can be achieved by “hoisting” the local variable into a field of a compiler generated class. Instantiation of the local variable (§7.15.5.2) then corresponds to creating an instance of the compiler generated class, and accessing the local variable corresponds to accessing a field in the instance of the compiler generated class. Furthermore, the anonymous function becomes an instance method of the compiler generated class:

class Test
{
void F() {
__Locals1 __locals1 = new __Locals1();
__locals1.y = 123;
D d = new D(__locals1.__Method1);
}

class __Locals1
{
public int y;

public void __Method1() {
Console.WriteLine(y);
}
}
}

Finally, the following anonymous function captures this as well as two local variables with different lifetimes:

class Test
{
int x;

void F() {
int y = 123;
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
int z = i * 2;
D d = () => { Console.WriteLine(x + y + z); };
}
}
}

Here, a compiler generated class is created for each statement block in which locals are captured such that the locals in the different blocks can have independent lifetimes. An instance of __Locals2, the compiler generated class for the inner statement block, contains the local variable z and a field that references an instance of __Locals1. An instance of __Locals1, the compiler generated class for the outer statement block, contains the local variable y and a field that references this of the enclosing function member. With these data structures it is possible to reach all captured outer variables through an instance of __Local2, and the code of the anonymous function can thus be implemented as an instance method of that class.

class Test
{
void F() {
__Locals1 __locals1 = new __Locals1();
__locals1.__this = this;
__locals1.y = 123;
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
__Locals2 __locals2 = new __Locals2();
__locals2.__locals1 = __locals1;
__locals2.z = i * 2;
D d = new D(__locals2.__Method1);
}
}

class __Locals1
{
public Test __this;
public int y;
}

class __Locals2
{
public __Locals1 __locals1;
public int z;

public void __Method1() {
Console.WriteLine(__locals1.__this.x + __locals1.y + z);
}
}
}

The same technique applied here to capture local variables can also be used when converting anonymous functions to expression trees: References to the compiler generated objects can be stored in the expression tree, and access to the local variables can be represented as field accesses on these objects. The advantage of this approach is that it allows the “lifted” local variables to be shared between delegates and expression trees.