7.5.7 This access
Visual Studio .NET 2003
A this-access consists of the reserved word this.
- this-access:
- this
A this-access is permitted only in the block of an instance constructor, an instance method, or an instance accessor. It has one of the following meanings:
- When
thisis used in a primary-expression within an instance constructor of a class, it is classified as a value. The type of the value is the class within which the usage occurs, and the value is a reference to the object being constructed. - When
thisis used in a primary-expression within an instance method or instance accessor of a class, it is classified as a value. The type of the value is the class within which the usage occurs, and the value is a reference to the object for which the method or accessor was invoked. - When
thisis used in a primary-expression within an instance constructor of a struct, it is classified as a variable. The type of the variable is the struct within which the usage occurs, and the variable represents the struct being constructed. Thethisvariable of an instance constructor of a struct behaves exactly the same as anoutparameter of the struct type — in particular, this means that the variable must be definitely assigned in every execution path of the instance constructor. - When
thisis used in a primary-expression within an instance method or instance accessor of a struct, it is classified as a variable. The type of the variable is the struct within which the usage occurs, and the variable represents the struct for which the method or accessor was invoked. Thethisvariable of an instance method of a struct behaves exactly the same as arefparameter of the struct type.
Use of this in a primary-expression in a context other than the ones listed above is a compile-time error. In particular, it is not possible to refer to this in a static method, a static property accessor, or in a variable-initializer of a field declaration.