IsReadOnly Property
.NET Framework Class Library
ArrayList..::.IsReadOnly Property

Gets a value indicating whether the ArrayList is read-only.

Namespace:  System.Collections
Assembly:  mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Visual Basic (Declaration)
Public Overridable ReadOnly Property IsReadOnly As Boolean
Visual Basic (Usage)
Dim instance As ArrayList
Dim value As Boolean

value = instance.IsReadOnly
C#
public virtual bool IsReadOnly { get; }
Visual C++
public:
virtual property bool IsReadOnly {
    bool get ();
}
JScript
public function get IsReadOnly () : boolean

Property Value

Type: System..::.Boolean
true if the ArrayList is read-only; otherwise, false. The default is false.

Implements

IList..::.IsReadOnly

A collection that is read-only does not allow the addition, removal, or modification of elements after the collection is created.

A collection that is read-only is simply a collection with a wrapper that prevents modifying the collection; therefore, if changes are made to the underlying collection, the read-only collection reflects those changes.

Retrieving the value of this property is an O(1) operation.

The following code example shows how to create a read-only wrapper around an ArrayList and how to determine if an ArrayList is read-only.

Visual Basic
Imports System
Imports System.Collections

Public Class SamplesArrayList

   Public Shared Sub Main()

      Dim myStr As [String]

      ' Creates and initializes a new ArrayList.
      Dim myAL As New ArrayList()
      myAL.Add("red")
      myAL.Add("orange")
      myAL.Add("yellow")

      ' Creates a read-only copy of the ArrayList.
      Dim myReadOnlyAL As ArrayList = ArrayList.ReadOnly(myAL)

      ' Displays whether the ArrayList is read-only or writable.
      If myAL.IsReadOnly Then
         Console.WriteLine("myAL is read-only.")
      Else
         Console.WriteLine("myAL is writable.")
      End If
      If myReadOnlyAL.IsReadOnly Then
         Console.WriteLine("myReadOnlyAL is read-only.")
      Else
         Console.WriteLine("myReadOnlyAL is writable.")
      End If

      ' Displays the contents of both collections.
      Console.WriteLine()
      Console.WriteLine("Initially,")
      Console.WriteLine("The original ArrayList myAL contains:")
      For Each myStr In  myAL
         Console.WriteLine("   {0}", myStr)
      Next myStr
      Console.WriteLine("The read-only ArrayList myReadOnlyAL contains:")
      For Each myStr In  myReadOnlyAL
         Console.WriteLine("   {0}", myStr)
      Next myStr 

      ' Adding an element to a read-only ArrayList throws an exception.
      Console.WriteLine()
      Console.WriteLine("Trying to add a new element to the read-only ArrayList:")
      Try
         myReadOnlyAL.Add("green")
      Catch myException As Exception
         Console.WriteLine(("Exception: " + myException.ToString()))
      End Try

      ' Adding an element to the original ArrayList affects the read-only ArrayList.
      myAL.Add("blue")

      ' Displays the contents of both collections again.
      Console.WriteLine()
      Console.WriteLine("After adding a new element to the original ArrayList,")
      Console.WriteLine("The original ArrayList myAL contains:")
      For Each myStr In  myAL
         Console.WriteLine("   {0}", myStr)
      Next myStr
      Console.WriteLine("The read-only ArrayList myReadOnlyAL contains:")
      For Each myStr In  myReadOnlyAL
         Console.WriteLine("   {0}", myStr)
      Next myStr 

   End Sub 'Main

End Class 'SamplesArrayList 


'This code produces the following output.
'
'myAL is writable.
'myReadOnlyAL is read-only.
'
'Initially,
'The original ArrayList myAL contains:
'   red
'   orange
'   yellow
'The read-only ArrayList myReadOnlyAL contains:
'   red
'   orange
'   yellow
'
'Trying to add a new element to the read-only ArrayList:
'Exception: System.NotSupportedException: Collection is read-only.
'   at System.Collections.ReadOnlyArrayList.Add(Object obj)
'   at SamplesArrayList.Main()
'
'After adding a new element to the original ArrayList,
'The original ArrayList myAL contains:
'   red
'   orange
'   yellow
'   blue
'The read-only ArrayList myReadOnlyAL contains:
'   red
'   orange
'   yellow
'   blue

C#
 using System;
 using System.Collections;
 public class SamplesArrayList  {

    public static void Main()  {

       // Creates and initializes a new ArrayList.
       ArrayList myAL = new ArrayList();
       myAL.Add( "red" );
       myAL.Add( "orange" );
       myAL.Add( "yellow" );

       // Creates a read-only copy of the ArrayList.
       ArrayList myReadOnlyAL = ArrayList.ReadOnly( myAL );

       // Displays whether the ArrayList is read-only or writable.
       Console.WriteLine( "myAL is {0}.", myAL.IsReadOnly ? "read-only" : "writable" );
       Console.WriteLine( "myReadOnlyAL is {0}.", myReadOnlyAL.IsReadOnly ? "read-only" : "writable" );

       // Displays the contents of both collections.
       Console.WriteLine( "\nInitially," );
       Console.WriteLine( "The original ArrayList myAL contains:" );
       foreach ( String myStr in myAL )
          Console.WriteLine( "   {0}", myStr );
       Console.WriteLine( "The read-only ArrayList myReadOnlyAL contains:" );
       foreach ( String myStr in myReadOnlyAL )
          Console.WriteLine( "   {0}", myStr );

       // Adding an element to a read-only ArrayList throws an exception.
       Console.WriteLine( "\nTrying to add a new element to the read-only ArrayList:" );
       try  {
          myReadOnlyAL.Add("green");
       } catch ( Exception myException )  {
          Console.WriteLine("Exception: " + myException.ToString());
       }

       // Adding an element to the original ArrayList affects the read-only ArrayList.
       myAL.Add( "blue" );

       // Displays the contents of both collections again.
       Console.WriteLine( "\nAfter adding a new element to the original ArrayList," );
       Console.WriteLine( "The original ArrayList myAL contains:" );
       foreach ( String myStr in myAL )
          Console.WriteLine( "   {0}", myStr );
       Console.WriteLine( "The read-only ArrayList myReadOnlyAL contains:" );
       foreach ( String myStr in myReadOnlyAL )
          Console.WriteLine( "   {0}", myStr );

    }

 }


/* 
This code produces the following output.

myAL is writable.
myReadOnlyAL is read-only.

Initially,
The original ArrayList myAL contains:
   red
   orange
   yellow
The read-only ArrayList myReadOnlyAL contains:
   red
   orange
   yellow

Trying to add a new element to the read-only ArrayList:
Exception: System.NotSupportedException: Collection is read-only.
   at System.Collections.ReadOnlyArrayList.Add(Object obj)
   at SamplesArrayList.Main()

After adding a new element to the original ArrayList,
The original ArrayList myAL contains:
   red
   orange
   yellow
   blue
The read-only ArrayList myReadOnlyAL contains:
   red
   orange
   yellow
   blue

*/

Visual C++
#using <system.dll>

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Collections;
int main()
{

   // Creates and initializes a new ArrayList.
   ArrayList^ myAL = gcnew ArrayList;
   myAL->Add( "red" );
   myAL->Add( "orange" );
   myAL->Add( "yellow" );

   // Creates a read-only copy of the ArrayList.
   ArrayList^ myReadOnlyAL = ArrayList::ReadOnly( myAL );

   // Displays whether the ArrayList is read-only or writable.
   Console::WriteLine( "myAL is {0}.", myAL->IsReadOnly ? (String^)"read-only" : "writable" );
   Console::WriteLine( "myReadOnlyAL is {0}.", myReadOnlyAL->IsReadOnly ? (String^)"read-only" : "writable" );

   // Displays the contents of both collections.
   Console::WriteLine( "\nInitially," );
   Console::WriteLine( "The original ArrayList myAL contains:" );
   for ( int i(0); i < myAL->Count; ++i )
      Console::WriteLine(  "   {0}", static_cast<String^>(myAL[ i ]) );
   Console::WriteLine( "The read-only ArrayList myReadOnlyAL contains:" );
   for ( int i(0); i < myReadOnlyAL->Count; ++i )
      Console::WriteLine( "   {0}", static_cast<String^>(myReadOnlyAL[ i ]) );

   // Adding an element to a read-only ArrayList throws an exception.
   Console::WriteLine( "\nTrying to add a new element to the read-only ArrayList:" );
   try
   {
      myReadOnlyAL->Add( "green" );
   }
   catch ( Exception^ myException ) 
   {
      Console::WriteLine( String::Concat( "Exception: ", myException->ToString() ) );
   }


   // Adding an element to the original ArrayList affects the read-only ArrayList.
   myAL->Add( "blue" );

   // Displays the contents of both collections again.
   Console::WriteLine( "\nAfter adding a new element to the original ArrayList," );
   Console::WriteLine( "The original ArrayList myAL contains:" );
   for ( int i(0); i < myAL->Count; ++i )
      Console::WriteLine( "   {0}", static_cast<String^>(myAL[ i ]) );
   Console::WriteLine( "The read-only ArrayList myReadOnlyAL contains:" );
   for ( int i(0); i < myReadOnlyAL->Count; ++i )
      Console::WriteLine( "   {0}", static_cast<String^>(myReadOnlyAL[ i ]) );
}

/*
This code produces the following output.

myAL is writable.
myReadOnlyAL is read-only.

Initially,
The original ArrayList myAL contains:
   red
   orange
   yellow
The read-only ArrayList myReadOnlyAL contains:
   red
   orange
   yellow

Trying to add a new element to the read-only ArrayList:
Exception: System.NotSupportedException: Collection is read-only.
   at System.Collections.ReadOnlyArrayList.Add(Object obj)
   at SamplesArrayList.Main()

After adding a new element to the original ArrayList,
The original ArrayList myAL contains:
   red
   orange
   yellow
   blue
The read-only ArrayList myReadOnlyAL contains:
   red
   orange
   yellow
   blue

*/

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98, Windows CE, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, Xbox 360, Zune

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

.NET Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0

.NET Compact Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 2.0, 1.0

XNA Framework

Supported in: 3.0, 2.0, 1.0
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