IDisposable.Dispose Method
Definition
Important
Some information relates to prerelease product that may be substantially modified before it’s released. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information provided here.
Performs application-defined tasks associated with freeing, releasing, or resetting unmanaged resources.
public:
void Dispose();public void Dispose ();abstract member Dispose : unit -> unitPublic Sub Dispose ()Examples
The following example shows how you can implement the Dispose method.
#using <System.dll>
#using <System.Windows.Forms.dll>
using namespace System;
using namespace System::ComponentModel;
using namespace System::Windows::Forms;
// The following example demonstrates how to create a class that
// implements the IDisposable interface and the IDisposable.Dispose
// method with finalization to clean up unmanaged resources.
//
public ref class MyResource: public IDisposable
{
private:
// Pointer to an external unmanaged resource.
IntPtr handle;
// A managed resource this class uses.
Component^ component;
// Track whether Dispose has been called.
bool disposed;
public:
// The class constructor.
MyResource( IntPtr handle, Component^ component )
{
this->handle = handle;
this->component = component;
disposed = false;
}
// This method is called if the user explicitly disposes of the
// object (by calling the Dispose method in other managed languages,
// or the destructor in C++). The compiler emits as a call to
// GC::SuppressFinalize( this ) for you, so there is no need to
// call it here.
~MyResource()
{
// Dispose of managed resources.
component->~Component();
// Call C++ finalizer to clean up unmanaged resources.
this->!MyResource();
// Mark the class as disposed. This flag allows you to throw an
// exception if a disposed object is accessed.
disposed = true;
}
// Use interop to call the method necessary to clean up the
// unmanaged resource.
//
[System::Runtime::InteropServices::DllImport("Kernel32")]
static Boolean CloseHandle( IntPtr handle );
// The C++ finalizer destructor ensures that unmanaged resources get
// released if the user releases the object without explicitly
// disposing of it.
//
!MyResource()
{
// Call the appropriate methods to clean up unmanaged
// resources here. If disposing is false when Dispose(bool,
// disposing) is called, only the following code is executed.
CloseHandle( handle );
handle = IntPtr::Zero;
}
};
void main()
{
// Insert code here to create and use the MyResource object.
MyResource^ mr = gcnew MyResource((IntPtr) 42, (Component^) gcnew Button());
mr->~MyResource();
}
using System;
using System.ComponentModel;
// The following example demonstrates how to create
// a resource class that implements the IDisposable interface
// and the IDisposable.Dispose method.
public class DisposeExample
{
// A base class that implements IDisposable.
// By implementing IDisposable, you are announcing that
// instances of this type allocate scarce resources.
public class MyResource: IDisposable
{
// Pointer to an external unmanaged resource.
private IntPtr handle;
// Other managed resource this class uses.
private Component component = new Component();
// Track whether Dispose has been called.
private bool disposed = false;
// The class constructor.
public MyResource(IntPtr handle)
{
this.handle = handle;
}
// Implement IDisposable.
// Do not make this method virtual.
// A derived class should not be able to override this method.
public void Dispose()
{
Dispose(disposing: true);
// This object will be cleaned up by the Dispose method.
// Therefore, you should call GC.SuppressFinalize to
// take this object off the finalization queue
// and prevent finalization code for this object
// from executing a second time.
GC.SuppressFinalize(this);
}
// Dispose(bool disposing) executes in two distinct scenarios.
// If disposing equals true, the method has been called directly
// or indirectly by a user's code. Managed and unmanaged resources
// can be disposed.
// If disposing equals false, the method has been called by the
// runtime from inside the finalizer and you should not reference
// other objects. Only unmanaged resources can be disposed.
protected virtual void Dispose(bool disposing)
{
// Check to see if Dispose has already been called.
if(!this.disposed)
{
// If disposing equals true, dispose all managed
// and unmanaged resources.
if(disposing)
{
// Dispose managed resources.
component.Dispose();
}
// Call the appropriate methods to clean up
// unmanaged resources here.
// If disposing is false,
// only the following code is executed.
CloseHandle(handle);
handle = IntPtr.Zero;
// Note disposing has been done.
disposed = true;
}
}
// Use interop to call the method necessary
// to clean up the unmanaged resource.
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("Kernel32")]
private extern static Boolean CloseHandle(IntPtr handle);
// Use C# finalizer syntax for finalization code.
// This finalizer will run only if the Dispose method
// does not get called.
// It gives your base class the opportunity to finalize.
// Do not provide finalizer in types derived from this class.
~MyResource()
{
// Do not re-create Dispose clean-up code here.
// Calling Dispose(disposing: false) is optimal in terms of
// readability and maintainability.
Dispose(disposing: false);
}
}
public static void Main()
{
// Insert code here to create
// and use the MyResource object.
}
}
// The following example demonstrates how to create
// a resource class that implements the IDisposable interface
// and the IDisposable.Dispose method.
open System
open System.ComponentModel
open System.Runtime.InteropServices
// Use interop to call the method necessary
// to clean up the unmanaged resource.
[<DllImport "Kernel32">]
extern Boolean CloseHandle(nativeint handle)
// A base class that implements IDisposable.
// By implementing IDisposable, you are announcing that
// instances of this type allocate scarce resources.
type MyResource(handle: nativeint) =
// Pointer to an external unmanaged resource.
let mutable handle = handle
// Other managed resource this class uses.
let comp = new Component()
// Track whether Dispose has been called.
let mutable disposed = false
// Implement IDisposable.
// Do not make this method virtual.
// A derived class should not be able to override this method.
interface IDisposable with
member this.Dispose() =
this.Dispose true
// This object will be cleaned up by the Dispose method.
// Therefore, you should call GC.SuppressFinalize to
// take this object off the finalization queue
// and prevent finalization code for this object
// from executing a second time.
GC.SuppressFinalize this
// Dispose(bool disposing) executes in two distinct scenarios.
// If disposing equals true, the method has been called directly
// or indirectly by a user's code. Managed and unmanaged resources
// can be disposed.
// If disposing equals false, the method has been called by the
// runtime from inside the finalizer and you should not reference
// other objects. Only unmanaged resources can be disposed.
abstract Dispose: bool -> unit
override _.Dispose(disposing) =
// Check to see if Dispose has already been called.
if not disposed then
// If disposing equals true, dispose all managed
// and unmanaged resources.
if disposing then
// Dispose managed resources.
comp.Dispose()
// Call the appropriate methods to clean up
// unmanaged resources here.
// If disposing is false,
// only the following code is executed.
CloseHandle handle |> ignore
handle <- IntPtr.Zero
// Note disposing has been done.
disposed <- true
// This finalizer will run only if the Dispose method
// does not get called.
// It gives your base class the opportunity to finalize.
// Do not provide finalizer in types derived from this class.
override this.Finalize() =
// Do not re-create Dispose clean-up code here.
// Calling Dispose(disposing: false) is optimal in terms of
// readability and maintainability.
this.Dispose false
Imports System.ComponentModel
' The following example demonstrates how to create
' a resource class that implements the IDisposable interface
' and the IDisposable.Dispose method.
Public Class DisposeExample
' A class that implements IDisposable.
' By implementing IDisposable, you are announcing that
' instances of this type allocate scarce resources.
Public Class MyResource
Implements IDisposable
' Pointer to an external unmanaged resource.
Private handle As IntPtr
' Other managed resource this class uses.
Private component As component
' Track whether Dispose has been called.
Private disposed As Boolean = False
' The class constructor.
Public Sub New(ByVal handle As IntPtr)
Me.handle = handle
End Sub
' Implement IDisposable.
' Do not make this method virtual.
' A derived class should not be able to override this method.
Public Overloads Sub Dispose() Implements IDisposable.Dispose
Dispose(disposing:=True)
' This object will be cleaned up by the Dispose method.
' Therefore, you should call GC.SupressFinalize to
' take this object off the finalization queue
' and prevent finalization code for this object
' from executing a second time.
GC.SuppressFinalize(Me)
End Sub
' Dispose(bool disposing) executes in two distinct scenarios.
' If disposing equals true, the method has been called directly
' or indirectly by a user's code. Managed and unmanaged resources
' can be disposed.
' If disposing equals false, the method has been called by the
' runtime from inside the finalizer and you should not reference
' other objects. Only unmanaged resources can be disposed.
Protected Overridable Overloads Sub Dispose(ByVal disposing As Boolean)
' Check to see if Dispose has already been called.
If Not Me.disposed Then
' If disposing equals true, dispose all managed
' and unmanaged resources.
If disposing Then
' Dispose managed resources.
component.Dispose()
End If
' Call the appropriate methods to clean up
' unmanaged resources here.
' If disposing is false,
' only the following code is executed.
CloseHandle(handle)
handle = IntPtr.Zero
' Note disposing has been done.
disposed = True
End If
End Sub
' Use interop to call the method necessary
' to clean up the unmanaged resource.
<System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("Kernel32")> _
Private Shared Function CloseHandle(ByVal handle As IntPtr) As [Boolean]
End Function
' This finalizer will run only if the Dispose method
' does not get called.
' It gives your base class the opportunity to finalize.
' Do not provide finalize methods in types derived from this class.
Protected Overrides Sub Finalize()
' Do not re-create Dispose clean-up code here.
' Calling Dispose(disposing:=False) is optimal in terms of
' readability and maintainability.
Dispose(disposing:=False)
MyBase.Finalize()
End Sub
End Class
Public Shared Sub Main()
' Insert code here to create
' and use the MyResource object.
End Sub
End Class
Remarks
Use this method to close or release unmanaged resources such as files, streams, and handles held by an instance of the class that implements this interface. By convention, this method is used for all tasks associated with freeing resources held by an object, or preparing an object for reuse.
Warning
If you are using a class that implements the IDisposable interface, you should call its Dispose implementation when you are finished using the class. For more information, see the "Using an object that implements IDisposable" section in the IDisposable topic.
When implementing this method, ensure that all held resources are freed by propagating the call through the containment hierarchy. For example, if an object A allocates an object B, and object B allocates an object C, then A's Dispose implementation must call Dispose on B, which must in turn call Dispose on C.
Important
The C++ compiler supports deterministic disposal of resources and does not allow direct implementation of the Dispose method.
An object must also call the Dispose method of its base class if the base class implements IDisposable. For more information about implementing IDisposable on a base class and its subclasses, see the "IDisposable and the inheritance hierarchy" section in the IDisposable topic.
If an object's Dispose method is called more than once, the object must ignore all calls after the first one. The object must not throw an exception if its Dispose method is called multiple times. Instance methods other than Dispose can throw an ObjectDisposedException when resources are already disposed.
Users might expect a resource type to use a particular convention to denote an allocated state versus a freed state. An example of this is stream classes, which are traditionally thought of as open or closed. The implementer of a class that has such a convention might choose to implement a public method with a customized name, such as Close, that calls the Dispose method.
Because the Dispose method must be called explicitly, there is always a danger that the unmanaged resources will not be released, because the consumer of an object fails to call its Dispose method. There are two ways to avoid this:
Wrap the managed resource in an object derived from System.Runtime.InteropServices.SafeHandle. Your Dispose implementation then calls the Dispose method of the System.Runtime.InteropServices.SafeHandle instances. For more information, see "The SafeHandle alternative" section in the Object.Finalize topic.
Implement a finalizer to free resources when Dispose is not called. By default, the garbage collector automatically calls an object's finalizer before reclaiming its memory. However, if the Dispose method has been called, it is typically unnecessary for the garbage collector to call the disposed object's finalizer. To prevent automatic finalization, Dispose implementations can call the GC.SuppressFinalize method.
When you use an object that accesses unmanaged resources, such as a StreamWriter, a good practice is to create the instance with a using statement. The using statement automatically closes the stream and calls Dispose on the object when the code that is using it has completed. For an example, see the StreamWriter class.
