#379 – Using the EventHandler Delegate for Events that Return No Data

When you add an event to a class, you can use any delegate you like for the event’s type.  For example, you could based the event on a delegate that accepts a single parameter of type string:

        public delegate void StringHandlerDelegate(string s);
        public event StringHandlerDelegate Barked;

It’s recommended, however, that you use the one of the following two preexisting types as the delegate type:

  • EventHandler – for event that return no data
  • EventHandler<TEventArgs> – for event that returns some data

Below is an example of an event that returns no data.  The Dog.Barked event is raised when a Dog object barks.

        // Declare the event
        public event EventHandler Barked;

        // Helper method that raises the event
        protected virtual void OnBarked()
        {
            if (Barked != null)
                Barked(this, null);
        }

        // In Bark method, call helper to raise the event
        public void Bark()
        {
            Bark("Woof");
            OnBarked();
        }
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