The concise way to initialize an array of reference type object

Question

I wonder if there is better way to initialize an array of reference type object, like this.

Queue[] queues = new Queue[10];
for (int i         


        

Answer 1

I have the same answer - to use a loop. But you can make it as an extension method for general purpose:

    public static void Init<T>(this IList<T> array )
    {
        if (array == null) return;

        for (int i = 0; i < array.Count; i++)
            array[i] = Activator.CreateInstance<T>();
    }

and the just call it:

        Queue<int>[] queues = new Queue<int>[10];
        queues.Init();

Answer 2

No, there isn't. Just factor it out into a utility method:

// CommonExtensions.cs
public static T[] NewArray<T> (int length) where T : class, new ()
{
    var result = new T[length] ;
    for (int i = 0 ; i < result.Length ; ++i)
         result[i] = new T () ;
    return result ;
}

// elsewhere
var queues = Extensions.NewArray<Queue<int>> (10) ;

Answer 3

You could use this:

Enumerable.Range(0,10).Select(_=>new Queue<int>()).ToArray()

But IMO your first example is perfectly fine too.