Click to Rate and Give Feedback
MSDN
MSDN Library
.NET Development
Previous Versions
.NET Framework 2.0
System
This page is specific to
Microsoft Visual Studio 2005/.NET Framework 2.0

Other versions are also available for the following:
.NET Framework Class Library
IDisposable Interface

Defines a method to release allocated unmanaged resources.

Namespace: System
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)

Visual Basic (Declaration)
<ComVisibleAttribute(True)> _
Public Interface IDisposable
Visual Basic (Usage)
Dim instance As IDisposable
C#
[ComVisibleAttribute(true)] 
public interface IDisposable
C++
[ComVisibleAttribute(true)] 
public interface class IDisposable
J#
/** @attribute ComVisibleAttribute(true) */ 
public interface IDisposable
JScript
ComVisibleAttribute(true) 
public interface IDisposable

The garbage collector automatically releases the memory allocated to a managed object when that object is no longer used, however, it is not possible to predict when garbage collection will occur. Furthermore, the garbage collector has no knowledge of unmanaged resources such as window handles, or open files and streams.

Use the Dispose method of this interface to explicitly release unmanaged resources in conjunction with the garbage collector. The consumer of an object can call this method when the object is no longer needed.

NoteImportant:

C++ programmers should read Destructors and Finalizers in Visual C++. In the .NET Framework version 2.0, the C++ compiler provides support for implementing deterministic disposal of resources and does not allow direct implementation of the Dispose method.

It is a version breaking change to add the IDisposable interface to an existing class, as it changes the semantics of the class.

For a detailed discussion about how this interface and the Object.Finalize method are used, see the Garbage Collection and Implementing a Dispose Method topics.

Visual Basic
Imports System
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(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.
      Private 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
         End If
         disposed = True
      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(false) is optimal in terms of
         ' readability and maintainability.
         Dispose(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
C#
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(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(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.
        private 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;            
            }
            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# destructor syntax for finalization code.
        // This destructor will run only if the Dispose method 
        // does not get called.
        // It gives your base class the opportunity to finalize.
        // Do not provide destructors in types derived from this class.
        ~MyResource()      
        {
            // Do not re-create Dispose clean-up code here.
            // Calling Dispose(false) is optimal in terms of
            // readability and maintainability.
            Dispose(false);
        }
    }
    public static void Main()
    {
        // Insert code here to create
        // and use the MyResource object.   
    }
}
C++
#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();
}
J#
import System.*;
import 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 static class MyResource implements 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 boolean disposed = false;

        // The class constructor.
        public MyResource(IntPtr handle)
        {
            this.handle = handle;
        } //MyResource

        // Implement IDisposable.
        // Do not make this method virtual.
        // A derived class should not be able to override this method.
        public void Dispose()
        {
            Dispose(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(this);
        } //Dispose

        // 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.
        private void Dispose(boolean 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;
            }
            disposed = true;
        } //Dispose

        // Use interop to call the method necessary  
        // to clean up the unmanaged resource.
        /** @attribute System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("Kernel32")
         */
        private static native Boolean CloseHandle(IntPtr handle);

        // Use J# destructor syntax for finalization code.
        // This destructor will run only if the Dispose method 
        // does not get called.
        // It gives your base class the opportunity to finalize.
        // Do not provide destructors in types derived from this class.
        public void finalize() 
        {
            // Do not re-create Dispose clean-up code here.
            // Calling Dispose(false) is optimal in terms of
            // readability and maintainability.
            Dispose(false);
            try {
                super.finalize();
            }
            catch(System.Exception e ) {
            }
        } //finalize
    } //MyResource   
   
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        // Insert code here to create
        // and use the MyResource object.      
    } //main
} //DisposeExample 

Windows 98, Windows 2000 SP4, Windows CE, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Starter Edition

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

.NET Framework

Supported in: 2.0, 1.1, 1.0

.NET Compact Framework

Supported in: 2.0, 1.0
Tags What's this?: Add a tag
Community Content   What is Community Content?
Add new content RSS  Annotations
Processing
© 2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use  |  Trademarks  |  Privacy Statement
Page view tracker