List<T>.AsReadOnly Method

public:
 System::Collections::ObjectModel::ReadOnlyCollection<T> ^ AsReadOnly();

public System.Collections.ObjectModel.ReadOnlyCollection<T> AsReadOnly();

member this.AsReadOnly : unit -> System.Collections.ObjectModel.ReadOnlyCollection<'T>

Public Function AsReadOnly () As ReadOnlyCollection(Of T)

Returns

An object that acts as a read-only wrapper around the current List<T>.

Examples

The following example demonstrates the AsReadOnly method. A List<T> of strings with a capacity of 4 is created, because the ultimate size of the list is known to be exactly 4. The list is populated with four strings, and the AsReadOnly method is used to get a read-only IList<T> generic interface implementation that wraps the original list.

An element of the original list is set to "Coelophysis" using the Item[] property (the indexer in C#), and the contents of the read-only list are displayed again to demonstrate that it is just a wrapper for the original list.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public partial class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        List<string> animals = new List<string>(4);

        Console.WriteLine("\nCapacity: {0}", animals.Capacity);

        animals.Add("Cat");
        animals.Add("Dog");
        animals.Add("Squirrel");
        animals.Add("Wolf");

        Console.WriteLine();
        foreach (string animal in animals)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(animal);
        }

        Console.WriteLine("\nIList<string> roAnimals = animals.AsReadOnly()");
        IList<string> roAnimals = animals.AsReadOnly();

        Console.WriteLine("\nElements in the read-only IList:");
        foreach (string animal in roAnimals)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(animal);
        }

        Console.WriteLine("\nanimals[2] = \"Lion\"");
        animals[2] = "Lion";

        Console.WriteLine("\nElements in the read-only IList:");
        foreach (string animal in roAnimals)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(animal);
        }
    }
}

/*
    This code example produces the following output:

    Capacity: 4

    Cat
    Dog
    Squirrel
    Wolf

    IList<string> roAnimals = animals.AsReadOnly()

    Elements in the read-only IList:
    Cat
    Dog
    Squirrel
    Wolf

    animals[2] = "Lion"

    Elements in the read-only IList:
    Cat
    Dog
    Lion
    Wolf
*/

Imports System.Collections.Generic

Partial Public Class Program
    Public Shared Sub Main()

        Dim animals As New List(Of String)(4)

        Console.WriteLine(vbLf & "Capacity: {0}", animals.Capacity)

        animals.Add("Cat")
        animals.Add("Dog")
        animals.Add("Squirrel")
        animals.Add("Wolf")

        Console.WriteLine()
        For Each animal As String In animals
            Console.WriteLine(animal)
        Next

        Console.WriteLine(vbLf & _
            "Dim roAnimals As IList(Of String) = animals.AsReadOnly")
        Dim roAnimals As IList(Of String) = animals.AsReadOnly

        Console.WriteLine(vbLf & "Elements in the read-only IList:")
        For Each animal As String In roAnimals
            Console.WriteLine(animal)
        Next

        Console.WriteLine(vbLf & "animals(2) = ""Lion""")
        animals(2) = "Lion"

        Console.WriteLine(vbLf & "Elements in the read-only IList:")
        For Each animal As String In roAnimals
            Console.WriteLine(animal)
        Next

    End Sub
End Class

' This code example produces the following output:
'
' Capacity: 4
'
' Cat
' Dog
' Squirrel
' Wolf
'
' Dim roAnimals As IList(Of String) = animals.AsReadOnly
'
' Elements in the read-only IList:
' Cat
' Dog
' Squirrel
' Wolf
'
' animals(2) = "Lion"
'
' Elements in the read-only IList:
' Cat
' Dog
' Lion
' Wolf

Remarks

To prevent any modifications to the List<T> object, expose it only through this wrapper. A ReadOnlyCollection<T> object does not expose methods that modify the collection. However, if changes are made to the underlying List<T> object, the read-only collection reflects those changes.

This method is an O(1) operation.