﻿<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><Type Name="PreferEmptyInstanceOverNullRule" FullName="Gendarme.Rules.BadPractice.PreferEmptyInstanceOverNullRule"><TypeSignature Language="C#" Value="public class PreferEmptyInstanceOverNullRule : Gendarme.Rules.BadPractice.ReturnNullRule, Gendarme.Framework.IMethodRule" /><TypeSignature Language="ILAsm" Value=".class public auto ansi beforefieldinit PreferEmptyInstanceOverNullRule extends Gendarme.Rules.BadPractice.ReturnNullRule implements class Gendarme.Framework.IMethodRule, class Gendarme.Framework.IRule" /><AssemblyInfo><AssemblyName>Gendarme.Rules.BadPractice</AssemblyName><AssemblyVersion>4.2.0.0</AssemblyVersion></AssemblyInfo><Base><BaseTypeName>Gendarme.Rules.BadPractice.ReturnNullRule</BaseTypeName></Base><Interfaces><Interface><InterfaceName>Gendarme.Framework.IMethodRule</InterfaceName></Interface></Interfaces><Attributes><Attribute><AttributeName>Gendarme.Framework.Problem("This method returns null but returning an empty instance would make it easier to use.")</AttributeName></Attribute><Attribute><AttributeName>Gendarme.Framework.Solution("Return an empty instance instead of null.")</AttributeName></Attribute></Attributes><Docs><summary>
             This rule checks that all methods and properties which return a string, an array,
             a collection, or an enumerable do not return <c>null</c>.
             It is usually better to return an empty instance, as this allows
             the caller to use the result without having to perform a null-check first.
             </summary><remarks>This rule is available since Gendarme 2.4</remarks><example>
             Bad example (string):
             <code>
             public string DisplayName {
             	get {
             		if (IsAnonymous) {
             			return null;
            		}
             		return name;
            	}
             }
             </code></example><example>
             Good example (string):
             <code>
             public string DisplayName {
             	get {
             		if (IsAnonymous) {
             			return string.Empty;
            		}
             		return name;
            	}
             }
             </code></example><example>
             Bad example (array):
             <code>
             public int [] GetOffsets ()
             {
             	if (!store.HasOffsets) {
             		return null;
            	}
             	store.LoadOffsets ();
             	return store.Offsets;
             }
             </code></example><example>
             Good example (array):
             <code>
             static const int [] Empty = new int [0];
             public int [] GetOffsets ()
             {
             	if (!store.HasOffsets) {
             		return Empty;
            	}
             	store.LoadOffsets ();
             	return store.Offsets.ToArray ();
             }
             </code></example><example>
             Bad example (enumerable):
             <code>
             public IEnumerable&lt;int&gt; GetOffsets ()
             {
             	if (!store.HasOffsets) {
             		return null;
            	}
             	store.LoadOffsets ();
             	return store.Offsets;
             }
             </code></example><example>
             Good example (enumerable):
             <code>
             public IEnumerable&lt;int&gt; GetOffsets ()
             {
             	if (!store.HasOffsets) {
             		yield break;
            	}
             	store.LoadOffsets ();
             	foreach (int offset in store.Offsets) {
             		yield return offset;
            	}
             }
             </code></example></Docs><Members><Member MemberName=".ctor"><MemberSignature Language="C#" Value="public PreferEmptyInstanceOverNullRule ();" /><MemberSignature Language="ILAsm" Value=".method public hidebysig specialname rtspecialname instance void .ctor() cil managed" /><MemberType>Constructor</MemberType><AssemblyInfo><AssemblyVersion>4.2.0.0</AssemblyVersion></AssemblyInfo><Parameters /><Docs><summary>To be added.</summary><remarks>To be added.</remarks></Docs></Member><Member MemberName="CheckMethod"><MemberSignature Language="C#" Value="public override Gendarme.Framework.RuleResult CheckMethod (Mono.Cecil.MethodDefinition method);" /><MemberSignature Language="ILAsm" Value=".method public hidebysig virtual instance valuetype Gendarme.Framework.RuleResult CheckMethod(class Mono.Cecil.MethodDefinition method) cil managed" /><MemberType>Method</MemberType><AssemblyInfo><AssemblyVersion>4.2.0.0</AssemblyVersion></AssemblyInfo><ReturnValue><ReturnType>Gendarme.Framework.RuleResult</ReturnType></ReturnValue><Parameters><Parameter Name="method" Type="Mono.Cecil.MethodDefinition" /></Parameters><Docs><param name="method">To be added.</param><summary>To be added.</summary><returns>To be added.</returns><remarks>To be added.</remarks></Docs></Member><Member MemberName="Report"><MemberSignature Language="C#" Value="protected override void Report (Mono.Cecil.MethodDefinition method, Mono.Cecil.Cil.Instruction ins);" /><MemberSignature Language="ILAsm" Value=".method familyhidebysig virtual instance void Report(class Mono.Cecil.MethodDefinition method, class Mono.Cecil.Cil.Instruction ins) cil managed" /><MemberType>Method</MemberType><AssemblyInfo><AssemblyVersion>4.2.0.0</AssemblyVersion></AssemblyInfo><ReturnValue><ReturnType>System.Void</ReturnType></ReturnValue><Parameters><Parameter Name="method" Type="Mono.Cecil.MethodDefinition" /><Parameter Name="ins" Type="Mono.Cecil.Cil.Instruction" /></Parameters><Docs><param name="method">To be added.</param><param name="ins">To be added.</param><summary>To be added.</summary><remarks>To be added.</remarks></Docs></Member></Members></Type>