c# - Using IDisposable object in method that returns IEnumerable<T>

Question

Imagine you have a method that internally uses an IDisposable object (for example a streamreader), and yield returns items as they are read from the file. Like this:

public IEnumerable<YourObject> Read(string filename)
{
    using(var filestream = new FileStream(filename, FileMode.Open))
    {
        using(var reader = new StreamReader(filestream))
        {
            string line;

            while((line = reader.ReadLine()) != null)
            {
                yield return new YourObject(line);
            }
        }
    }
}

Will the reader and the filestream be disposed when I use LINQ-methods that doesn't iterate the complete collection?

YourOjbect firstLine = Read("myfile.txt").First();

question from:https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10849643/using-idisposable-object-in-method-that-returns-ienumerablet

Answer 1

When you use yield keyword compiler generates nested class, which implements IEnumerable, IEnumerator and IDisposable and stores all context data:

[CompilerGenerated]
private sealed class <Read>d__0 : IEnumerable<YourObject>, IEnumerable, IEnumerator<YourObject>, IEnumerator, IDisposable
{
    // Fields
    private int <>1__state;
    private YourObject <>2__current;
    public string <>3__filename;
    public Foo <>4__this;
    private int <>l__initialThreadId;
    public FileStream <filestream>5__1;
    public string <line>5__3;
    public StreamReader <reader>5__2;
    public string filename;

    // Methods
    [DebuggerHidden]
    public <Read>d__0(int <>1__state);
    private void <>m__Finally4();
    private void <>m__Finally5();
    private bool MoveNext();
    [DebuggerHidden]
    IEnumerator<YourObject> IEnumerable<YourObject>.GetEnumerator();
    [DebuggerHidden]
    IEnumerator IEnumerable.GetEnumerator();
    [DebuggerHidden]
    void IEnumerator.Reset();
    void IDisposable.Dispose();

    // Properties
    YourObject IEnumerator<YourObject>.Current { [DebuggerHidden] get; }
    object IEnumerator.Current { [DebuggerHidden] get; }
}

As you can see, all local variables from context of the yielding method are moved to fields of this generated class. Interesting methods are those which have m_Finally in their names:

private void <>m__Finally4()
{
    this.<>1__state = -1;
    if (this.<filestream>5__1 != null)
    {
        this.<filestream>5__1.Dispose();
    }
}

As you can see, these methods dispose your disposable objects (FileStream and StreamReader). When the called? At the end of enumerating, or when Dispose is called:

private bool MoveNext()
{
    bool CS$1$0000;
    try
    {
        int CS$4$0001 = this.<>1__state;
        if (CS$4$0001 != 0)
        {
            if (CS$4$0001 != 3)
            {
                goto Label_00AB;
            }
            goto Label_0074;
        }
        this.<>1__state = -1;
        this.<filestream>5__1 = new FileStream(this.filename, FileMode.Open);
        this.<>1__state = 1;
        this.<reader>5__2 = new StreamReader(this.<filestream>5__1);
        this.<>1__state = 2;
        while ((this.<line>5__3 = this.<reader>5__2.ReadLine()) != null)
        {
            this.<>2__current = new YourObject(this.<line>5__3);
            this.<>1__state = 3;
            return true;
        Label_0074:
            this.<>1__state = 2;
        }
        this.<>m__Finally5();
        this.<>m__Finally4();
    Label_00AB:
        CS$1$0000 = false;
    }
    fault
    {
        this.System.IDisposable.Dispose();
    }
    return CS$1$0000;
}

void IDisposable.Dispose()
{
    switch (this.<>1__state)
    {
        case 1:
        case 2:
        case 3:
            try
            {
                switch (this.<>1__state)
                {
                    case 2:
                    case 3:
                        break;

                    default:
                        break;
                }
                try
                {
                }
                finally
                {
                    this.<>m__Finally5();
                }
            }
            finally
            {
                this.<>m__Finally4();
            }
            break;
    }
}

If you look to First() implementation of Enumerable, then you'll see - it calls Dispose after returning first item:

using (IEnumerator<TSource> enumerator = source.GetEnumerator())
{
   if (enumerator.MoveNext())
   {
       return enumerator.Current;
   }
}

Thus Dispose of auto-generated class will be called, and all local variables, which require disposing will be disposed by calls to m_Finally methods.

BTW (not about usage with LINQ) if you look at foreach statement implementation you'll see that enumerator is disposed after enumerating. Thus Dispose on generated class will be called even in case of break or exception.