CSHARP.STRUCT.UUMETH : Unused Method (C#)

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CSHARP.STRUCT.UUMETH : Unused Method (C#)

Summary

Methods or constructors never used in the code are often harmless, except for an increase in size of the application. In some cases, however, unused methods are the sign of a stale application interface that needs cleaning or of the necessity to introduce an abstract method.

Properties

Example

In the following code, the implementation of method m inside class A is never called: only its redefinitions inside classes B and C are called.

using System;

namespace DocumentationExamples {

  public class Deadcode {

    public static void Main(string[] args) {
      DeadcodeA b = new DeadcodeB();
      DeadcodeA c = new DeadcodeC();
      Test(b);
      Test(c);
    }

    private static void Test(DeadcodeA a) {
      Console.WriteLine(a.M(13));
    }
  }

  public class DeadcodeA {
    public virtual int M(int p) { // "Unused Method (C#)" warning issued here
                                  // if CSHARP_ANALYSIS_ENTRY_POINTS_MODE is set to ONLY_EXPLICIT_ENTRIES or ONLY_STANDARD_ENTRIES
      return p + 1;
    }
  }

  public class DeadcodeB : DeadcodeA {
    public override int M(int p) {
      return p + 2;
    }
  }

  public class DeadcodeC : DeadcodeA {
    public override int M(int p) {
      return p * 2;
    }
  }
}

In this example, the programmer should probably introduce an abstract definition for M inside class DeadcodeA and make the class DeadcodeA itself abstract, as follows:

Resolution

Verify if the application interface can be simplified or an abstract method could replace a non-abstract method.

Relevant Configuration File Parameters

The following configuration file parameters affect checks for this warning class.