Methods - Illustrated C# 2005 - page 68

Return Values
A method can return a value to the calling code. The returned value is inserted into the calling
code at the position in the expression where the invocation occurred.

￿ To return a value, the method must declare a return type before the method name.

If a method does not return a value, it must declare a return type of void . ￿

The following code shows two method declarations. The first returns a value of type int .
The second does not return a value.

Return type
↓
int GetHour() { ... }
void DisplayHour() { ... }
↑
No value is returned.

A method that declares a return type must return a value from the method by using the fol-
lowing form of the return statement, which includes an expression after the keyword return .
Every path through the method must end with a return statement of this form.

return Expression ; // Return a value.
↑
Evaluates to a value of the return type

For example, the following code shows a method called GetHour , which returns a value of
type int .

Return type
↓
int GetHour( )
{
DateTime dt = DateTime.Now; // Get the current date and time.
int hour = dt.Hour; // Get the hour.

return hour; // Return an int.
} ↑
Return statement