Meta Description: Learn how to write and execute C# statements with a hands-on demo. Discover the essential syntax rules for C# programming, including working with Console.WriteLine, variables, and common errors in Visual Studio.

Now that we’ve covered the essential building blocks of C# syntax, let's dive into Visual Studio and apply these concepts. In this guide, we’ll explore basic C# syntax rules, write statements, create variables, and handle user input, all within a new project using .NET 8.

Creating a New Project in Visual Studio

First, let’s create a new project in Visual Studio. Follow these steps:

1. Open Visual Studio and select Create a new project.
2. Choose Console Application as the project type.
3. Name your project as you like.
4. Select .NET 8 as the framework. While previous .NET versions will also work, we'll use the latest version for this project.

Now that we have the project set up, let’s dive into writing some C# code.

Writing C# Statements

The first C# statement you’ll likely write is Console.WriteLine(), which outputs text to the console. When writing this statement, here are a few rules to remember:

1. Parentheses: The text or variable you want to print must be enclosed in parentheses ().
2. Quotes: If you’re printing text (a string), it must be enclosed in quotes " ".
3. Semicolon: Every C# statement must end with a semicolon (;).

Here’s an example of a simple C# statement:

Console.WriteLine("Welcome to the C# Guide!");

Tip: You can place spaces, tabs, or newlines in your code, and it will still work. However, it’s good practice to keep the semicolon right after the closing parentheses for better readability.

Common Errors:

If you forget to close the quotes, parentheses, or miss the semicolon, Visual Studio will highlight the error. For example:

Console.WriteLine("This will cause an error;

The missing quote at the end will be flagged by Visual Studio.

Accepting Input from the Console

Now let’s take input from the user and store it in a variable. We’ll use the Console.ReadLine() method to capture the input and assign it to a variable. For this example, we’ll ask the user for their name:

string name = Console.ReadLine();

In this line, we declare a variable named name of type string, which will store the user’s input.

Understanding C# Identifiers

In C#, we must follow certain rules when naming our variables (identifiers). Here are the basic rules:

• Identifiers can contain letters, numbers, and underscores.
• They must not start with a number.
• Identifiers are case-sensitive.

Valid identifiers:

string name2 = Console.ReadLine();
string name_2 = Console.ReadLine();
string Name_2 = Console.ReadLine();  // This is different from "name_2"

Invalid identifier:

string 2name = Console.ReadLine();  // Invalid - cannot start with a number

If you try to use an invalid identifier, Visual Studio will flag it as an error.

Handling Comments in C#

Comments are important in making your code readable and maintainable. You can add comments to explain what certain lines of code do without affecting the functionality of the program.

There are two types of comments in C#:

1. Single-line comments: Start a comment with // for a single line.

   // This is a single-line comment
   string name = Console.ReadLine();

1. Multi-line comments: Use /* and */ for multi-line comments.

   /*
   This is a multi-line comment.
   It can span multiple lines.
   */
   string name = Console.ReadLine();

In Visual Studio, comments are displayed in green, making it easier to identify them.

Using Visual Studio Shortcuts for Comments

Visual Studio provides convenient shortcuts for commenting and uncommenting lines of code:

• To comment multiple lines, select the lines and press CTRL+K, CTRL+C.
• To uncomment multiple lines, press CTRL+K, CTRL+U.

Alternatively, you can use the toolbar buttons to comment or uncomment selected lines.

Testing Input and Identifiers in Your Project

Try the following in your Main method:

Console.WriteLine("Enter your name:");
string name2 = Console.ReadLine(); 
string name_2 = Console.ReadLine(); 
string Name_2 = Console.ReadLine(); 

// Invalid identifier - uncommenting this will cause an error
// string 2name = Console.ReadLine();

Tip: If you mistakenly try to use an invalid identifier, simply comment it out using CTRL+K, CTRL+C or the comment button in Visual Studio.

Conclusion

In this part of the guide, we’ve covered how to apply the basic syntax of C# in Visual Studio. You’ve learned how to:

• Write and execute C# statements.
• Handle user input with Console.ReadLine().
• Understand and apply identifier rules.
• Use single-line and multi-line comments in your code.

Now, it’s time to experiment with these concepts in your own Visual Studio project. As you continue learning, you’ll build on these fundamentals and gain more proficiency in C#.