Understanding C# field initialization requirements

Question

Considering the following code:

public class Progressor
{
    private IProgress<int> progress = new Progress<int>(OnProgress);

    private void OnProgress(int value)
    {
        //whatever
    }
}

This gives the following error on compilation:

A field initializer cannot reference the non-static field, method, or property 'Progressor.OnProgress(int)'

I understand the restriction it is complaining about, but I don't understand why it is an issue, but the field can be initialized in the constructor instead as follows:

public class Progressor
{
    private IProgress<int> progress;

    public Progressor()
    {
         progress =  new Progress<int>(OnProgress);
    }

    private void OnProgress(int value)
    {
        //whatever
    }
}

What is the difference in C# regarding the field initialization vs constructor initialization that requires this restriction?

Answer 1

Field initialization come before base class constructor call, so it is not a valid object. Any method call with this as argument at this point leads to unverifiable code and throws a VerificationException if unverifiable code is not allowed. For example: in security transparent code.

• 10.11.2 Instance variable initializers
  When an instance constructor has no constructor initializer, or it has a constructor initializer of the form base(...), that constructor implicitly performs the initializations specified by the variable-initializers of the instance fields declared in its class. This corresponds to a sequence of assignments that are executed immediately upon entry to the constructor and before the implicit invocation of the direct base class constructor. The variable initializers are executed in the textual order in which they appear in the class declaration.
• 10.11.3 Constructor execution
  Variable initializers are transformed into assignment statements, and these assignment statements are executed before the invocation of the base class instance constructor. This ordering ensures that all instance fields are initialized by their variable initializers before any statements that have access to that instance are executed.