C#: Property- and Indexer calls for ref return properties and indexers.

csharp/extractor/Semmle.Extraction.CSharp/Entities/Accessor.cs

@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ public override void Populate(TextWriter trapFile)
             }
 
             Overrides(trapFile);
+            ExtractRefReturn(trapFile, Symbol, this);
 
             if (Symbol.FromSource() && !HasBody)
             {

csharp/ql/lib/change-notes/2026-05-19-properties-indexers-refreturn.md

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+category: minorAnalysis
+---
+* Improved call target resolution for ref-return properties and indexers.

csharp/ql/lib/semmle/code/csharp/exprs/Call.qll

@@ -766,7 +766,16 @@ class PropertyCall extends AccessorCall, PropertyAccessExpr {
   }
 
   override Accessor getWriteTarget() {
-    this instanceof AssignableWrite and result = this.getProperty().getSetter()
+    this instanceof AssignableWrite and
+    exists(Property p | p = this.getProperty() |
+      result = p.getSetter()
+      or
+      result =
+        any(Getter g |
+          g = p.getGetter() and
+          g.getAnnotatedReturnType().isRef()
+        )
+    )
   }
 
   override Expr getArgument(int i) {
@@ -801,7 +810,16 @@ class IndexerCall extends AccessorCall, IndexerAccessExpr {
   }
 
   override Accessor getWriteTarget() {
-    this instanceof AssignableWrite and result = this.getIndexer().getSetter()
+    this instanceof AssignableWrite and
+    exists(Indexer i | i = this.getIndexer() |
+      result = i.getSetter()
+      or
+      result =
+        any(Getter g |
+          g = i.getGetter() and
+          g.getAnnotatedReturnType().isRef()
+        )
+    )
   }
 
   override Expr getArgument(int i) {

csharp/ql/test/library-tests/csharp8/NullableRefTypes.expected

@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ returnTypes
 | NullableRefTypes.cs:107:26:107:36 | ReturnsRef5 | readonly MyClass! |
 | NullableRefTypes.cs:108:26:108:36 | ReturnsRef6 | readonly MyClass! |
 | NullableRefTypes.cs:110:10:110:20 | Parameters1 | Void! |
-| NullableRefTypes.cs:113:32:113:44 | get_RefProperty | MyClass! |
+| NullableRefTypes.cs:113:32:113:44 | get_RefProperty | ref MyClass! |
 | NullableRefTypes.cs:116:7:116:23 | <object initializer> | Void |
 | NullableRefTypes.cs:116:7:116:23 | ToStringWithTypes | Void! |
 | NullableRefTypes.cs:136:7:136:24 | <object initializer> | Void |

csharp/ql/test/library-tests/indexers/Indexers13.expected

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+| indexers.cs:24:21:24:24 | Item | indexers.cs:62:22:62:29 | access to indexer | indexers.cs:26:13:26:15 | get_Item |
+| indexers.cs:24:21:24:24 | Item | indexers.cs:65:25:65:32 | access to indexer | indexers.cs:34:13:34:15 | set_Item |
+| indexers.cs:143:24:143:27 | Item | indexers.cs:156:13:156:16 | access to indexer | indexers.cs:145:13:145:15 | get_Item |
+| indexers.cs:143:24:143:27 | Item | indexers.cs:157:21:157:24 | access to indexer | indexers.cs:145:13:145:15 | get_Item |

csharp/ql/test/library-tests/indexers/Indexers13.ql

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import csharp
+
+from IndexerCall ic, Indexer i, Accessor target
+where
+  ic.getIndexer() = i and
+  ic.getTarget() = target and
+  i.fromSource()
+select i, ic, target

csharp/ql/test/library-tests/indexers/PrintAst.expected

@@ -360,3 +360,57 @@ indexers.cs:
 #  130|         4: [BlockStmt] {...}
 #  130|           0: [ReturnStmt] return ...;
 #  130|             0: [IntLiteral] 0
+#  134|   5: [RefStruct] S
+#  136|     6: [Field] x
+#  136|       -1: [TypeMention] int
+#  138|     7: [InstanceConstructor] S
+#-----|       2: (Parameters)
+#  138|         0: [Parameter] v
+#  138|           -1: [TypeMention] int
+#  139|       4: [BlockStmt] {...}
+#  140|         0: [ExprStmt] ...;
+#  140|           0: [AssignExpr] ... = ...
+#  140|             0: [FieldAccess] access to field x
+#  140|             1: [RefExpr] ref ...
+#  140|               0: [ParameterAccess] access to parameter v
+#  143|     8: [Indexer] Item
+#  143|       -1: [TypeMention] int
+#-----|       1: (Parameters)
+#  143|         0: [Parameter] i
+#  143|           -1: [TypeMention] int
+#  145|       3: [Getter] get_Item
+#-----|         2: (Parameters)
+#  143|           0: [Parameter] i
+#  145|         4: [BlockStmt] {...}
+#  145|           0: [ReturnStmt] return ...;
+#  145|             0: [RefExpr] ref ...
+#  145|               0: [FieldAccess] access to field x
+#  149|   6: [Class] TestRefReturns
+#  151|     6: [Method] M
+#  151|       -1: [TypeMention] Void
+#  152|       4: [BlockStmt] {...}
+#  153|         0: [LocalVariableDeclStmt] ... ...;
+#  153|           0: [LocalVariableDeclAndInitExpr] Int32 a = ...
+#  153|             -1: [TypeMention] int
+#  153|             0: [LocalVariableAccess] access to local variable a
+#  153|             1: [IntLiteral] 0
+#  155|         1: [LocalVariableDeclStmt] ... ...;
+#  155|           0: [LocalVariableDeclAndInitExpr] S s = ...
+#  155|             -1: [TypeMention] S
+#  155|             0: [LocalVariableAccess] access to local variable s
+#  155|             1: [ObjectCreation] object creation of type S
+#  155|               -1: [TypeMention] S
+#  155|               0: [LocalVariableAccess] access to local variable a
+#  156|         2: [ExprStmt] ...;
+#  156|           0: [AssignExpr] ... = ...
+#  156|             0: [IndexerCall] access to indexer
+#  156|               -1: [LocalVariableAccess] access to local variable s
+#  156|               0: [IntLiteral] 0
+#  156|             1: [IntLiteral] 1
+#  157|         3: [LocalVariableDeclStmt] ... ...;
+#  157|           0: [LocalVariableDeclAndInitExpr] Int32 x = ...
+#  157|             -1: [TypeMention] int
+#  157|             0: [LocalVariableAccess] access to local variable x
+#  157|             1: [IndexerCall] access to indexer
+#  157|               -1: [LocalVariableAccess] access to local variable s
+#  157|               0: [IntLiteral] 0

csharp/ql/test/library-tests/indexers/indexers.cs

@@ -130,4 +130,31 @@ public bool this[int index]
             get { return 0; }
         }
     }
+
+    public ref struct S
+    {
+        private ref int x;
+
+        public S(ref int v)
+        {
+            x = ref v;
+        }
+
+        public ref int this[int i]
+        {
+            get { return ref x; }
+        }
+    }
+
+    public class TestRefReturns
+    {
+        public void M()
+        {
+            int a = 0;
+
+            S s = new S(ref a);
+            s[0] = 1;
+            var x = s[0];
+        }
+    }
 }

csharp/ql/test/library-tests/properties/PrintAst.expected

@@ -246,3 +246,50 @@ properties.cs:
 #  133|               0: [FieldAccess] access to field Prop.field
 #  133|               1: [ParameterAccess] access to parameter value
 #  130|     7: [Field] Prop.field
+#  137|   11: [RefStruct] S
+#  139|     6: [Field] x
+#  139|       -1: [TypeMention] int
+#  141|     7: [InstanceConstructor] S
+#-----|       2: (Parameters)
+#  141|         0: [Parameter] v
+#  141|           -1: [TypeMention] int
+#  142|       4: [BlockStmt] {...}
+#  143|         0: [ExprStmt] ...;
+#  143|           0: [AssignExpr] ... = ...
+#  143|             0: [FieldAccess] access to field x
+#  143|             1: [RefExpr] ref ...
+#  143|               0: [ParameterAccess] access to parameter v
+#  146|     8: [Property] Prop
+#  146|       -1: [TypeMention] int
+#  148|       3: [Getter] get_Prop
+#  148|         4: [BlockStmt] {...}
+#  148|           0: [ReturnStmt] return ...;
+#  148|             0: [RefExpr] ref ...
+#  148|               0: [FieldAccess] access to field x
+#  152|   12: [Class] TestRefReturns
+#  154|     6: [Method] M
+#  154|       -1: [TypeMention] Void
+#  155|       4: [BlockStmt] {...}
+#  156|         0: [LocalVariableDeclStmt] ... ...;
+#  156|           0: [LocalVariableDeclAndInitExpr] Int32 a = ...
+#  156|             -1: [TypeMention] int
+#  156|             0: [LocalVariableAccess] access to local variable a
+#  156|             1: [IntLiteral] 0
+#  158|         1: [LocalVariableDeclStmt] ... ...;
+#  158|           0: [LocalVariableDeclAndInitExpr] S s = ...
+#  158|             -1: [TypeMention] S
+#  158|             0: [LocalVariableAccess] access to local variable s
+#  158|             1: [ObjectCreation] object creation of type S
+#  158|               -1: [TypeMention] S
+#  158|               0: [LocalVariableAccess] access to local variable a
+#  159|         2: [ExprStmt] ...;
+#  159|           0: [AssignExpr] ... = ...
+#  159|             0: [PropertyCall] access to property Prop
+#  159|               -1: [LocalVariableAccess] access to local variable s
+#  159|             1: [IntLiteral] 1
+#  160|         3: [LocalVariableDeclStmt] ... ...;
+#  160|           0: [LocalVariableDeclAndInitExpr] Int32 x = ...
+#  160|             -1: [TypeMention] int
+#  160|             0: [LocalVariableAccess] access to local variable x
+#  160|             1: [PropertyCall] access to property Prop
+#  160|               -1: [LocalVariableAccess] access to local variable s

csharp/ql/test/library-tests/properties/Properties17.expected

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 | Prop.field |
 | caption |
 | next |
+| x |
 | y |
 | z |

csharp/ql/test/library-tests/properties/Properties19.expected

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+| properties.cs:12:23:12:29 | Caption | properties.cs:29:13:29:28 | access to property Caption | properties.cs:17:13:17:15 | set_Caption |
+| properties.cs:12:23:12:29 | Caption | properties.cs:30:24:30:39 | access to property Caption | properties.cs:15:13:15:15 | get_Caption |
+| properties.cs:57:20:57:20 | X | properties.cs:61:13:61:13 | access to property X | properties.cs:57:37:57:39 | set_X |
+| properties.cs:58:20:58:20 | Y | properties.cs:62:13:62:13 | access to property Y | properties.cs:58:37:58:39 | set_Y |
+| properties.cs:70:28:70:28 | X | properties.cs:82:46:82:51 | access to property X | properties.cs:70:32:70:34 | get_X |
+| properties.cs:71:28:71:28 | Y | properties.cs:83:39:83:44 | access to property Y | properties.cs:74:13:74:15 | set_Y |
+| properties.cs:146:24:146:27 | Prop | properties.cs:159:13:159:18 | access to property Prop | properties.cs:148:13:148:15 | get_Prop |
+| properties.cs:146:24:146:27 | Prop | properties.cs:160:21:160:26 | access to property Prop | properties.cs:148:13:148:15 | get_Prop |

csharp/ql/test/library-tests/properties/Properties19.ql

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import csharp
+
+from PropertyCall pc, Property p, Accessor target
+where
+  pc.getProperty() = p and
+  pc.getTarget() = target and
+  p.fromSource()
+select p, pc, target

csharp/ql/test/library-tests/properties/properties.cs

@@ -133,4 +133,31 @@ public object Prop
             set { field = value; }
         }
     }
+
+    public ref struct S
+    {
+        private ref int x;
+
+        public S(ref int v)
+        {
+            x = ref v;
+        }
+
+        public ref int Prop
+        {
+            get { return ref x; }
+        }
+    }
+
+    public class TestRefReturns
+    {
+        public void M()
+        {
+            int a = 0;
+
+            S s = new S(ref a);
+            s.Prop = 1;
+            var x = s.Prop;
+        }
+    }
 }

csharp/ql/test/query-tests/Telemetry/DatabaseQuality/IsNotOkayCall.expected

@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
 | Quality.cs:26:19:26:26 | access to indexer | Call without target $@. | Quality.cs:26:19:26:26 | access to indexer | access to indexer |
 | Quality.cs:29:21:29:27 | access to indexer | Call without target $@. | Quality.cs:29:21:29:27 | access to indexer | access to indexer |
-| Quality.cs:32:9:32:21 | access to indexer | Call without target $@. | Quality.cs:32:9:32:21 | access to indexer | access to indexer |

csharp/ql/test/query-tests/Telemetry/DatabaseQuality/NoTarget.expected

@@ -9,6 +9,5 @@
 | Quality.cs:23:9:23:30 | delegate call | Call without target $@. | Quality.cs:23:9:23:30 | delegate call | delegate call |
 | Quality.cs:26:19:26:26 | access to indexer | Call without target $@. | Quality.cs:26:19:26:26 | access to indexer | access to indexer |
 | Quality.cs:29:21:29:27 | access to indexer | Call without target $@. | Quality.cs:29:21:29:27 | access to indexer | access to indexer |
-| Quality.cs:32:9:32:21 | access to indexer | Call without target $@. | Quality.cs:32:9:32:21 | access to indexer | access to indexer |
 | Quality.cs:38:16:38:26 | access to property MyProperty2 | Call without target $@. | Quality.cs:38:16:38:26 | access to property MyProperty2 | access to property MyProperty2 |
 | Quality.cs:50:20:50:26 | object creation of type T | Call without target $@. | Quality.cs:50:20:50:26 | object creation of type T | object creation of type T |

csharp/ql/test/query-tests/Telemetry/DatabaseQuality/Quality.cs

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ public Test()
         var slice = sp[..3];        // TODO: this is not an indexer call, but rather a `sp.Slice(0, 3)` call.
 
         Span<byte> guidBytes = stackalloc byte[16];
-        guidBytes[08] = 1;          // TODO: this indexer call has no target, because the target is a `ref` returning getter.
+        guidBytes[08] = 1;
 
         new MyList([new(), new Test()]);
     }