title: c# convert existing class to use properties correctly
body: <p>I have the following classes:</p>
  
  <pre><code>class Given
  {
      public string text = "";
      public List&lt;StartCondition&gt; start_conditions = new List&lt;StartCondition&gt;();
  };
  
  class StartCondition
  {
      public int index = 0;
      public string device = "unknown";
      public string state = "disconnected";
      public bool isPass = false;
  };
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I want to convert them into c# properties (using get; and set;)</p>
  
  <p>Looking at this question: <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5096926/what-is-the-get-set-syntax-in-c">what-is-the-get-set-syntax-in-c</a>, it seems I can make a property nice and easy like this:</p>
  
  <pre><code>class Given
  {
      public string text { get; set; }
      public List&lt;StartCondition&gt; start_conditions { get; set; }
  };
  
  class StartCondition
  {
      public int index { get; set; }
      public string device { get; set; }
      public string state { get; set; }
      public bool isPass { get; set; }
  };
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>But now I don't know how I should add my initialisations, because I want the same start values as I had before, or for the List container I want it to be new'ed.</p>
  
  <p>What is the best way to achieve this?</p>