I'm new to reflection and would like to know if what I want to do is
possible. So far I haven't seem much value to reflection (for my
needs) but that could be the result of not using it properly, or
perhaps my architecture is inherently flawed.
I have the following:
class baseClass
{
protected object _sharedProperty;
public new baseClass(){}
public object Shared
{
get {return _sharedProperty;}
set {_ sharedProperty = value;}
}
public void SharedMethod()
{
// do something
}
}
class classA : baseClass
{
private object _property1;
public new classA(){}
public object Property1
{
get {return _ property1;}
set {_ property1 = value;}
}
}
class classB : baseClass
{
private object _property2;
public new classB(){}
public object Property2
{
get {return _ property2;}
set {_ property2= value;}
}
}
public static void Test(string className,object propertyValue)
{
Type runtimeClass = Type.GetType(className);
if(((int)myEnum.value1 & runtimeClass.Shared) != 0)
{
System.Reflection.PropertyInfo myProperty =
runtimeClass.GetProperty("Property1");
myProperty.SetValue(runtimeClass,propertyValue,null); <- fails
here
}
if(((int)myEnum.value2 & runtimeClass.Shared) != 0)
{
System.Reflection.PropertyInfo myProperty=
runtimeClass.GetProperty("Property2");
myProperty.SetValue(runtimeClass,propertyValue,null); <- fails
here
}
}
So, basically both ClassA and ClassB inherit from baseClass. They
obviously share properties/methods but also have their own.
Based on certain conditions I want to set a property value of a class
(if it exists - I'm not testing for it in the code provided but plan
on it) without knowing which class until run-time. The class that I
want to instantiate will be only known to the procedure as a string
value.
I'd like to be able to dynamically declare a variable as type
"className" at run-time based on what the string value is passed in
(for the sake of example say that the string being passed in IS the
fully qualified name of the class. I then want to be able to access
and enter property values for the particular class.
But the problem I'm having is that when I try to set my property value
the first argument of the SetValue expects an instance of an object
with the type equal to that which I'm trying to set (which I think is
kinda dumb given that if I knew it I would probably just instantiate
it and set the properly directly). Anyway, clearly I don't know what
this object is supposed to be so I don't know how to get past this
exception.
Does anyone have any thoughts? What I'd love to do is something along
these lines (pseudo-code):
public static void Test(string className,object propertyValue)
{
baseClass runtimeClass = new baseClass();
if(((int)myEnum.value1 & runtimeClass.Shared) != 0)
{
((className)runtimeClass).Property1 = propertyValue;
}
if(((int) myEnum.value2 & runtimeClass.Shared) != 0)
{
((className)runtimeClass).Property2 = propertyValue;
}
runtimeClass.SharedMethod();
}
What I don't want is the following because this can and will get quite
enormous given the number of properties and flag values I have:
public static void Test(string className,object propertyValue)
{
baseClass runtimeClass = new baseClass();
if(((int)myEnum.value1 & runtimeClass.Shared) != 0)
{
if (className == "ClassA")
{
((ClassA)runtimeClass).Property1 = propertyValue;
}
if (className == "ClassC") <-- assume this class also inherits from
baseClass
{
((ClassC)runtimeClass).Property1 = propertyValue;
}
}
if(((int) myEnum.value2 & runtimeClass.Shared) != 0)
{
if (className == "ClassB")
{
((ClassB)runtimeClass).Property2 = propertyValue;
}
if (className == "ClassC") <-- assume this class also inherits from
baseClass
{
((ClassC)runtimeClass).Property2 = propertyValue;
}
}
runtimeClass.SharedMethod();
}
Thanks,
Frank