Reflection Examples [C#]
This example shows how to dynamically load assembly, how to create object instance, how to invoke method or how to get and set property value.
Create instance from assembly that is in your project References
The following examples create instances of DateTime class from the System assembly.
[C#]
DateTime dateTime = (DateTime)Activator.CreateInstance(typeof(DateTime));
[C#]
DateTime dateTime = (DateTime)Activator.CreateInstance(typeof(DateTime),
new object[] { 2008, 7, 4 });
Create instance from dynamically loaded assembly
All the following examples try to access to sample class Calculator from Test.dll assembly. The calculator class can be defined like this.
[C#]
namespace Test
{
public class Calculator
{
public Calculator() { ... }
private double _number;
public double Number { get { ... } set { ... } }
public void Clear() { ... }
private void DoClear() { ... }
public double Add(double number) { ... }
public static double Pi { ... }
public static double GetPi() { ... }
}
}
Examples of using reflection to load the Test.dll assembly, to create instance of the Calculator class and to access its members (public/private, instance/static).
[C#]
Assembly testAssembly = Assembly.LoadFile(@"c:\Test.dll");
[C#]
Type calcType = testAssembly.GetType("Test.Calculator");
[C#]
object calcInstance = Activator.CreateInstance(calcType);
[C#]
PropertyInfo numberPropertyInfo = calcType.GetProperty("Number");
[C#]
double value = (double)numberPropertyInfo.GetValue(calcInstance, null);
[C#]
numberPropertyInfo.SetValue(calcInstance, 10.0, null);
[C#]
PropertyInfo piPropertyInfo = calcType.GetProperty("Pi");
[C#]
double piValue = (double)piPropertyInfo.GetValue(null, null);
[C#]
calcType.InvokeMember("Clear",
BindingFlags.InvokeMethod | BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.Public,
null, calcInstance, null);
[C#]
calcType.InvokeMember("DoClear",
BindingFlags.InvokeMethod | BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.NonPublic,
null, calcInstance, null);
[C#]
double value = (double)calcType.InvokeMember("Add",
BindingFlags.InvokeMethod | BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.Public,
null, calcInstance, new object[] { 20.0 });
[C#]
double piValue = (double)calcType.InvokeMember("GetPi",
BindingFlags.InvokeMethod | BindingFlags.Static | BindingFlags.Public,
null, null, null);
[C#]
double value = (double)calcType.InvokeMember("_number",
BindingFlags.GetField | BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.NonPublic,
null, calcInstance, null);