Class ReflectionHelpers

This static class contains helpers and extensions that assist in common reflection based tasks.

Inheritance

System.Object

ReflectionHelpers

Namespace: Cireson.Core.Common.Helpers

Assembly: Cireson.Core.Common.dll

Syntax

public static class ReflectionHelpers : object

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

Methods

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CanCastAs(Type, Type)

Inverse implementation of IsAssignableFrom.

Declaration

public static bool CanCastAs(this Type type, Type checkType)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	.
Type	checkType	.

Returns

Type	Description
System.Boolean	True if we can cast as, false if not.

Remarks

DSL extension just to make code a bit easier to read.

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CanCastAs<T>(Type)

Inverse implementation of IsAssignableFrom.

Declaration

public static bool CanCastAs<T>(this Type type)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	.

Returns

Type	Description
System.Boolean	True if we can cast as, false if not.

Type Parameters

Name	Description
T	.

Remarks

DSL extension just to make code a bit easier to read.

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Cast(IEnumerable, Type)

Casts all items in the list to the specified type.

Declaration

public static IEnumerable Cast(this IEnumerable list, Type targetType)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
IEnumerable	list	.
Type	targetType	.

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable	An IEnumerable.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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CreateGenericEnumerable(Type, Object[])

Creates an IEnumerable`1 of the extended type, and returns it as an IEnumerable.

Declaration

public static IEnumerable CreateGenericEnumerable(this Type genericType, params object[] items)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	genericType	.
System.Object[]	items	.

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable	The new generic enumerable.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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FullNamespaceName(Type)

Returns the namespace, and name of the given type.

Declaration

public static string FullNamespaceName(this Type type)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	The type.

Returns

Type	Description
System.String	System.String.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetAllImplementationsOfType(Assembly, Type, Boolean)

Gets the type of all implementations of the specified type from the assembly.

Declaration

public static IEnumerable<Type> GetAllImplementationsOfType(this Assembly assembly, Type type, bool includeAbstract = true)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Assembly	assembly	The assembly.
Type	type	The type.
System.Boolean	includeAbstract	(Optional) if set to `true` abstract classes will be returned.

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<Type>	IEnumerable<Type>.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetAllImplementationsOfType(Type, Boolean)

Gets the type of all implementations of the specified type.

Declaration

public static IEnumerable<Type> GetAllImplementationsOfType(Type type, bool includeAbstract = true)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	The type.
System.Boolean	includeAbstract	(Optional) if set to `true` abstract classes will be returned.

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<Type>	IEnumerable<Type>.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetAllImplementationsOfType<TBaseType>(Boolean)

Gets the type of all implementations of the specified generic type.

Declaration

public static IEnumerable<Type> GetAllImplementationsOfType<TBaseType>(bool includeAbstract = true)
    where TBaseType : class

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
System.Boolean	includeAbstract	(Optional) if set to `true` abstract classes will be returned.

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<Type>	IEnumerable<Type>.

Type Parameters

Name	Description
TBaseType	The base type.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetAllMethodsImplmentingAttribute(Type)

Gets all methods of all assemblies in the current AppDomain that implement a particualr attribute.

Declaration

public static IEnumerable<MethodInfo> GetAllMethodsImplmentingAttribute(Type attributeType)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	attributeType	.

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<MethodInfo>	IEnumerable{MethodInfo}

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetAllMethodsImplmentingAttribute(Type, Object)

Gets all methods of all assemblies in the current AppDomain that implement a particualr attribute.

Declaration

public static IEnumerable<MethodInfo> GetAllMethodsImplmentingAttribute(Type attributeType, object target)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	attributeType	.
System.Object	target	Target for the.

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<MethodInfo>	IEnumerable{MethodInfo}

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetAllTypesImplementingAttribute(Type)

Gets all types implementing attributes in this collection.

Declaration

public static IEnumerable<Type> GetAllTypesImplementingAttribute(Type attributeType)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	attributeType	.

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<Type>	An enumerator that allows foreach to be used to process all types implementing attributes in this collection.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetAssemblySimpleName(String)

Returns the Simple name of an assembly given the fully qualified name.

Declaration

public static string GetAssemblySimpleName(string fullName)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
System.String	fullName	.

Returns

Type	Description
System.String	The assembly simple name.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetClosestMethodMatch(Type, String, String)

A Type extension method that gets closest method match.

Declaration

public static MethodInfo GetClosestMethodMatch(this Type type, string methodName, string parametersJson = "")

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	.
System.String	methodName	.
System.String	parametersJson	(Optional)

Returns

Type	Description
MethodInfo	The closest method match.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetDefaultValue(Type)

Gets the default value of the given type.

Declaration

public static object GetDefaultValue(this Type t)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	t	The type.

Returns

Type	Description
System.Object	System.Object.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetDependantAssemblies(Assembly, HashSet<AssemblyName>)

Returns all the referenced assemblies in the assembly, following the reference chain.

Declaration

public static HashSet<AssemblyName> GetDependantAssemblies(this Assembly assembly, HashSet<AssemblyName> foundAssemblies = null)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Assembly	assembly	.
HashSet<AssemblyName>	foundAssemblies	(Optional)

Returns

Type	Description
HashSet<AssemblyName>	The dependant assemblies.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetGenericArgumentFromSelfOrBase(Type)

Returns the single generic type argument from the given type, or it's inheritance chain.

Declaration

public static Type GetGenericArgumentFromSelfOrBase(this Type type)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	The type to be inspected.

Returns

Type	Description
Type	System.Type.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetGenericArgumentsFromSelfOrBase(Type)

Returns all the generic type arguments down the inheritance chain.

Declaration

public static IEnumerable<Type> GetGenericArgumentsFromSelfOrBase(this Type type)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	.

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<Type>	An enumerator that allows foreach to be used to process the generic arguments from self or bases in this collection.

Remarks

This is useful for determining type-specifing handling for actions that may inherit from generic actions that are not themselves generics.

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GetGenericMethodInfo(Object, String, Type[])

Returns the method info for a generic method on the type based on the exact generic arument match. This is helpful for reflecting on methods that have overloaded generic methods.

Declaration

public static MethodInfo GetGenericMethodInfo(this object obj, string methodName, params Type[] typeArguments)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
System.Object	obj	.
System.String	methodName	.
Type[]	typeArguments	.

Returns

Type	Description
MethodInfo	The generic method information.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetGenericMethodInfo(Type, String, Type[])

Returns the method info for a generic method on the type based on the exact generic arument match. This is helpful for reflecting on methods that have overloaded generic methods.

Declaration

public static MethodInfo GetGenericMethodInfo(this Type type, string methodName, params Type[] typeArguments)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	.
System.String	methodName	.
Type[]	typeArguments	Array of type arguments that match the method signature that is being searched for.

Returns

Type	Description
MethodInfo	The generic method information.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetGenericMethodInfoByArgCount(Type, String, Type[])

Returns the method info for a generic method on the type based on the number of generic arguments. Gets the first generic method matching the number of arguments, but does not check for argument types. This is helpful for reflecting on methods that have overloaded generic methods.

Declaration

public static MethodInfo GetGenericMethodInfoByArgCount(this Type type, string methodName, params Type[] typeArguments)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	.
System.String	methodName	.
Type[]	typeArguments	.

Returns

Type	Description
MethodInfo	The generic method information by argument count.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetLoadedAssembly(System.AppDomain, String)

Returns the loaded assembly specified by full name, or simple name.

Declaration

public static Assembly GetLoadedAssembly(this System.AppDomain domain, string assemblyFullName)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
System.AppDomain	domain	.
System.String	assemblyFullName	.

Returns

Type	Description
Assembly	The loaded assembly.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetLocation(Assembly)

An Assembly extension method that gets a location.

Declaration

public static string GetLocation(this Assembly assembly)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Assembly	assembly	The assembly.

Returns

Type	Description
System.String	The location.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetNestedGenericArguments(Type)

Returns a list of all types involved in the generic type arguments, this is useful for registering complex types to edm.

Declaration

public static IEnumerable<Type> GetNestedGenericArguments(this Type type)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	.

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<Type>	An enumerator that allows foreach to be used to process the nested generic arguments in this collection.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetNullableType(Type)

Gets the nullable equivalent of the given type, if a value type.

Declaration

public static Type GetNullableType(this Type type)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	.

Returns

Type	Description
Type	Type.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetParameterNames(String)

retrieves a list of parameter names based on the parametersJson string.

Declaration

public static IEnumerable<string> GetParameterNames(string parametersJson)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
System.String	parametersJson	.

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<System.String>	An enumerator that allows foreach to be used to process the parameter names in this collection.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetParameterValues(MethodInfo, String)

Gets the parameter values in this collection.

Declaration

public static IEnumerable<Object> GetParameterValues(this MethodInfo method, string parameters = "")

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
MethodInfo	method	The method to act on.
System.String	parameters	(Optional) Options for controlling the operation.

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<Object>	An enumerator that allows foreach to be used to process the parameter values in this collection.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetPropertiesWithAttribute<T>(Type)

Gets the properties with attributes in this collection.

Declaration

public static IEnumerable<PropertyInfo> GetPropertiesWithAttribute<T>(this Type type)
    where T : Attribute

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	The type.

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<PropertyInfo>	An enumerator that allows foreach to be used to process the properties with attributes in this collection.

Type Parameters

Name	Description
T	Generic type parameter.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetPropertySelector<T>(PropertyInfo)

A PropertyInfo extension method that gets property selector.

Declaration

public static Expression<Func<T, object>> GetPropertySelector<T>(this PropertyInfo propInfo)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
PropertyInfo	propInfo	The propInfo to act on.

Returns

Type	Description
Expression<Func<T, System.Object>>	The property selector.

Type Parameters

Name	Description
T	Generic type parameter.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetPropertyType(Type, String)

Gets the type of the property by name.

Declaration

public static Type GetPropertyType(this Type type, string propertyName)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	The type.
System.String	propertyName	Name of the property.

Returns

Type	Description
Type	System.Type.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetTypeByName(String)

Returns the type based on the full name.

Declaration

public static Type GetTypeByName(string fullName)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
System.String	fullName	The full name.

Returns

Type	Description
Type	Type.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetValueOrDefault<TK, TV>(IDictionary<TK, TV>, TK)

Returns the instance of the element, or the default value if the element does not exist.

Declaration

public static object GetValueOrDefault<TK, TV>(this IDictionary<TK, TV> dict, TK key)
    where TV : class

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
IDictionary<TK, TV>	dict	The dictionary.
TK	key	The key.

Returns

Type	Description
System.Object	System.Object.

Type Parameters

Name	Description
TK	The type of the key.
TV	The type of the value.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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GetVersionFromAssemblyFullName(String)

Gets version from assembly full name.

Declaration

public static Version GetVersionFromAssemblyFullName(string fullName)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
System.String	fullName	.

Returns

Type	Description
Version	The version from assembly full name.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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HasAttribute<TAttributeType>(PropertyInfo, Boolean)

Returns true if the specified attribute type is attached to the property.

Declaration

public static bool HasAttribute<TAttributeType>(this PropertyInfo property, bool inherit = true)
    where TAttributeType : Attribute

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
PropertyInfo	property	.
System.Boolean	inherit	(Optional)

Returns

Type	Description
System.Boolean	True if attribute, false if not.

Type Parameters

Name	Description
TAttributeType	.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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HasAttribute<TAttributeType>(Type, Boolean)

Returns true if the specified attribute type is attached to the type.

Declaration

public static bool HasAttribute<TAttributeType>(this Type type, bool inherit = true)
    where TAttributeType : Attribute

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	.
System.Boolean	inherit	(Optional)

Returns

Type	Description
System.Boolean	True if attribute, false if not.

Type Parameters

Name	Description
TAttributeType	.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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HasType(Assembly, String)

Tests if the assembly contains the specified type name.

Declaration

public static bool HasType(this Assembly assembly, string typeName)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Assembly	assembly	.
System.String	typeName	Type name to check for, must be qualified with namespace.

Returns

Type	Description
System.Boolean	True if type, false if not.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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InvokeToJsonAsync(MethodInfo, Object, String)

A MethodInfo extension method that executes to JSON asynchronous on a different thread, and waits for the result.

Declaration

public static Task<string> InvokeToJsonAsync(this MethodInfo method, object instance, string parameters = "")

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
MethodInfo	method	The method to act on.
System.Object	instance	The instance.
System.String	parameters	(Optional) Options for controlling the operation.

Returns

Type	Description
Task<System.String>	An asynchronous result that yields the invoke to JSON.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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IsAssemblyLoaded(System.AppDomain, String)

Returns true if the assembly has been loaded into the appdomain.

Declaration

public static bool IsAssemblyLoaded(this System.AppDomain domain, string assemblyFullName)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
System.AppDomain	domain	.
System.String	assemblyFullName	.

Returns

Type	Description
System.Boolean	True if assembly loaded, false if not.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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IsCollectionProperty(PropertyInfo)

Determines whether the specified property is a collection.

Declaration

public static bool IsCollectionProperty(this PropertyInfo propertyInfo)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
PropertyInfo	propertyInfo	The property information.

Returns

Type	Description
System.Boolean	`true` if [is collection property] [the specified property information]; otherwise, `false`.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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IsCollectionProperty(Type)

Checks if the type represents a collection.

Declaration

public static bool IsCollectionProperty(this Type type)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	The type.

Returns

Type	Description
System.Boolean	`true` if [is collection property] [the specified type]; otherwise, `false`.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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IsNonStringEnumerable(Type)

Returns true if the specified type is not a string, but is IEnumerable.

Declaration

public static bool IsNonStringEnumerable(this Type type)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	.

Returns

Type	Description
System.Boolean	True if non string enumerable, false if not.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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LoadLocalFileAssemblies()

Loads all dlls that are in the local process path.

Declaration

public static void LoadLocalFileAssemblies()

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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MatchAssemblyName(String, String)

We sometimes need to match an assembly name based on a partial name in order to attempt to load the assembly, this helper method encapsulates the logic to test the various permutations.

Declaration

public static bool MatchAssemblyName(string name1, string name2)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
System.String	name1	.
System.String	name2	.

Returns

Type	Description
System.Boolean	True if it succeeds, false if it fails.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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ResolveAllOpenGenericTypes(Type)

This will return a type definition for all inherited generic types from the given type. It only works on single constrained generic types.

Declaration

public static IEnumerable<Type> ResolveAllOpenGenericTypes(this Type type)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	type	.

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<Type>	A list of Types that can be resolved that inherit from the specified type.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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ResolveAllOpenGenericTypes<TBaseType>()

This will return a type definition for all inherited generic types from the given type. It only works on single constrained generic types.

Declaration

public static IEnumerable<Type> ResolveAllOpenGenericTypes<TBaseType>()

Returns

Type	Description
IEnumerable<Type>	IEnumerable<Type>.

Type Parameters

Name	Description
TBaseType	The type of the t base type.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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ToArray(IEnumerable, Type)

Helper method to convert an IEnumerable to an array without using a generic argument.

Declaration

public static Array ToArray(this IEnumerable source, Type type)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
IEnumerable	source	Enumerable source.
Type	type	Desired array type.

Returns

Type	Description
Array	An array that represents the data in this object.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.

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UnWrapDynamicProxyType(Type)

Unwraps the dynamic proxy, and returns the base entity type.

Declaration

public static Type UnWrapDynamicProxyType(this Type entityType)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
Type	entityType	Type of the entity.

Returns

Type	Description
Type	Type.

Remarks

Admin, 8/24/2017.