Req15: GetType for instances, methods and properties

[This post is part of a series, "wish-list for future versions of VB"]

 

IDEA: GetType should work on instances.

    ' Currently we can get the System.Type of a named type

    Dim t As Type = GetType(IEnumerable(Of ))

    ' We'd also like to get the compile-time System.Type of a given expression

    Dim x As IEnumerable(Of Integer) = {1, 2, 3}

    Dim t1 As Type = GetType(x) ' returns IEnumerable(Of Integer), the compile-time type

    Dim t2 As Type = x.GetType() ' returns Integer(), the run-time type

    ' this doesn't evaluate the expression: it merely figures out its compile-time type:

    Dim t As Type = GetType(New C)

    Dim t As Type = GetType(Me) ' returns the compile-time type of "Me"

    Dim t As Type = GetType(MyClass) ' for shared methods, returns the type of the class/module we're in

 

IDEA: GetType should be able to return stuff about a given method/property, or the current method/property. For instance,

    ' We'd also like to get the Reflection.MethodInfo of a specified method

    Dim m As Reflection.MethodInfo = GetType(AddressOf Console.WriteLine(x))

    ' The expression isn't evaluated: it's merely used to resolve which overload

    Dim m As Reflection.MethodInfo = GetType(AddressOf Call (New C).f(15 * Factorial(2)))

    ' A common need is to get the name of the current method

    Dim m As Reflection.MethodInfo = GetType(AddressOf MyMethod)

    ' Likewise for properties, events, fields

    Dim p As Reflection.PropertyInfo = GetType(AddressOf c.p)

    Dim e As Reflection.EventInfo = GetType(AddressOf c.e)

    Dim f As Reflection.FieldInfo = GetType(AddressOf c.f)

    ' And the current property:

    Dim m As Reflection.MethodInfo = GetType(AddressOf MyProperty)

 

This idea has been frequently discussed and requested, e.g. here in Eric Lippert's blog. What has sunk the idea every single time is that getting a decent syntax for the feature is just so hard. One of the big problems with syntax is overloads, as in the Console.WriteLine example above. One approach is to invent a wholly new syntax which lets you write method signatures inside the GetType operator. Another approach, as I've taken here, is to write just a normal invocation expression -- except it's not invoked; it's merely used as a well-understood syntax for specifying which overload we want.

 

But all of the above examples can already be implemented today with a fairly decent workaround and recognizable syntax:

    Dim minfo = GetMethodInfo(Sub() f())

    Dim pinfo = GetPropertyInfo(Function() p)

    Dim tinfo = GetTypeInfo(Me)

Dim current_minfo = Reflection.MethodBase.GetCurrentMethod()

Dim current_pinfo = GetPropertyInfo(Reflection.MethodBase.GetCurrentMethod())

Function GetMethodInfo(f As Expressions.Expression(Of Action)) As Reflection.MethodInfo

Return DirectCast(f.Body, Expressions.MethodCallExpression).Method

End Function

Function GetPropertyInfo(Of T)(ByVal f As Expressions.Expression(Of Func(Of T))) As Reflection.MemberInfo

Return DirectCast(f.Body, Expressions.MemberExpression).Member

End Function

Function GetPropertyInfo(ByVal minfo As Reflection.MemberInfo) As Reflection.PropertyInfo

Return (From p In minfo.DeclaringType.GetProperties() Where p.GetAccessors().Contains(minfo)).FirstOrDefault

End Function

Function GetTypeInfo(Of T)(ByVal x As T) As System.Type

Return GetType(T)

End Function

 

 

Provisional evaluation from VB team: The current workarounds do everything that's needed, and their syntax is familiar. There doesn't seem need to invent any new syntax for this. If anything, the Power6: __CALLER_MEMBER__ idea was neater than any of these proposals.

Comments

• Anonymous
  February 15, 2010
  The only real requirement I have in this area is to be able to get the name of methods and parameters (as well as types) at compile time – it would make validation / logging SO much easier. The reflection option is not appropriate in these cases as it is too expensive – I can’t risk someone using a slow name lookup on a method which may be evaluated in a tight loop. What I want to be able to do is use the method or parameter name in code and have the comopiler resolve it for maximum runtime efficiency – for example: AssertNonNull(surname, NameOf(surname)) or... Log(“entering method {0}”, NameOf(Method)) Something like this would massively simplify a lot of my validation and logging code.

• Anonymous
  February 15, 2010
  The one thing the workarounds really don't address is getting hold of an event at compiled time - currently this is only possible via reflection. Also - it seems to me that the workarounds defer problems to run time and wherever possible, it's better for these things to fail at compile time if possible.

• Anonymous
  February 15, 2010
  I like to be able to get Reflection object for Type (already have GetType), Method, Property, Event, Argument, Field (have I forgotten something?). Because we often need only name of such object, special syntax to get name of the object makes sense - and it can be translated to string in compile-time. Also Property/Event delegates may be helpful. Main advantage of having such operators rather than passing string somewhere (Me.GetType.GetProperty("Item")) is that it is compiler-checked and thus refactoring-safe. Making GetType accept expression is not very important for me.

• Anonymous
  March 13, 2010
  I like the idea of having a consistent syntax: Knowing that you can type GetType on anything and have it "just work".

• Anonymous
  January 11, 2011
  Idea 1 (GetType(reference)) - Good ieda Idea 2 (GetType(method) returns MethodInfo) looks too dangerous to me