UnsafeAccessorAttribute Class

Definition

Namespace:

System.Runtime.CompilerServices

Assembly:

System.Runtime.dll

Source:

UnsafeAccessorAttribute.cs

Provides access to an inaccessible member of a specific type.

public ref class UnsafeAccessorAttribute sealed : Attribute

[System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Method, AllowMultiple=false, Inherited=false)]
public sealed class UnsafeAccessorAttribute : Attribute

[<System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Method, AllowMultiple=false, Inherited=false)>]
type UnsafeAccessorAttribute = class
    inherit Attribute

Public NotInheritable Class UnsafeAccessorAttribute
Inherits Attribute

Inheritance

Object

Attribute

UnsafeAccessorAttribute

Attributes

AttributeUsageAttribute

Examples

public class Class
{
    static void StaticPrivateMethod() { }
    static int StaticPrivateField;
    Class(int i) { PrivateField = i; }
    void PrivateMethod() { }
    int PrivateField;
    int PrivateProperty { get => PrivateField; }
}

public void CallStaticPrivateMethod()
{
    StaticPrivateMethod(null);

    [UnsafeAccessor(UnsafeAccessorKind.StaticMethod, Name = nameof(StaticPrivateMethod))]
    extern static void StaticPrivateMethod(Class c);
}
public void GetSetStaticPrivateField()
{
    ref int f = ref GetSetStaticPrivateField(null);

    [UnsafeAccessor(UnsafeAccessorKind.StaticField, Name = "StaticPrivateField")]
    extern static ref int GetSetStaticPrivateField(Class c);
}
public void CallPrivateConstructor()
{
    Class c1 = PrivateCtor(1);

    Class c2 = (Class)RuntimeHelpers.GetUninitializedObject(typeof(Class));

    PrivateCtorAsMethod(c2, 2);

    [UnsafeAccessor(UnsafeAccessorKind.Constructor)]
    extern static Class PrivateCtor(int i);

    [UnsafeAccessor(UnsafeAccessorKind.Method, Name = ".ctor")]
    extern static void PrivateCtorAsMethod(Class c, int i);

}
public void CallPrivateMethod(Class c)
{
    PrivateMethod(c);

    [UnsafeAccessor(UnsafeAccessorKind.Method, Name = nameof(PrivateMethod))]
    extern static void PrivateMethod(Class c);
}
public void GetPrivateProperty(Class c)
{
    int f = GetPrivateProperty(c);

    [UnsafeAccessor(UnsafeAccessorKind.Method, Name = "get_PrivateProperty")]
    extern static int GetPrivateProperty(Class c);
}
public void GetSetPrivateField(Class c)
{
    ref int f = ref GetSetPrivateField(c);

    [UnsafeAccessor(UnsafeAccessorKind.Field, Name = "PrivateField")]
    extern static ref int GetSetPrivateField(Class c);
}

// Generic example
public class Class<T>
{
    private T _field;
    private void M(T t) { }
    private void GM<U>(U u) { }
    private void GMWithConstraints<U, V>(U u, V v) where U : V, IEquatable<U> { }
}

class Accessors<V>
{
    [UnsafeAccessor(UnsafeAccessorKind.Field, Name = "_field")]
    public extern static ref V GetSetPrivateField(Class<V> c);

    [UnsafeAccessor(UnsafeAccessorKind.Method, Name = "M")]
    public extern static void CallM(Class<V> c, V v);

    [UnsafeAccessor(UnsafeAccessorKind.Method, Name = "GM")]
    public extern static void CallGM<X>(Class<V> c, X x);

    [UnsafeAccessor(UnsafeAccessorKind.Method, Name = "GMWithConstraints")]
    public extern static void CallGMWithConstraints<X, Y>(Class<V> c, X x, Y y) where X : Y, IEquatable<X>;
}

public void AccessGenericType(Class<int> c)
{
    ref int f = ref Accessors<int>.GetSetPrivateField(c);

    Accessors<int>.CallM(c, 1);

    Accessors<int>.CallGM<string>(c, string.Empty);

    Accessors<int>.CallGMWithConstraints<string, object>(c, string.Empty, new object());
}

Remarks

You can apply this attribute to an extern static method. The implementation of the extern static method annotated with this attribute will be provided by the runtime based on the information in the attribute and the signature of the method that the attribute is applied to. The runtime will try to find the matching method or field and forward the call to it. If the matching method or field is not found, the body of the extern static method will throw MissingFieldException or MissingMethodException.

Generic parameters are supported since .NET 9. Generic parameters must match the target in form and index (that is, type parameters must be type parameters and method parameters must be method parameters). The extern static method's generic parameters must also exactly match any constraints reflected on the target. If constraints don't match, the method throws InvalidProgramException.

For Method, StaticMethod, Field, and StaticField, the type of the first argument of the annotated extern static method identifies the owning type. Only the specific type defined will be examined for inaccessible members. The type hierarchy is not walked looking for a match.

The value of the first argument is treated as this pointer for instance fields and methods.

The first argument must be passed as ref for instance fields and methods on structs.

The value of the first argument is not used by the implementation for static fields and methods and can be null.

The return value for an accessor to a field can be ref if setting of the field is desired.

Constructors can be accessed using Constructor or Method.

A match is determined by comparing metadata signatures as defined in section II.23.2 of ECMA-335. The return type is considered for the signature match. Modreqs and modopts are initially not considered for the signature match. However, if an ambiguity exists ignoring modreqs and modopts, a precise match is attempted. If an ambiguity still exists, AmbiguousMatchException is thrown.

By default, the attributed method's name dictates the name of the method/field. This can cause confusion in some cases since language abstractions, like C# local functions, generate mangled IL names. The solution to this is to use the nameof mechanism and define the Name property.

Constructors

UnsafeAccessorAttribute(UnsafeAccessorKind)

Instantiates an UnsafeAccessorAttribute providing access to a member of kind UnsafeAccessorKind.

Properties

Kind	Gets the kind of member to which access is provided.
Name	Gets or sets the name of the member to which access is provided.
TypeId	When implemented in a derived class, gets a unique identifier for this Attribute. (Inherited from Attribute)

Methods

Equals(Object)	Returns a value that indicates whether this instance is equal to a specified object. (Inherited from Attribute)
GetHashCode()	Returns the hash code for this instance. (Inherited from Attribute)
GetType()	Gets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object)
IsDefaultAttribute()	When overridden in a derived class, indicates whether the value of this instance is the default value for the derived class. (Inherited from Attribute)
Match(Object)	When overridden in a derived class, returns a value that indicates whether this instance equals a specified object. (Inherited from Attribute)
MemberwiseClone()	Creates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object)
ToString()	Returns a string that represents the current object. (Inherited from Object)