Type.ToString Method
Definition
Important
Some information relates to prerelease product that may be substantially modified before it’s released. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information provided here.
Returns a String
representing the name of the current Type
.
public:
override System::String ^ ToString();
public override string ToString ();
override this.ToString : unit -> string
Public Overrides Function ToString () As String
Returns
A String representing the name of the current Type.
Implements
Examples
This following example demonstrates a use of the Namespace and Module properties and the ToString
method of Type.
using namespace System;
namespace MyNamespace
{
ref class MyClass
{
};
}
void main()
{
Type^ myType = MyNamespace::MyClass::typeid;
Console::WriteLine("Displaying information about {0}:", myType );
// Get the namespace of the class MyClass.
Console::WriteLine(" Namespace: {0}", myType->Namespace );
// Get the name of the module.
Console::WriteLine(" Module: {0}", myType->Module );
// Get the fully qualified common language runtime namespace.
Console::WriteLine(" Fully qualified type: {0}", myType );
}
// The example displays the following output:
// Displaying information about MyNamespace.MyClass:
// Namespace: MyNamespace
// Module: type_tostring.exe
// Fully qualified name: MyNamespace.MyClass
using System;
namespace MyNamespace
{
class MyClass
{
}
}
public class Example
{
public static void Main()
{
Type myType = typeof(MyNamespace.MyClass);
Console.WriteLine("Displaying information about {0}:", myType);
// Get the namespace of the myClass class.
Console.WriteLine(" Namespace: {0}.", myType.Namespace);
// Get the name of the module.
Console.WriteLine(" Module: {0}.", myType.Module);
// Get the fully qualified type name.
Console.WriteLine(" Fully qualified name: {0}.", myType.ToString());
}
}
// The example displays the following output:
// Displaying information about MyNamespace.MyClass:
// Namespace: MyNamespace.
// Module: type_tostring.exe.
// Fully qualified name: MyNamespace.MyClass.
namespace MyNamespace
type MyClass() = class end
namespace global
module Example =
let myType = typeof<MyNamespace.MyClass>
printfn $"Displaying information about {myType}:"
// Get the namespace of the myClass class.
printfn $" Namespace: {myType.Namespace}."
// Get the name of the ilmodule.
printfn $" Module: {myType.Module}."
// Get the fully qualified type name.
printfn $" Fully qualified name: {myType.ToString()}."
// The example displays the following output:
// Displaying information about MyNamespace.MyClass:
// Namespace: MyNamespace.
// Module: type_tostring.exe.
// Fully qualified name: MyNamespace.MyClass.
Namespace MyNamespace
Class [MyClass]
End Class
End Namespace
Public Class Example
Public Shared Sub Main()
Dim myType As Type = GetType(MyNamespace.MyClass)
Console.WriteLine(", myType)
' Get the namespace of the MyClass class.
Console.WriteLine(" Namespace: {0}.", myType.Namespace)
' Get the name of the module.
Console.WriteLine(" Module: {0}.", myType.Module)
' Get the fully qualified type name.
Console.WriteLine(" Fully qualified name: {0}.", myType.ToString())
End Sub
End Class
' The example displays the following output:
' Displaying information about MyNamespace.MyClass:
' Namespace: MyNamespace.
' Module: type_tostring.exe.
' Fully qualified name: MyNamespace.MyClass.
The following example compares the strings returned by the ToString
method and the Name, FullName, and AssemblyQualifiedName properties.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Globalization;
public class Example
{
public static void Main()
{
Type t = typeof(String);
ShowTypeInfo(t);
t = typeof(List<>);
ShowTypeInfo(t);
var list = new List<String>();
t = list.GetType();
ShowTypeInfo(t);
Object v = 12;
t = v.GetType();
ShowTypeInfo(t);
t = typeof(IFormatProvider);
ShowTypeInfo(t);
IFormatProvider ifmt = NumberFormatInfo.CurrentInfo;
t = ifmt.GetType();
ShowTypeInfo(t);
}
private static void ShowTypeInfo(Type t)
{
Console.WriteLine($"Name: {t.Name}");
Console.WriteLine($"Full Name: {t.FullName}");
Console.WriteLine($"ToString: {t}");
Console.WriteLine($"Assembly Qualified Name: {t.AssemblyQualifiedName}");
Console.WriteLine();
}
}
// The example displays output like the following:
// Name: String
// Full Name: System.String
// ToString: System.String
// Assembly Qualified Name: System.String, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutr
// al, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
//
// Name: List`1
// Full Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1
// ToString: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[T]
// Assembly Qualified Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1, mscorlib, Version=4.
// 0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
//
// Name: List`1
// Full Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[[System.String, mscorlib, Version=4
// .0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089]]
// ToString: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.String]
// Assembly Qualified Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[[System.String, mscor
// lib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089]], mscorl
// ib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
//
// Name: Int32
// Full Name: System.Int32
// ToString: System.Int32
// Assembly Qualified Name: System.Int32, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutra
// l, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
//
// Name: IFormatProvider
// Full Name: System.IFormatProvider
// ToString: System.IFormatProvider
// Assembly Qualified Name: System.IFormatProvider, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Cult
// ure=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
//
// Name: NumberFormatInfo
// Full Name: System.Globalization.NumberFormatInfo
// ToString: System.Globalization.NumberFormatInfo
// Assembly Qualified Name: System.Globalization.NumberFormatInfo, mscorlib, Versio
// n=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
open System
open System.Globalization
let showTypeInfo (t: Type) =
printfn $"Name: {t.Name}"
printfn $"Full Name: {t.FullName}"
printfn $"ToString: {t}"
printfn $"Assembly Qualified Name: {t.AssemblyQualifiedName}\n"
typeof<String>
|> showTypeInfo
(typeof<ResizeArray<_>>).GetGenericTypeDefinition()
|> showTypeInfo
let list = ResizeArray<String>()
list.GetType()
|> showTypeInfo
let v: obj = 12
v.GetType()
|> showTypeInfo
typeof<IFormatProvider>
|> showTypeInfo
let ifmt = NumberFormatInfo.CurrentInfo
ifmt.GetType()
|> showTypeInfo
let o = Some 3
o.GetType()
|> showTypeInfo
// The example displays output like the following:
// Name: String
// Full Name: System.String
// ToString: System.String
// Assembly Qualified Name: System.String, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutr
// al, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
//
// Name: List`1
// Full Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1
// ToString: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[T]
// Assembly Qualified Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1, mscorlib, Version=4.
// 0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
//
// Name: List`1
// Full Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[[System.String, mscorlib, Version=4
// .0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089]]
// ToString: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.String]
// Assembly Qualified Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[[System.String, mscor
// lib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089]], mscorl
// ib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
//
// Name: Int32
// Full Name: System.Int32
// ToString: System.Int32
// Assembly Qualified Name: System.Int32, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutra
// l, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
//
// Name: IFormatProvider
// Full Name: System.IFormatProvider
// ToString: System.IFormatProvider
// Assembly Qualified Name: System.IFormatProvider, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Cult
// ure=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
//
// Name: NumberFormatInfo
// Full Name: System.Globalization.NumberFormatInfo
// ToString: System.Globalization.NumberFormatInfo
// Assembly Qualified Name: System.Globalization.NumberFormatInfo, mscorlib, Versio
// n=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
//
// Name: FSharpOption`1
// Full Name: Microsoft.FSharp.Core.FSharpOption`1[[System.Int32, System.Private.CoreLib, Version=6.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=7cec85d7bea7798e]]
// ToString: Microsoft.FSharp.Core.FSharpOption`1[System.Int32]
// Assembly Qualified Name: Microsoft.FSharp.Core.FSharpOption`1[[System.Int32, System.Private.CoreLib, Version=6.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=7cec85d7bea7798e]], FSharp.Core, Version=6.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.Globalization
Module Example
Public Sub Main()
Dim t As Type = GetType(String)
ShowTypeInfo(t)
t = GetType(List(Of))
ShowTypeInfo(t)
Dim list As New List(Of String)()
t = list.GetType()
ShowTypeInfo(t)
Dim v As Object = 12
t = v.GetType()
ShowTypeInfo(t)
t = GetType(IFormatProvider)
ShowTypeInfo(t)
Dim ifmt As IFormatProvider = NumberFormatInfo.CurrentInfo
t = ifmt.GetType()
ShowTypeInfo(t)
End Sub
Private Sub ShowTypeInfo(t As Type)
Console.WriteLine($"Name: {t.Name}")
Console.WriteLine($"Full Name: {t.FullName}")
Console.WriteLine($"ToString: {t}")
Console.WriteLine($"Assembly Qualified Name: {t.AssemblyQualifiedName}")
Console.WriteLine()
End Sub
End Module
' The example displays output like the following:
' Name: String
' Full Name: System.String
' ToString: System.String
' Assembly Qualified Name: System.String, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutr
' al, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
'
' Name: List`1
' Full Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1
' ToString: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[T]
' Assembly Qualified Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1, mscorlib, Version=4.
' 0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
'
' Name: List`1
' Full Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[[System.String, mscorlib, Version=4
' .0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089]]
' ToString: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.String]
' Assembly Qualified Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[[System.String, mscor
' lib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089]], mscorl
' ib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
'
' Name: Int32
' Full Name: System.Int32
' ToString: System.Int32
' Assembly Qualified Name: System.Int32, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutra
' l, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
'
' Name: IFormatProvider
' Full Name: System.IFormatProvider
' ToString: System.IFormatProvider
' Assembly Qualified Name: System.IFormatProvider, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Cult
' ure=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
'
' Name: NumberFormatInfo
' Full Name: System.Globalization.NumberFormatInfo
' ToString: System.Globalization.NumberFormatInfo
' Assembly Qualified Name: System.Globalization.NumberFormatInfo, mscorlib, Versio
' n=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
Remarks
This method returns the fully qualified common language runtime namespace and name for all primitive types. For example, the C# instruction, (long)0.Type().ToString()
returns "System.Int64" instead of merely "Int64".
If the current Type represents a generic type, the type and its type arguments are qualified by namespace and by nested type, but not by assembly. If the current Type represents a type parameter in the definition of a generic type or generic method, this method returns the unqualified name of the type parameter.