Develop Reference

How to get the value of a property of a class in a non executing assembly through reflection

I'm having trouble while getting the value of the text property in a non-executing assembly; I read an assembly from disk via reflection, then i get all classes in the assembly to search for the Text property in a windows form class which is initialized by win forms designer. So far i have the following code:
static void Main(string[] args)
{
Assembly asm = Assembly.LoadFrom(Path.Combine(path, "Assembly.exe"));
PropertyInfo[] props;
foreach (Type t in asm.GetTypes())
{
var value = t.GetProperty("Text").GetValue(/*Not sure what to put here*/)
}
}
And this is how the designer generated the form
Me.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.None
Me.BackColor = System.Drawing.Color.FromArgb(CType(CType(0, Byte), Integer), CType(CType(128, Byte), Integer), CType(CType(128, Byte), Integer))
Me.ClientSize = New System.Drawing.Size(234, 181)
Me.Cursor = System.Windows.Forms.Cursors.Default
Me.Font = New System.Drawing.Font("Arial", 8.25!, System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold, System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, CType(0, Byte))
Me.ForeColor = System.Drawing.SystemColors.WindowText
Me.FormBorderStyle = System.Windows.Forms.FormBorderStyle.FixedDialog
Me.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(581, 222)
Me.MaximizeBox = False
Me.MinimizeBox = False
Me.Name = "winform"
Me.RightToLeft = System.Windows.Forms.RightToLeft.No
Me.StartPosition = System.Windows.Forms.FormStartPosition.Manual
Me.Text = "Title"
Me.fraDías.ResumeLayout(False)
Me.ResumeLayout(False)
Keep in mind that the assembly is on disk and non-executing and that I want to retrieve the value of the Text property of every winform (I guess it should be somewhere hardcoded in the assembly since it was generated by the winforms designer)
Please tell me if this is possible, thanks!

Your requirements are contradictory, when you load an aseembly via reflection, and instantiate an object or try to get a property value, what happens is that some code begins to run, there is no way around that.
Remember that properties are just "syntax sugar" for a pair of methods, the getter and setter. Their current value is nothing but the value returned by the getter method, and when you change its value, you're in fact calling its setter method. So, to retrieve property values, you must make some code to run, even if it's a trivial get method.
I think maybe your confusion comes from the fact that you're using a designer to create the form. Particularly with the WinForms designer (WPF for instance is substantially different), all it does is to autogenerate some code for you. Setting properties, placing and moving controls around, what's happening under the hood is that it writes code that replicate your actions at runtime, specifically, it codes the InitializeComponent method. The real property value is set when the constructor is called (that in turn calls InitializeComponent), and then you may read/change using many properties.
What you would need to read those designer attributes is that those were hardcoded in some form of metadata, so that it's simply read as data and not as the result of code execution. That's not the case with WinForms, as it "saves" the form as code.

You cannot read a property of a class that has not been instantiated! The parameter you are missing is an instance of your type.
You must create an instance of the type with object o = Activator.CreateInstance(type); before accessing its members (unless they are static).
Your problem is related to how add-ins (plug-ins) can be loaded at runtime.
Here is how I made an Add-In Loader. Below, I will explain how you can adapt it to your problem. Add-Ins have to implement the IAddIn interface in my example. You are totally free in the definition of IAddIn. You could define it like this:
public interface IAddIn
{
bool OnLoad();
string Version { get; set; }
string Text { get; set; }
}
This allows you to access members without reflection.
public class AddInLoader
{
// Loads all non abstract types implementing IAddIn in all DLLs found in a folder.
public IList<IAddIn> Load(string folder)
{
var addIns = new List<IAddIn>();
string[] files = Directory.GetFiles(folder, "*.dll");
foreach (string file in files) {
addIns.AddRange(LoadFromAssembly(file));
}
return addIns;
}
// Loads all non abstract types implementing IAddIn found in a file.
private static IEnumerable<IAddIn> LoadFromAssembly(string fileName)
{
Assembly asm = Assembly.LoadFrom(fileName);
string addInInterfaceName = typeof(IAddIn).FullName;
foreach (Type type in asm.GetExportedTypes()) {
Type interfaceType = type.GetInterface(addInInterfaceName);
if (interfaceType != null &&
(type.Attributes & TypeAttributes.Abstract) != TypeAttributes.Abstract){
IAddIn addIn = (IAddIn)Activator.CreateInstance(type);
addIn.Version = asm.GetName().Version.ToString();
yield return addIn;
}
}
}
}
Now you can load and access the add-ins like this:
var loader = new AddInLoader();
IList<IAddIn> addIns = loader.Load(folderPath);
foreach (IAddIn addIn in addIns) {
if (addIn.OnLoad()) {
Console.WriteLine("Version = {0}, Text = {1}", addIn.Version, addIn.Text);
}
}
Reading the titles of Forms at runtime:
You can easily adapt this example. Instead of searching for types implementing an interface, search for types deriving from System.Windows.Forms.Form.
private static IEnumerable<Form> LoadFormsFromAssembly(string fileName)
{
Assembly asm = Assembly.LoadFrom(fileName);
foreach (Type type in asm.GetExportedTypes()) {
if (typeof(Form).IsAssignableFrom(type) &&
(type.Attributes & TypeAttributes.Abstract) != TypeAttributes.Abstract) {
Form form = (Form)Activator.CreateInstance(type);
yield return form;
}
}
}
Now you can get the texts of the forms like this:
var forms = LoadFormsFromAssembly(path);
foreach (Form frm in forms) {
Console.WriteLine(frm.Text);
}
Note: You must instantiate the forms, however you do not need to open (show) them. The code works only if the forms have a default constructor, i.e. a constructor without parameters.

You need an instance object for that type to get the value of a property.
It looks like you just want to check if a type has a "Text" property or not. You can to it by checking
bool hasTextProperty = t.GetProperty("Text") !=null;

dynamic method and the MethodAccessException

given the following classes:
class SomeBuilder<T>
{
public static object Build(int index)
{
...
}
}
class SomeHelper
{
public object GetBuildObj(object value)
{
var valuetype = value.GetType();
var methodinfo = typeof(SomeBuilder<>).MakeGenericType(valuetype).GetMethod("Build");
var handler = SomeDynamicHelper.GetMethodInvoker(methodinfo);
var result = hander(null, new object[]{1});
}
}
SomeBuilder was a generic type so i need a call to MakeGenericType() to make things right.
when i pass a normal type like 'class person' for the value, everything just works, that`s fine.
but when i pass a anonymous type like: new { id=1 }, the handler was successfully created. but invoke this dynamic handler i got a MethodAccessException with these messages:
"method "SomeDynamicHelper.(System.Object, System.Objec[])" try to access method "SomeBuilder'1<<>f__AnonymousType0'1<System.Int32>>.Build(int)" failed.
any help would be appreciated, thx.
btw, if you are interested in SomeDynamicHelper, plz see:
http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/14593/A-General-Fast-Method-Invoker
edit1:
i did the call in main like this:
static void Main(string[] args)
{
// pass a normal class, this will be fine
var value = new Person { id = 1};
new SomeHelper().GetBuildObj(value);
// pass a anonymous type
var value = new { id = 1};
new SomeHelper().GetBuildObj(value); // oops, got a exception here!
}
edit2:
based on the comment i changed my code:
class SomeHelper
{
public object GetBuildObj(object value)
{
//this time i do not use the value, but create a new inner value:
var valuenew = new { id = 1 };
var valuetype = valuenew.GetType();
var methodinfo = typeof(SomeBuilder<>).MakeGenericType(valuetype).GetMethod("Build");
var handler = SomeDynamicHelper.GetMethodInvoker(methodinfo);
var result = hander(null, new object[]{1});
}
}
well, this time there is no exception, but...unfortunately a new problem occured...may be i should open a new thread for the new problem.
thank you guys, for your attentions.
edit3:
hi, after some digging, i also found some useful information. say, the SomeDynamicHelper.GetMethodInvoker() code as below:
DynamicMethod dynamicMethod = new DynamicMethod(string.Empty, typeof(object), new Type[] { typeof(object), typeof(object[]) }, methodInfo.DeclaringType.Module);
this is the core we used here to dynamic create a method. for our context, we need to declare the anonymous type in same assembly with the SomeHelper and SomeBuilder. but, if we can`t do the declaration, what should we do?
ok, you can call DynamicMethod() with last parameter(the skipVisibility), set to true!
hope this will help others with the same problem :)

"method "SomeDynamicHelper.(System.Object, System.Objec[])" try to access method "SomeBuilder'1<<>f__AnonymousType0'1>.Build(int)"
From this you can see that dynamic method try to run an internal\private method called Build, for that you got MethodAccessException.
(The anonymous type is kept in a new generated class)
Adding InternalVisibleTo not always helping because it's helping only if you can rewrite the anonymous type assembly (manually or with interception) and only if the type and method are internals and not private.
In dynamic method you can bind the method to type\module, and to skip visibility check, but this help to access private members of the specified module, so again if the type you trying to access is in a different assembly and the type\method are private you can't do anything.
Well almost. There is a "secret" attribute that you inject to your assembly, called IgnoreAccessChecksTo and then in addition to bounded module and skip visibility maybe it will work.

You can try using [assembly: InternalsVisibleTo("Anonymously Hosted DynamicMethods Assembly")] in the same project where you define the anonymous type.

I had a similar error with a C# class I tried to inject using IKVM-converted Guice. The fix was simply making the affected class (in this case probably SomeBuilder) public and everything worked fine.

Why do I have to manually create ExpandoObject to properly use the dynamic keyword?

I was looking at the question Use 'dynamic' throw a RuntimeBinderException. I face a similar problem:
Basically, I want to create a "HTML helper" in ASP.NET MVC that uses dynamic arguments, akin to the htmlArguments parameter for many of the existing helpers (more code below):
public BootstrapCell(Action<string> emitContentAction, dynamic args)
View:
#using (grid.Cell(ViewContext.Writer.Write, new {Position = 4}))
{
<p>zomg!</p>
}
However in the naive approach, i get RuntimeBinderException thrown at me, declaring that 'object' does not contain a definition for 'Position', even though when debugging and hovering over the _args variable, it clearly does have a Position property.
The caller and the callee are in separate assemblies. Why is that problem happening?
(The solution to that has been shown in the same question: Manually create an ExpandoObject to hold the args.)
Implementation:
public class Cell
{
private readonly string _tagName;
private dynamic _args;
private Action<string> EmitContentAction;
public BootstrapCell(Action<string> emitContentAction, dynamic args) : DisposableBaseClass
{
_args = args;
EmitContentAction = emitContentAction;
OnContextEnter();
}
protected void OnContextEnter()
{
var sb = new StringBuilder("<");
sb.Append(_tagName);
if (_args.Position > 0)
{
sb.Append(" class=\"offset");
sb.Append(args.Position);
sb.Append("\"");
}
sb.Append(">");
EmitContentAction(sb.ToString());
}
}
[Edited to make clearer that my problem arises when "obviously" the Position property is set. I am aware that if the property never was defined in the first place, an exception must be raised.]

That code is fatally flawed.
It does work, as long as you specify that property:
void Bar()
{
Foo(new {Position = 0});
}
void Foo(dynamic args)
{
Console.WriteLine(args.Position);
}
That will output 0, it will not throw a RuntimeBinderException.
But the purpose of such code is the possibility for the caller to specify only the properties needed and omit the rest.
You are trying to check for this omission via if(args.Position != null). But that doesn't work, it already requires Position to exist.
When you have a look at the routing API of ASP.NET that also supports those anonymous configuration objects you will notice that the type of the parameter is object and not dynamic.
Using object instead of dynamic will enable your API to be used across assembly boundaries.
So how does it work?
Just like in the linked answer, you need to manually create a dictionary of the properties. Whether you use a plain old Dictionary<string, object> or an ExpandoObject is a matter of preference.
Using ExpandoObject will make your code a bit simpler to read and write, but it is not required.
About the actual exception you are getting:
Please note that it tells you it can't find the Position property on object. If it would be an anonymous type that was missing the Position property the exception message wouldn't refer to object but to an anonymous type. Something like this:
'<>f__AnonymousType0' does not contain a definition for 'Position'

C# change Intellisense info

I have a member of some class that definition is Like:
public static object CallMethod(Type oType, String sMethodName, params object [] paramenters)
{
/* some code exist here, not required in this scenario */
CarrierContainer cc = new CarrierContainer();
CarrierContainer.SetMethod.SetServiceAndFunction(cc, oType.Name.Substring(1), sMethodName);
foreach (object item in paramenters) { cc.Params.Add(item); }
object obj = WCFClient.ExecuteService(cc);
return obj;
}
and my calling part is like:
return (ID)WCFServiceClient.CallMethod(ServiceType, "Save", this);
now my point is while I have completed type:
return (ID)WCFServiceClient.CallMethod(ServiceType, "Save",
i don't know how many parameters are required for "Save" and i want to show IntelliSense info while typing based on two parameters typed ServiceType, "Save".
Please anyone have suggestion about control IntelliSense info while typing some code in C# editor?

The explicit definition of the method claims:
I don't know exactly how many parameters can be in that array
So what you expect from the IntelliSense is not what defined in the code.
If you want IntelliSense help you, you should explicitly define parameters in function definition.
Other "solution" could be use of the comments in appropriate way.

Calling javascript object method using WebBrowser.Document.InvokeScript

In my WinForms application I need to call javascript function from my WebBrowser control. I used Document.InvokeScript and it works perfect with functions alone e.g
Document.InvokeScript("function").
But when i want to call javascript object method e.g.
Document.InvokeScript("obj.method")
it doesn't work. Is there a way to make it work? Or different solution to this problem? Without changing anything in the javascript code!
Thanks in advance :)

The example in the documentation does NOT include the parenthesis.
private void InvokeScript()
{
if (webBrowser1.Document != null)
{
HtmlDocument doc = webBrowser1.Document;
String str = doc.InvokeScript("test").ToString() ;
Object jscriptObj = doc.InvokeScript("testJScriptObject");
Object domOb = doc.InvokeScript("testElement");
}
}
Try
Document.InvokeMethod("obj.method");
Note that you can pass arguments if you use HtmlDocument.InvokeScript Method (String, Object[]).
Edit
Looks like you aren't the only one with this issue: HtmlDocument.InvokeScript - Calling a method of an object . You can make a "Proxy function" like the poster of that link suggests. Basically you have a function that invokes your object's function. It's not an ideal solution, but it'll definitely work. I'll continue looking to see if this is possible.
Another post on same issue: Using WebBrowser.Document.InvokeScript() to mess around with foreign JavaScript . Interesting solution proposed by C. Groß on CodeProject:
private string sendJS(string JScript) {
object[] args = {JScript};
return webBrowser1.Document.InvokeScript("eval",args).ToString();
}
You could make that an extension method on HtmlDocument and call that to run your function, only using this new function you WOULD include parenthesis, arguments, the whole nine yards in the string you pass in (since it is just passed along to an eval).
Looks like HtmlDocument does not have support for calling methods on existing objects. Only global functions. :(

Unfortunately you can't call object methods out of the box using WebBrowser.Document.InvokeScript.
The solution is to provide a global function on the JavaScript side which can redirect your call. In the most simplistic form this would look like:
function invoke(method, args) {
// The root context is assumed to be the window object. The last part of the method parameter is the actual function name.
var context = window;
var namespace = method.split('.');
var func = namespace.pop();
// Resolve the context
for (var i = 0; i < namespace.length; i++) {
context = context[namespace[i]];
}
// Invoke the target function.
result = context[func].apply(context, args);
}
In your .NET code you would use this as follows:
var parameters = new object[] { "obj.method", yourArgument };
var resultJson = WebBrowser.Document.InvokeScript("invoke", parameters);
As you mention that you cannot change anything to your existing JavaScript code, you'll have to inject the above JavaScript method in some how. Fortunately the WebBrowser control can also do for you by calling the eval() method:
WebBrowser.Document.InvokeScript("eval", javaScriptString);
For a more robust and complete implementation see the WebBrowser tools I wrote and the article explaining the ScriptingBridge which specifically aims to solve the problem you describe.

webBrowser.Document.InvokeScript("execScript", new object[] { "this.alert(123)", "JavaScript" })
for you supposed to be like this
webBrowser.Document.InvokeScript("execScript", new object[] { "obj.method()", "JavaScript" })