Setting properties by name

[Alexander Walker]

Hello

I would like to write a method that allows me to pass a reference to an instance
of a class, the name of a property of that class and a value to set that
property to, the method would then set the property of the instance to the value

here is an example of what the method might look like

public void SetProperty(obj ect instance, string property, object value)
{
//TODO: set the named property of the instance with the value
}

The method could be called like this

SetProperty(myC lassInstance, "MyProperty ", "My Value");

How would such a method be written? how do you access the members of an instance
in a late bound manner, or is it even possible to pass a reference to the actual
property like so

SetProperty(myC lassInstance, myClassInstance .MyProperty, "The Value");

Where the method is not taking the value of myClassInstance .MyProperty but the
reference to the actual property so that it can set its value, is this possible?

Thanks

Alex

[Marc Gravell]

Re: Setting properties by name

Reflection:

instance.GetTyp e().GetProperty (property).SetV alue(instance, value, null);

(assumes public, writeable, instance property)

Marc

[Stoitcho Goutsev \(100\)]

Re: Setting properties by name

Alexander,

Look at the .net reflection.

The code for setting the property would look something like this:

Type t = myClassInstance .GetType();
PropertyInfo pi = t.GetProperty(M yProperty);
pi.SetValue(myC lassInstance, myValue, null);

Type.GetPropert y method has more than one overload. You may need to use some
of the others depending on the visibility of the property.

If you want to pass "instance of a property" you can use the PropertyInfo
class.



--
HTH
Stoitcho Goutsev (100)

"Alexander Walker" <alex@noemail.n oemail> wrote in message
news:%23%239LUo kLGHA.3276@TK2M SFTNGP09.phx.gb l...[color=blue]
> Hello
>
> I would like to write a method that allows me to pass a reference to an
> instance
> of a class, the name of a property of that class and a value to set that
> property to, the method would then set the property of the instance to the
> value
>
> here is an example of what the method might look like
>
> public void SetProperty(obj ect instance, string property, object value)
> {
> //TODO: set the named property of the instance with the value
> }
>
> The method could be called like this
>
> SetProperty(myC lassInstance, "MyProperty ", "My Value");
>
> How would such a method be written? how do you access the members of an
> instance
> in a late bound manner, or is it even possible to pass a reference to the
> actual
> property like so
>
> SetProperty(myC lassInstance, myClassInstance .MyProperty, "The Value");
>
> Where the method is not taking the value of myClassInstance .MyProperty but
> the
> reference to the actual property so that it can set its value, is this
> possible?
>
> Thanks
>
> Alex
>
>[/color]

[Claes Bergefall]

Re: Setting properties by name

Here are some methods I've been using to accomplish that (both Set and Get).
They're in VB.NET though so you'll have to translate them:

' Description:
' Calls the get method for a property on an object using reflection.
GetProperty
' searches the inheritance chain until it finds a match. All access
levels
' (private, public etc) are supported
' Parameters:
' name - Name of property to get
' object - Object on which to get the property value
' params - Optional parameters to the property
' Return value:
' The returned value of the property's get method
' Exceptions:
' MissingMemberEx ception - No property or get method matching the
specified name or parameters was found
' MissingMethodEx ception - No get method was found (property is
write-only)
Public Shared Function GetProperty(ByV al name As String, ByVal obj As
Object, ByVal ParamArray params() As Object) As Object
Dim objectType As Type = obj.GetType
Dim flags As BindingFlags = BindingFlags.In stance Or _
BindingFlags.St atic Or _
BindingFlags.No nPublic Or _
BindingFlags.Pu blic

Dim propertyInfo As PropertyInfo
Dim types(params.Le ngth - 1) As Type
Dim index As Integer
For index = 0 To params.Length - 1
types(index) = params(index).G etType
Next

While Not objectType Is Nothing
propertyInfo = objectType.GetP roperty(name, flags, Nothing, Nothing,
types, Nothing)
If propertyInfo Is Nothing Then
objectType = objectType.Base Type
Else
Exit While
End If
End While

If propertyInfo Is Nothing Then
Throw New MissingMemberEx ception(obj.Get Type.FullName, "")
ElseIf Not propertyInfo.Ca nRead Then
Throw New MissingMethodEx ception(obj.Get Type.FullName, "")
Else
Return propertyInfo.Ge tValue(obj, params)
End If
End Function

' Description:
' Calls the set method for a property on an object using reflection.
SetProperty
' searches the inheritance chain until it finds a match. All access
levels
' (private, public etc) are supported
' Parameters:
' name - Name of property to set
' object - Object on which to set the property value
' value - Value to assign to the property
' params - Optional parameters to the property
' Return value:
' None
' Exceptions:
' MissingMemberEx ception - No property matching the specified name or
parameters was found
' MissingMethodEx ception - No set method was found (property is
read-only)
Public Shared Sub SetProperty(ByV al name As String, ByVal obj As Object,
ByVal value As Object, ByVal ParamArray params() As Object)
Dim objectType As Type = obj.GetType
Dim flags As BindingFlags = BindingFlags.In stance Or _
BindingFlags.St atic Or _
BindingFlags.No nPublic Or _
BindingFlags.Pu blic

Dim propertyInfo As PropertyInfo
Dim types(params.Le ngth - 1) As Type
Dim index As Integer
For index = 0 To params.Length - 1
types(index) = params(index).G etType
Next

While Not objectType Is Nothing
propertyInfo = objectType.GetP roperty(name, flags, Nothing, Nothing,
types, Nothing)
If propertyInfo Is Nothing Then
objectType = objectType.Base Type
Else
Exit While
End If
End While

If propertyInfo Is Nothing Then
Throw New MissingMemberEx ception(obj.Get Type.FullName, "")
ElseIf Not propertyInfo.Ca nWrite Then
Throw New MissingMethodEx ception(obj.Get Type.FullName, "")
Else
propertyInfo.Se tValue(obj, value, params)
End If
End Sub


/claes

"Alexander Walker" <alex@noemail.n oemail> wrote in message
news:%23%239LUo kLGHA.3276@TK2M SFTNGP09.phx.gb l...[color=blue]
> Hello
>
> I would like to write a method that allows me to pass a reference to an
> instance
> of a class, the name of a property of that class and a value to set that
> property to, the method would then set the property of the instance to the
> value
>
> here is an example of what the method might look like
>
> public void SetProperty(obj ect instance, string property, object value)
> {
> //TODO: set the named property of the instance with the value
> }
>
> The method could be called like this
>
> SetProperty(myC lassInstance, "MyProperty ", "My Value");
>
> How would such a method be written? how do you access the members of an
> instance
> in a late bound manner, or is it even possible to pass a reference to the
> actual
> property like so
>
> SetProperty(myC lassInstance, myClassInstance .MyProperty, "The Value");
>
> Where the method is not taking the value of myClassInstance .MyProperty but
> the
> reference to the actual property so that it can set its value, is this
> possible?
>
> Thanks
>
> Alex
>
>[/color]

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

Re: Setting properties by name

"Claes Bergefall" <claes.bergefal l@nospam.nospam > schrieb:[color=blue]
> Here are some methods I've been using to accomplish that (both Set and
> Get). They're in VB.NET though so you'll have to translate them:[/color]

Mhm... You could use 'CallByName' in VB.NET instead of these methods ;-).

--
M S Herfried K. Wagner
M V P <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/>
V B <URL:http://classicvb.org/petition/>

[Alexander Walker]

Re: Setting properties by name

Here are the methods I came up with

delegate object GetPropertyCall back(object parent, object control,
string propertyName);
delegate void SetPropertyCall back(object parent, object control, string
propertyName, object value);

public object GetProperty(obj ect parent, object control, string
propertyName)
{
Control instance = null;
if (parent != null)
{
instance = (Control)parent ;
}
else
{
instance = (Control)contro l;
}
if (instance.Invok eRequired)
{
GetPropertyCall back d = new GetPropertyCall back(GetPropert y);
return instance.Invoke (d, new object[] { parent, control,
propertyName });
}
else
{
return
control.GetType ().GetProperty( propertyName).G etValue(control , null);
}
}

public void SetProperty(obj ect parent, object control, string
propertyName, object value)
{
Control instance = null;
if (parent != null)
{
instance = (Control)parent ;
}
else
{
instance = (Control)contro l;
}
if (instance.Invok eRequired)
{
SetPropertyCall back d = new SetPropertyCall back(SetPropert y);
instance.Invoke (d, new object[] { parent, control, propertyName,
value });
}
else
{
control.GetType ().GetProperty( propertyName).S etValue(control ,
value, null);
}
}

I needed a generic way of accessing control properties in a thread safe manner,
the reason for the parent and the control properties are for those cases where
the "control" that you are trying to access does not inherit from control and
does not have an InvokeRequired property, the particular situation I face
involved a progress bar on a status strip control, the progress bar didn't
inherit from control and so didn't have an InvokeRequired property, so I passed
the status strip as the parent

Thanks

Alex

[Marc Gravell]

Re: Setting properties by name

Some observations:

Since you always expect parent and control to be Controls, why not specify
them as Control on the interface?

The "callback" isn't really what I would call a callback - normally this
involves an AsyncResult or somesuch; perhaps just call it
GetPropertyDele gate?

I can't recall (and don't have an IDE handy), but some of the Invoke methods
accept a params parameter which makes the call easier; and looks like they
should be static methods?

Other than that, it looks like it should work,

Marc

[Marc Gravell]

Re: Setting properties by name

ammendment; I see what you mean about the child; if it must be that way, I'd
have 2 versions of each

public static object GetProperty(obj ect obj, string propertyName) {
return GetProperty(obj as Control, obj, propertyName);
}

public static object GetProperty(Con trol parent, object obj, string
propertyName) {
if(parent==null || !parent.InvokeR equired) {
// call directly
}
else {
// invoke (private) delegate
}
}

===

Done this way, I can pass any object to the first version of GetProperty; if
it is a control it will be automatically passed to the right thread; if I
know I have an object that needs to be accessed on a particular thread I can
use the second version. You could consider replacing Control with
ISynchronizeInv oke, but that is probably overkill.

Marc

[Claes Bergefall]

Re: Setting properties by name

Hmm, guess I could. Didn't know about that one :-)
Does it work with private members as well?

/claes


"Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]" <hirf-spam-me-here@gmx.at> wrote in message
news:uqSkSRnLGH A.1180@TK2MSFTN GP09.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> "Claes Bergefall" <claes.bergefal l@nospam.nospam > schrieb:[color=green]
>> Here are some methods I've been using to accomplish that (both Set and
>> Get). They're in VB.NET though so you'll have to translate them:[/color]
>
> Mhm... You could use 'CallByName' in VB.NET instead of these methods ;-).
>
> --
> M S Herfried K. Wagner
> M V P <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/>
> V B <URL:http://classicvb.org/petition/>[/color]

[TerryFei]

RE: Setting properties by name

Hi Alexander,

I just want to check how things are going and whether or not your problem
has been resolved. If there is any question, please feel free to join the
community and we are here to support you at your convenience. Thanks again!

Best Regards,

Terry Fei[MSFT]
Microsoft Community Support
Get Secure! www.microsoft.com/security
(This posting is provided "AS IS", with no warranties, and confers no
rights.)

--------------------[color=blue]
>From: "Alexander Walker" <alex@noemail.n oemail>
>Subject: Setting properties by name
>Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2006 13:58:27 -0000
>Lines: 31
>X-Priority: 3
>X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
>X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2670
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>Message-ID: <##9LUokLGHA.32 76@TK2MSFTNGP09 .phx.gbl>
>Newsgroups:[/color]
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ages.csharp[color=blue]
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microsoft.publi c.dotnet.langua ges.csharp:3850 54
microsoft.publi c.dotnet.framew ork.windowsform s:94079[color=blue]
>X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.publi c.dotnet.langua ges.csharp
>
>Hello
>
>I would like to write a method that allows me to pass a reference to an[/color]
instance[color=blue]
>of a class, the name of a property of that class and a value to set that
>property to, the method would then set the property of the instance to the[/color]
value[color=blue]
>
>here is an example of what the method might look like
>
>public void SetProperty(obj ect instance, string property, object value)
>{
>//TODO: set the named property of the instance with the value
>}
>
>The method could be called like this
>
>SetProperty(my ClassInstance, "MyProperty ", "My Value");
>
>How would such a method be written? how do you access the members of an[/color]
instance[color=blue]
>in a late bound manner, or is it even possible to pass a reference to the[/color]
actual[color=blue]
>property like so
>
>SetProperty(my ClassInstance, myClassInstance .MyProperty, "The Value");
>
>Where the method is not taking the value of myClassInstance .MyProperty but[/color]
the[color=blue]
>reference to the actual property so that it can set its value, is this[/color]
possible?[color=blue]
>
>Thanks
>
>Alex
>
>
>[/color]

[Alexander Walker]

Re: Setting properties by name

Hello Terry,

I have been able to use the two methods that I posted earlier to satisfy my
needs

Thank you

Alex

[TerryFei]

Re: Setting properties by name

Hi Alex,
Thanks for your update! :)

I am glad to know that the problem has been resolved now. Thanks for
participating the community!

Best Regards,

Terry Fei [MSFT]
Microsoft Community Support
Get Secure! www.microsoft.com/security

--------------------[color=blue]
>From: "Alexander Walker" <alex@noemail.n oemail>
>References: <##9LUokLGHA.32 76@TK2MSFTNGP09 .phx.gbl>[/color]
<TcfAHDhMGHA.12 8@TK2MSFTNGXA01 .phx.gbl>[color=blue]
>Subject: Re: Setting properties by name
>Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006 03:44:31 -0000
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>X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2670
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>Message-ID: <uNC04R3MGHA.12 88@TK2MSFTNGP09 .phx.gbl>
>Newsgroups: microsoft.publi c.dotnet.langua ges.csharp
>NNTP-Posting-Host: 84.12.81.6
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>Xref: TK2MSFTNGXA01.p hx.gbl microsoft.publi c.dotnet.langua ges.csharp:3866 30
>X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.publi c.dotnet.langua ges.csharp
>
>Hello Terry,
>
>I have been able to use the two methods that I posted earlier to satisfy[/color]
my[color=blue]
>needs
>
>Thank you
>
>Alex
>
>
>[/color]