Getting operators using Reflection

[Plater]

I am having some trouble finding a way to retreive the operators from a custom class.

In a simplified example I have the following:
[code=c#]
public class Namespace1.Addr ess
{
public string City;
public string State;

public static implicit operator Address(Namespa ce2.Address value)
{ /* Logic to transform */ }
}

public class Namespace2.Addr ess
{
public string City;
public string State;

public static implicit operator Address(Namespa ce1.Address value)
{ /* Logic to transform */ }
}
[/code]

Now I want to use reflection to get the custom operators that exist there (Actually what I want is a bit different, but I *think* this will lead me to THAT goal), and then invoke them?
[code#]
Type myT=Namespace1. Address.GetType ();
MemberInfo[] mis=myT.GetMemb ers(BindingFlag s.Public|Bindin gFlags.Static);
[/code]
Now after starting this question I figured out that using the Static bindingflag gave me the op_implicit that I had defined.
I think I'm just not thinking this through well enough.

I have a number of classes just like that Address class, and I want to write a conversion function that checks for the existance of an operator (implicit or explicit) between two classes, and then invokes it.
A universal converter if you will.

I have a reflection-based function that uses getFields() that works on the Address classes without the operators being needed. But chokes on classes such as this:

[code=c#]
public class Namespace1.Loca tion
{
public string Name;
public Address Place;
}

public class Namespace2.Loca tion
{
public string Name;
public Address Place;
}
[/code]
(Since the two address classes are not the same, using invokeMember fails).


I'm not sure my question is clear, but if anyone has ideas I can attempt to make it more clear.

[Plater]

I think I may have found what I am looking for:

[code=c#]
//EndType is the type I want to PRODUCE
//StartType is the type I am pulling data FROM
MethodInfo mi = EndType.GetMeth od(
"op_Implici t",
(BindingFlags.P ublic | BindingFlags.St atic),
null,
new Type[] { StartType },
new ParameterModifi er[0]
);
//Now if mi is NOT null, it means there is an operator that allows for converting StartType to EndType, if it is null, there isn't one
[/code]

[Plater]

So I think I have what I wanted, it's been working well.
[code=c#]
public static class ShippingConvers ion
{
private static BindingFlags basePropertyFla gs = BindingFlags.In stance | BindingFlags.No nPublic | BindingFlags.Pu blic;
public static object ConvertOP(objec t StartObject, Type EndType)
{
object retval = null;
Type[] SearchTypes = (StartObject != null) ? new Type[] { StartObject.Get Type() } : new Type[0];
MethodInfo mi = EndType.GetMeth od("op_Explicit ", (BindingFlags.P ublic | BindingFlags.St atic), null, SearchTypes, new ParameterModifi er[0]);
if (mi == null) mi = EndType.GetMeth od("op_Implicit ", (BindingFlags.P ublic | BindingFlags.St atic), null, SearchTypes, new ParameterModifi er[0]);
if (mi != null)//there is a conversion operator!
{ retval = EndType.InvokeM ember(mi.Name, BindingFlags.In vokeMethod | (BindingFlags.P ublic | BindingFlags.St atic), null, null, new object[] { StartObject }); }
return retval;
}
public static object Convert(object StartObject, Type EndType)
{
object retval = null;

Type StartType = StartObject.Get Type();
retval = EndType.InvokeM ember("", BindingFlags.Cr eateInstance, null, null, new object[0]);
PropertyInfo[] pis = EndType.GetProp erties(baseProp ertyFlags);
foreach (PropertyInfo oI in pis)//you should probably use getFields, in case there is no setter, but in my case this is -safe-(ish)
{
PropertyInfo thisFIs = StartType.GetPr operty(oI.Name, basePropertyFla gs);
if ((thisFIs != null))
{
object cVal = StartType.Invok eMember(thisFIs .Name, basePropertyFla gs | BindingFlags.Ge tProperty, null, StartObject, new object[0]);
if (thisFIs.Proper tyType == oI.PropertyType )
{ EndType.InvokeM ember(thisFIs.N ame, basePropertyFla gs | BindingFlags.Se tProperty, null, retval, new object[] { cVal }); }
else
{//check for operator for it?
object o = ConvertOP(cVal, oI.PropertyType );
if (o != null) EndType.InvokeM ember(thisFIs.N ame, basePropertyFla gs | BindingFlags.Se tProperty, null, retval, new object[] { o });
}
}
}

return retval;
}
} //end of class
[/code]

Anything that is the -same- type and -same- name gets set. If they are custom classes, the code checks to see if there are implicit/explict operators for it. (Those are used for type-casting)

I'm pretty pleased that this is working.

[GaryTexmo]

Nifty... nice job :)