Assembly.GetType
Method
Definition
Overloads
| GetType(String, Boolean) |
Gets the Type object with the specified name in the assembly instance and optionally throws an exception if the type is not found. |
| GetType(String, Boolean, Boolean) |
Gets the Type object with the specified name in the assembly instance, with the options of ignoring the case, and of throwing an exception if the type is not found. |
| GetType(String) |
Gets the Type object with the specified name in the assembly instance. |
GetType(String, Boolean)
Gets the Type object with the specified name in the assembly instance and optionally throws an exception if the type is not found.
public virtual Type GetType (string name, bool throwOnError);
- name
- String
The full name of the type.
- throwOnError
- Boolean
true to throw an exception if the type is not found; false to return null.
An object that represents the specified class.
name is null.
throwOnError is true, and the type cannot be found.
name requires a dependent assembly that could not be found.
name requires a dependent assembly that was found but could not be loaded.
-or-
The current assembly was loaded into the reflection-only context, and name requires a dependent assembly that was not preloaded.
name requires a dependent assembly, but the file is not a valid assembly.
-or-
name requires a dependent assembly which was compiled for a version of the runtime later than the currently loaded version.
Remarks
This method only searches the current assembly instance. The name parameter includes the namespace but not the assembly. To search other assemblies for a type, use the Type.GetType(String) method overload, which can optionally include an assembly display name as part of the type name.
Note
If the type has been forwarded to another assembly, it is still returned by this method. For information on type forwarding, see Type Forwarding in the Common Language Runtime.
The throwOnError parameter only affects what happens when the type is not found. It does not affect any other exceptions that might be thrown. In particular, if the type is found but cannot be loaded, TypeLoadException can be thrown even if throwOnError is false.
GetType(String, Boolean, Boolean)
Gets the Type object with the specified name in the assembly instance, with the options of ignoring the case, and of throwing an exception if the type is not found.
public virtual Type GetType (string name, bool throwOnError, bool ignoreCase);
- name
- String
The full name of the type.
- throwOnError
- Boolean
true to throw an exception if the type is not found; false to return null.
- ignoreCase
- Boolean
true to ignore the case of the type name; otherwise, false.
An object that represents the specified class.
name is null.
throwOnError is true, and the type cannot be found.
name requires a dependent assembly that could not be found.
name requires a dependent assembly that was found but could not be loaded.
-or-
The current assembly was loaded into the reflection-only context, and name requires a dependent assembly that was not preloaded.
name requires a dependent assembly, but the file is not a valid assembly.
-or-
name requires a dependent assembly which was compiled for a version of the runtime later than the currently loaded version.
Remarks
This method only searches the current assembly instance. The name parameter includes the namespace but not the assembly. To search other assemblies for a type, use the Type.GetType(String) method overload, which can optionally include an assembly display name as part of the type name.
Note
If the type has been forwarded to another assembly, it is still returned by this method. For information on type forwarding, see Type Forwarding in the Common Language Runtime.
The throwOnError parameter only affects what happens when the type is not found. It does not affect any other exceptions that might be thrown. In particular, if the type is found but cannot be loaded, TypeLoadException can be thrown even if throwOnError is false.
GetType(String)
Gets the Type object with the specified name in the assembly instance.
public virtual Type GetType (string name);
- name
- String
The full name of the type.
An object that represents the specified class, or null if the class is not found.
name is invalid.
name is null.
name requires a dependent assembly that could not be found.
In the .NET for Windows Store apps or the Portable Class Library, catch the base class exception, IOException, instead. name requires a dependent assembly that was found but could not be loaded.
-or-
The current assembly was loaded into the reflection-only context, and name requires a dependent assembly that was not preloaded.
name requires a dependent assembly, but the file is not a valid assembly.
-or-
name requires a dependent assembly which was compiled for a version of the runtime later than the currently loaded version.
Examples
The following example defines an abstract MeansOfTransportation class in the Transportation namespace. It calls the GetType(String) method to retrieve its Type object, calls the Type.GetProperties method to get an array of PropertyInfo objects that represent the type's properties, and then displays information on the type's abstract properties. Note that the call to the GetType(String) method uses the type's fully qualified name (that is, its namespace along with its type name).
using System;
using System.Reflection;
public class Example
{
public static void Main()
{
Assembly assem = typeof(Example).Assembly;
Type t = assem.GetType("Transportation.MeansOfTransportation");
if (t != null) {
Console.WriteLine("Virtual properties in type {0}:",
t.FullName);
PropertyInfo[] props = t.GetProperties();
int nVirtual = 0;
for (int ctr = 0; ctr < props.Length; ctr++)
if (props[ctr].GetMethod.IsVirtual) {
Console.WriteLine(" {0} (type {1})",
props[ctr].Name,
props[ctr].PropertyType.FullName);
nVirtual++;
}
if (nVirtual == 0)
Console.WriteLine(" No virtual properties");
}
}
}
namespace Transportation
{
public abstract class MeansOfTransportation
{
abstract public bool HasWheels { get; set; }
abstract public int Wheels { get; set; }
abstract public bool ConsumesFuel { get; set; }
abstract public bool Living { get; set; }
}
}
// The example displays the following output:
// Virtual properties in type Transportation.MeansOfTransportation:
// HasWheels (type System.Boolean)
// Wheels (type System.Int32)
// ConsumesFuel (type System.Boolean)
// Living (type System.Boolean)
Imports System.Reflection
Module Example
Public Sub Main()
Dim assem As Assembly = GetType(Example).Assembly
Dim t As Type = assem.GetType("Transportation.MeansOfTransportation")
If Not t Is Nothing Then
Console.WriteLine("Virtual properties in type {0}:",
t.FullName)
Dim props() As PropertyInfo = t.GetProperties()
Dim nVirtual As Integer = 0
For ctr As Integer = 0 To props.Length - 1
If props(ctr).GetMethod.IsVirtual Then
Console.WriteLine(" {0} (type {1})",
props(ctr).Name,
props(ctr).PropertyType.FullName)
nVirtual += 1
End If
Next
If nVirtual = 0 Then
Console.WriteLine(" No virtual properties")
End If
End If
End Sub
End Module
Namespace Transportation
Public MustInherit Class MeansOfTransportation
Public MustOverride Property HasWheels As Boolean
Public MustOverride Property Wheels As Integer
Public MustOverride Property ConsumesFuel As Boolean
Public MustOverride Property Living As Boolean
End Class
End Namespace
' The example displays the following output:
' Virtual properties in type Transportation.MeansOfTransportation:
' HasWheels (type System.Boolean)
' Wheels (type System.Int32)
' ConsumesFuel (type System.Boolean)
' Living (type System.Boolean)
Remarks
This method only searches the current assembly instance. The name parameter includes the namespace but not the assembly. To search other assemblies for a type, use the Type.GetType(String) method overload, which can optionally include an assembly display name as part of the type name.
Note
If the type has been forwarded to another assembly, it is still returned by this method. For information on type forwarding, see Type Forwarding in the Common Language Runtime.