System.Runtime namespaces

Article
04/29/2013

System.Runtime and its child namespaces (System.Runtime.CompilerServices, System.Runtime.ExceptionServices, System.Runtime.InteropServices, System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes, System.Runtime.InteropServices.WindowsRuntime, System.Runtime.Serialization, System.Runtime.Serialization.Json, and System.Runtime.Versioning) contain types that support an application's interaction with the common language runtime, and types that enable features such as advanced exception handling, COM interop, serialization and deserialization, and versioning.

This topic displays the types in the System.Runtime namespaces that are included in the .NET for Windows Store apps. Note that the .NET for Windows Store apps does not include all the members of each type. For information about individual types, see the linked topics. The documentation for a type indicates which members are included in the .NET for Windows Store apps.

System.Runtime namespace

Types supported in the .NET for Windows Store apps	Description
GCLatencyMode	Adjusts the time that the garbage collector intrudes in your application.
GCSettings	Specifies the garbage collection settings for the current process.

System.Runtime.CompilerServices namespace

Types supported in the .NET for Windows Store apps	Description
AccessedThroughPropertyAttribute	Specifies the name of the property that accesses the attributed field.
AsyncStateMachineAttribute	Allows you to determine whether a method is marked with the Async (Visual Basic) or async (C# Reference) modifier.
AsyncTaskMethodBuilder	Represents a builder for asynchronous methods that return a task.
AsyncTaskMethodBuilder<TResult>	Represents a builder for asynchronous methods that return a task and provides a parameter for the result.
AsyncVoidMethodBuilder	Represents a builder for asynchronous methods that do not return a value.
CallerFilePathAttribute	Allows you to obtain the full path of the source file that contains the caller. This is the file path at the time of compile.
CallerLineNumberAttribute	Allows you to obtain the line number in the source file at which the method is called.
CallerMemberNameAttribute	Allows you to obtain the method or property name of the caller to the method.
CallSite	Represents a dynamic call site base class. This type is used as a parameter type to the dynamic site targets.
CallSite<T>	Represents a dynamic site type.
CallSiteBinder	Handles the runtime binding of the dynamic operations on the dynamic call site.
CallSiteHelpers	Contains helper methods for DLR CallSites.
CompilationRelaxationsAttribute	Controls the strictness of the code generated by the common language runtime's just-in-time (JIT) compiler.
CompilerGeneratedAttribute	Distinguishes a compiler-generated element from a user-generated element. This class cannot be inherited.
ConditionalWeakTable<TKey, TValue>	Enables compilers to dynamically attach object fields to managed objects.
ConditionalWeakTable<TKey, TValue>.CreateValueCallback	Represents a method that creates a non-default value to add as part of a key/value pair to a ConditionalWeakTable<T, T> object.
ConfiguredTaskAwaitable	Provides an awaitable object that allows for configured awaits on Task.
ConfiguredTaskAwaitable.ConfiguredTaskAwaiter	Provides an awaiter for a ConfiguredTaskAwaitable.
ConfiguredTaskAwaitable<TResult>	Provides an awaitable object that allows for configured awaits on Task<T>.
ConfiguredTaskAwaitable<TResult>.ConfiguredTaskAwaiter	Provides an awaiter for a ConfiguredTaskAwaitable<T>.
ContractHelper	Provides methods that the binary rewriter uses to handle contract failures.
CustomConstantAttribute	Defines a constant value that a compiler can persist for a field or method parameter.
DateTimeConstantAttribute	Persists an 8-byte DateTime constant for a field or parameter.
DecimalConstantAttribute	Stores the value of a Decimal constant in metadata. This class cannot be inherited.
DynamicAttribute	Indicates that the use of Object on a member is meant to be treated as a dynamically dispatched type.
ExtensionAttribute	Indicates that a method is an extension method, or that a class or assembly contains extension methods.
FixedBufferAttribute	Indicates that a field should be treated as containing a fixed number of elements of the specified primitive type. This class cannot be inherited.
IAsyncStateMachine	Represents state machines that are generated for asynchronous methods. This type is intended for compiler use only.
ICriticalNotifyCompletion	Represents an awaiter that schedules continuations when an await operation completes.
IndexerNameAttribute	Indicates the name by which an indexer is known in programming languages that do not support indexers directly.
INotifyCompletion	Represents an operation that schedules continuations when it completes.
InternalsVisibleToAttribute	Specifies that types that are ordinarily visible only within the current assembly are visible to a specified assembly.
IStrongBox	Defines a property for accessing the value that an object references.
IsVolatile	Marks a field as volatile. This class cannot be inherited.
IteratorStateMachineAttribute	Allows you to determine whether a method in Visual Basic is marked with the Iterator modifier.
MethodImplAttribute	Specifies the details of how a method is implemented. This class cannot be inherited.
MethodImplOptions	Defines the details of how a method is implemented.
ReferenceAssemblyAttribute	Identifies an assembly as a reference assembly, which contains metadata but no executable code.
RuntimeCompatibilityAttribute	Specifies whether to wrap exceptions that do not derive from the Exception class with a System.Runtime.CompilerServices.RuntimeWrappedException object. This class cannot be inherited.
RuntimeHelpers	Provides a set of static methods and properties that provide support for compilers. This class cannot be inherited.
StateMachineAttribute	Allows you to determine whether a method is a state machine method.
StrongBox<T>	Holds a reference to a value.
TaskAwaiter	Provides an object that waits for the completion of an asynchronous task.
TaskAwaiter<TResult>	Represents an object that waits for the completion of an asynchronous task and provides a parameter for the result.
TypeForwardedFromAttribute	Specifies a source Type in another assembly.
TypeForwardedToAttribute	Specifies a destination Type in another assembly.
UnsafeValueTypeAttribute	Specifies that a type contains an unmanaged array that might potentially overflow. This class cannot be inherited.
YieldAwaitable	Provides an awaitable context for switching into a target environment.
YieldAwaitable.YieldAwaiter	Provides an awaiter for switching into a target environment.

System.Runtime.ExceptionServices namespace

Types supported in the .NET for Windows Store apps	Description
ExceptionDispatchInfo	Represents an exception whose state is captured at a certain point in code.

System.Runtime.InteropServices namespace

Types supported in the .NET for Windows Store apps	Description
ArrayWithOffset	Encapsulates an array and an offset within the specified array.
BestFitMappingAttribute	Controls whether Unicode characters are converted to the closest matching ANSI characters.
BStrWrapper	Marshals data of type VT_BSTR from managed to unmanaged code. This class cannot be inherited.
CallingConvention	Specifies the calling convention required to call methods implemented in unmanaged code.
CharSet	Dictates which character set marshaled strings should use.
ClassInterfaceAttribute	Indicates the type of class interface to be generated for a class exposed to COM, if an interface is generated at all.
ClassInterfaceType	Identifies the type of class interface that is generated for a class.
CoClassAttribute	Specifies the class identifier of a coclass imported from a type library.
ComAwareEventInfo	Permits late-bound registration of an event handler.
ComDefaultInterfaceAttribute	Specifies a default interface to expose to COM. This class cannot be inherited.
ComEventInterfaceAttribute	Identifies the source interface and the class that implements the methods of the event interface that is generated when a coclass is imported from a COM type library.
ComEventsHelper	Provides methods that enable .NET Framework delegates that handle events to be added and removed from COM objects.
COMException	The exception that is thrown when an unrecognized HRESULT is returned from a COM method call.
ComImportAttribute	Indicates that the attributed type was previously defined in COM.
ComInterfaceType	Identifies how to expose an interface to COM.
ComMemberType	Describes the type of a COM member.
ComSourceInterfacesAttribute	Identifies a list of interfaces that are exposed as COM event sources for the attributed class.
ComVisibleAttribute	Controls accessibility of an individual managed type or member, or of all types within an assembly, to COM.
CriticalHandle	Represents a wrapper class for handle resources.
CurrencyWrapper	Wraps objects the marshaler should marshal as a VT_CY.
CustomQueryInterfaceMode	Indicates whether the GetComInterfaceForObject method's IUnknown.QueryInterface calls can use the ICustomQueryInterface interface.
CustomQueryInterfaceResult	Provides return values for the GetInterface method.
DefaultCharSetAttribute	Specifies the value of the CharSet enumeration. This class cannot be inherited.
DefaultDllImportSearchPathsAttribute	Specifies the paths that are used to search for DLLs that provide functions for platform invokes.
DefaultParameterValueAttribute	Sets the default value of a parameter when called from a language that supports default parameters. This class cannot be inherited.
DispatchWrapper	Wraps objects the marshaler should marshal as a VT_DISPATCH.
DispIdAttribute	Specifies the COM dispatch identifier (DISPID) of a method, field, or property.
DllImportAttribute	Indicates that the attributed method is exposed by an unmanaged dynamic-link library (DLL) as a static entry point.
DllImportSearchPath	Specifies the paths that are used to search for DLLs that provide functions for platform invokes.
ErrorWrapper	Wraps objects the marshaler should marshal as a VT_ERROR.
FieldOffsetAttribute	Indicates the physical position of fields within the unmanaged representation of a class or structure.
GCHandle	Provides a way to access a managed object from unmanaged memory.
GCHandleType	Represents the types of handles the GCHandle class can allocate.
GuidAttribute	Supplies an explicit Guid when an automatic GUID is undesirable.
HandleCollector	Tracks outstanding handles and forces a garbage collection when the specified threshold is reached.
ICustomAdapter	Provides a way for clients to access the actual object, rather than the adapter object handed out by a custom marshaler.
ICustomQueryInterface	Enables developers to provide a custom, managed implementation of the IUnknown.QueryInterface method.
InAttribute	Indicates that data should be marshaled from the caller to the callee, but not back to the caller.
InterfaceTypeAttribute	Indicates whether a managed interface is dual, dispatch-only, or IUnknown -only when exposed to COM.
InvalidComObjectException	The exception thrown when an invalid COM object is used.
InvalidOleVariantTypeException	The exception thrown by the marshaler when it encounters an argument of a variant type that can not be marshaled to managed code.
LayoutKind	Controls the layout of an object when exported to unmanaged code.
Marshal	Provides a collection of methods for allocating unmanaged memory, copying unmanaged memory blocks, and converting managed to unmanaged types, as well as other miscellaneous methods used when interacting with unmanaged code.
MarshalAsAttribute	Indicates how to marshal the data between managed and unmanaged code.
MarshalDirectiveException	The exception that is thrown by the marshaler when it encounters a MarshalAsAttribute it does not support.
OptionalAttribute	Indicates that a parameter is optional.
OutAttribute	Indicates that data should be marshaled from callee back to caller.
PreserveSigAttribute	Indicates that the HRESULT or retval signature transformation that takes place during COM interop calls should be suppressed.
SafeArrayRankMismatchException	The exception thrown when the rank of an incoming SAFEARRAY does not match the rank specified in the managed signature.
SafeArrayTypeMismatchException	The exception thrown when the type of the incoming SAFEARRAY does not match the type specified in the managed signature.
SafeBuffer	Provides a controlled memory buffer that can be used for reading and writing. Attempts to access memory outside the controlled buffer (underruns and overruns) raise exceptions.
SafeHandle	Represents a wrapper class for operating system handles. This class must be inherited.
SEHException	Represents structured exception handling (SEH) errors.
StructLayoutAttribute	Lets you control the physical layout of the data fields of a class or structure.
TypeIdentifierAttribute	Provides support for type equivalence.
UnknownWrapper	Wraps objects the marshaler should marshal as a VT_UNKNOWN.
UnmanagedFunctionPointerAttribute	Controls the marshaling behavior of a delegate signature passed as an unmanaged function pointer to or from unmanaged code. This class cannot be inherited.
UnmanagedType	Identifies how to marshal parameters or fields to unmanaged code.
VarEnum	Indicates how to marshal the array elements when an array is marshaled from managed to unmanaged code as a SafeArray.
VariantWrapper	Marshals data of type VT_VARIANT \| VT_BYREF from managed to unmanaged code. This class cannot be inherited.

System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes namespace

Types supported in the .NET for Windows Store apps	Description
ADVF	Specifies the requested behavior when setting up an advise sink or a caching connection with an object.
BIND_OPTS	Stores the parameters that are used during a moniker binding operation.
BINDPTR	Contains a pointer to a bound-to FUNCDESC structure, VARDESC structure, or an ITypeComp interface.
CALLCONV	Identifies the calling convention used by a method described in a METHODDATA Data Type structure.
CONNECTDATA	Describes a connection that exists to a given connection point.
DATADIR	Specifies the direction of the data flow in the dwDirection parameter of the EnumFormatEtc method. This determines the formats that the resulting enumerator can enumerate.
DESCKIND	Identifies the type description being bound to.
DISPPARAMS	Contains the arguments passed to a method or property by IDispatch.Invoke.
DVASPECT	Specifies the desired data or view aspect of the object when drawing or getting data.
ELEMDESC	Contains the type description and process transfer information for a variable, function, or a function parameter.
ELEMDESC.DESCUNION	Contains information about an element.
EXCEPINFO	Describes the exceptions that occur during IDispatch.Invoke.
FILETIME	Represents the number of 100-nanosecond intervals since January 1, 1601. This structure is a 64-bit value.
FORMATETC	Represents a generalized Clipboard format.
FUNCDESC	Defines a function description.
FUNCFLAGS	Identifies the constants that define the properties of a function.
FUNCKIND	Defines how to access a function.
IAdviseSink	Provides a managed definition of the IAdviseSink interface.
IBindCtx	Provides the managed definition of the IBindCtx interface.
IConnectionPoint	Provides the managed definition of the IConnectionPoint interface.
IConnectionPointContainer	Provides the managed definition of the IConnectionPointContainer interface.
IDLDESC	Contains information needed for transferring a structure element, parameter, or function return value between processes.
IDLFLAG	Describes how to transfer a structure element, parameter, or function return value between processes.
IEnumConnectionPoints	Manages the definition of the IEnumConnectionPoints interface.
IEnumConnections	Manages the definition of the IEnumConnections interface.
IEnumFORMATETC	Provides the managed definition of the IEnumFORMATETC interface.
IEnumMoniker	Manages the definition of the IEnumMoniker interface.
IEnumString	Manages the definition of the IEnumString interface.
IEnumVARIANT	Manages the definition of the IEnumVARIANT interface.
IMoniker	Provides the managed definition of the IMoniker interface, with COM functionality from IPersist and IPersistStream.
IMPLTYPEFLAGS	Defines the attributes of an implemented or inherited interface of a type.
INVOKEKIND	Specifies how to invoke a function by IDispatch.Invoke.
IPersistFile	Provides the managed definition of the IPersistFile interface, with functionality from IPersist.
IRunningObjectTable	Provides the managed definition of the IRunningObjectTable interface.
IStream	Provides the managed definition of the IStream interface, with ISequentialStream functionality.
ITypeComp	Provides the managed definition of the ITypeComp interface.
ITypeInfo	Provides the managed definition of the Component Automation ITypeInfo interface.
ITypeInfo2	Provides the managed definition of the ITypeInfo2 interface.
ITypeLib	Provides the managed definition of the ITypeLib interface.
ITypeLib2	Provides a managed definition of the ITypeLib2 interface.
LIBFLAGS	Defines flags that apply to type libraries.
PARAMDESC	Contains information about how to transfer a structure element, parameter, or function return value between processes.
PARAMFLAG	Describes how to transfer a structure element, parameter, or function return value between processes.
STATDATA	Provides the managed definition of the STATDATA structure.
STATSTG	Contains statistical information about an open storage, stream, or byte-array object.
STGMEDIUM	Provides the managed definition of the STGMEDIUM structure.
SYSKIND	Identifies the target operating system platform.
TYMED	Provides the managed definition of the TYMED structure.
TYPEATTR	Contains attributes of a UCOMITypeInfo.
TYPEDESC	Describes the type of a variable, return type of a function, or the type of a function parameter.
TYPEFLAGS	Defines the properties and attributes of a type description.
TYPEKIND	Specifies various types of data and functions.
TYPELIBATTR	Identifies a particular type library and provides localization support for member names.
VARDESC	Describes a variable, constant, or data member.
VARDESC.DESCUNION	Contains information about a variable.
VARFLAGS	Identifies the constants that define the properties of a variable.
VARKIND	Defines the kind of variable.

System.Runtime.InteropServices.WindowsRuntime namespace

Types supported in the .NET for Windows Store apps	Description
AsyncInfo	Provides factory methods to construct representations of managed tasks that are compatible with Windows Runtime asynchronous actions and operations.
DefaultInterfaceAttribute	Specifies the default interface of a managed Windows Runtime class or interface group.
EventRegistrationToken	A token that is returned when an event handler is added to a Windows Runtime event that is implemented in managed code. The token is used to remove the event handler from the event at a later time.
EventRegistrationTokenTable<T>	Stores mappings between delegates and event tokens, to support the implementation of a Windows Runtime event in managed code.
IActivationFactory	Enables classes to be activated by the Windows Runtime.
InterfaceImplementedInVersionAttribute	Specifies the version of the target type that first implemented the specified interface.
ReadOnlyArrayAttribute	When applied to an array parameter in a Windows Runtime component, specifies that the contents of the array that is passed to that parameter are used only for input. The caller expects the array to be unchanged by the call.
ReturnValueNameAttribute	Specifies the name of the return value of a method in a Windows Runtime component.
WindowsRuntimeBuffer	Provides an implementation of the Windows Runtime IBuffer interface (Windows.Storage.Streams.IBuffer), and all additional required interfaces.
WindowsRuntimeBufferExtensions	Provides extension methods for operating on Windows Runtime buffers (Windows.Storage.Streams.IBuffer interface).
WindowsRuntimeMarshal	Provides helper methods for marshaling data between the .NET Framework and the Windows Runtime.
WriteOnlyArrayAttribute	When applied to an array parameter in a Windows Runtime component, specifies that the contents of an array that is passed to that parameter are used only for output. The caller does not guarantee that the contents are initialized, and the called method should not read the contents.

System.Runtime.Serialization namespace

Types supported in the .NET for Windows Store apps	Description
CollectionDataContractAttribute	When applied to a collection type, enables custom specification of the collection item elements. This attribute can be applied only to types that are recognized by the DataContractSerializer as valid, serializable collections.
ContractNamespaceAttribute	Specifies the CLR namespace and XML namespace of the data contract.
DataContractAttribute	Specifies that the type defines or implements a data contract and is serializable by a serializer, such as the DataContractSerializer. To make their type serializable, type authors must define a data contract for their type.
DataContractResolver	Provides a mechanism for dynamically mapping types to and from xsi:type representations during serialization and deserialization.
DataContractSerializer	Serializes and deserializes an instance of a type into an XML stream or document using a supplied data contract. This class cannot be inherited.
DataContractSerializerSettings	Specifies data contract serializer settings.
DataMemberAttribute	When applied to the member of a type, specifies that the member is part of a data contract and is serializable by the DataContractSerializer.
DateTimeFormat	Specifies date-time format options.
EmitTypeInformation	Specifies how often to emit type information.
EnumMemberAttribute	Specifies that the field is an enumeration member and should be serialized.
IgnoreDataMemberAttribute	When applied to the member of a type, specifies that the member is not part of a data contract and is not serialized.
InvalidDataContractException	The exception that is thrown when the DataContractSerializer or NetDataContractSerializer encounters an invalid data contract during serialization and deserialization.
KnownTypeAttribute	Specifies types that should be recognized by the DataContractSerializer when serializing or deserializing a given type.
OnDeserializedAttribute	When applied to a method, specifies that the method is called immediately after deserialization of an object in an object graph. The order of deserialization relative to other objects in the graph is non-deterministic.
OnDeserializingAttribute	When applied to a method, specifies that the method is called during deserialization of an object in an object graph. The order of deserialization relative to other objects in the graph is non-deterministic.
OnSerializedAttribute	When applied to a method, specifies that the method is called after serialization of an object in an object graph. The order of serialization relative to other objects in the graph is non-deterministic.
OnSerializingAttribute	When applied to a method, specifies that the method is during serialization of an object in an object graph. The order of serialization relative to other objects in the graph is non-deterministic.
SerializationException	The exception thrown when an error occurs during serialization or deserialization.
StreamingContext	Describes the source and destination of a given serialized stream, and provides an additional caller-defined context.
XmlObjectSerializer	Provides the base class used to serialize objects as XML streams or documents. This class is abstract.

System.Runtime.Serialization.Json namespace

Types supported in the .NET for Windows Store apps	Description
DataContractJsonSerializer	Serializes objects to the JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) and deserializes JSON data to objects. This class cannot be inherited.
DataContractJsonSerializerSettings	Specifies settings.

System.Runtime.Versioning namespace

Types supported in the .NET for Windows Store appsClass	Description
TargetFrameworkAttribute	Identifies the version of the .NET Framework that a particular assembly was compiled against.