TypeSupport

A CSharp library that makes it easier to work with Types dynamically. TypeSupport includes a flexible Object factory for creating and initializing all kinds of types.

Description

The best way to understand what TypeSupport can do is to see it in action! It is used as the foundation for many other packages.

Installation

Install TypeSupport from the Package Manager Console:

PM> Install-Package TypeSupport

Usage

Type Support

Getting started - create a TypeSupport from a type

using TypeSupport;

var type = typeof(MyObject);
var typeSupport = new ExtendedType(type);

or do it using the extensions (we will use this syntax going forward):

using TypeSupport;

var type = typeof(MyObject);
var typeSupport = type.GetExtendedType();

get information about an array:

var type = typeof(int[]);
var typeSupport = type.GetExtendedType();

var isArray = typeSupport.IsArray; // true
var elementType = typeSupport.ElementType; // int

get information about a Dictionary:

var type = typeof(Dictionary<int, string>);
var typeSupport = type.GetExtendedType();

var isArray = typeSupport.IsDictionary; // true
var elementTypes = typeSupport.GenericArgumentTypes; // System.Int32, System.String

get info about an interface:

var type = typeof(IVehicle);
var typeSupport = type.GetExtendedType();

var isArray = typeSupport.IsInterface; // true
var classesThatImplementICustomInterface = typeSupport.KnownConcreteTypes;
// [] = Car, Truck, Van, Motorcycle

get info about a class:

[Description("A car object")]
public class Car : IVehicle
{
  public string Name { get; set; }
  public Car() { }
}
var type = typeof(Car);
var typeSupport = type.GetExtendedType();

var isArray = typeSupport.HasEmptyConstructor; // true
var attributes = typeSupport.Attributes;
// [] = DescriptionAttribute

working with enums:

public enum Colors : byte
{
  Red = 1,
  Green = 2,
  Blue = 3
}
var type = typeof(Colors);
var typeSupport = type.GetExtendedType();

var isEnum = typeSupport.IsEnum; // true
var enumValues = typeSupport.EnumValues;
// [] = <1, Red>, <2, Green>, <3, blue>
var enumType = typeSupport.EnumType; // System.Byte

working with Tuples:

var tupleType = typeof(Tuple<int, string, double>);
var valueTupleType = typeof((IVehicle, string));
var tupleTypeSupport = type.GetExtendedType();
var valueTupleTypeSupport = valueTupleType.GetExtendedType();

var isTuple = tupleTypeSupport.IsTuple; // true
var isValueTuple = valueTupleTypeSupport.IsValueTuple; // true
var tupleGenericArguments = tupleTypeSupport.GenericArgumentTypes; // System.Int32, System.String, System.Double
var valueTupleGenericArguments = valueTupleTypeSupport.GenericArgumentTypes; // IVehicle, System.String
// there's lots more you can do, such as getting the value from a Tuple instance:

var car = new Car();
var description = "My cool car";
var myTuple = (car, description);
var items = myTuple.GetValueTupleItemObjects();
// [] = Car, "My cool car"

Object factory

Create new objects of any type:

var factory = new ObjectFactory();
var listInstance = factory.CreateEmptyObject<IList<int>>(); // List<int>() 0 elements
var dictionaryInstance = factory.CreateEmptyObject<IDictionary<int, string>>(); // Dictionary<int, string>() 0 elements
var emptyByteArray = factory.CreateEmptyObject<byte[]>(); // byte[0] empty byte array
var byteArray = factory.CreateEmptyObject<byte[]>(length: 64); // byte[64]
var tupleInstance = factory.CreateEmptyObject<(int, string)>(); // tupleInstance.Item1 = 0, tupleInstance.item2 = null
var myComplexObject = factory.CreateEmptyObject<MyComplexObject>();

Create objects without parameterless constructors:

public class CustomObject
{
  public int Id { get; }
  public CustomObject(int id)
  {
    Id = id;
  }
}
var factory = new ObjectFactory();
var myObj = factory.CreateEmptyObject<CustomObject>(); // myObj.GetType() == typeof(CustomObject)

You can instruct the Object factory on how to map abstract interfaces when creating instances:

var typeRegistry = TypeRegistry.Configure((config) => {
  config.AddMapping<IVehicle, Car>();
});

var factory = new ObjectFactory(typeRegistry);
var car = factory.CreateEmptyObject<IVehicle>(); // car.GetType() == typeof(Car)

You can also register custom factories:

var typeRegistry = TypeRegistry.Configure((config) => {
  config.AddFactory<IVehicle, Car>(() => new Car(Color.Red));
});

var factory = new ObjectFactory(typeRegistry);
var car = factory.CreateEmptyObject<IVehicle>(); // car.GetType() == typeof(Car)

Capabilities

• All basic types, enums, generics, collections and enumerables
• Internal caching of type examination
• Constructor analysis (empty constructors, parameterized constructors)
• Easy listing of valid Enum values
• Easy listing of concrete types implementing an interface
• Easy listing of attributes
• Easy listing of generic arguments
• Easy listing of properties/fields
• Easy listing of implemented interfaces
• Easy listing of Tuple/ValueTuple types
• Nullable type detection
• Custom collection information detection
• Primitive / Struct detection
• Anonymous type detection
• High performance testing and optimization