Get the attribute name/string of a class with attribute

Question

I have a classes called BillingActivity, DevelopmentActivity, ResearchActivity all implementing IActivity.

Somewhere in my app I enumerate a dll containing all types. Check wether typeof(IActivity).IsAssignable(type) if so I want to get string typeDescription = type.Attribute.Value or similar what I want is to put a attribute on a class OR on the above classes (depends what suggestions you make or what solutions are possible) like

[ActivityType = "Billing"].
public class BillingActivity {}

I do not want to get a instance of that type I just want to get the description(attribute `s value).

How can I do that? Can someone push me in the right direction please?

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 10:30:24Z

1

Create a custom attribute with a single string property, tag your classes with it, then GetCustomAttributes to test a particular class is tagged with the attribute, and if it is you can read the property to pull the name you set.

public class ActivityTypeAttribute : Attribute 
{
 public Name { get; set; }
}

[ActivityType(Name="MyClass")]
public class MyClass { }

...
{
 ActivityTypeAttribute att = (ActivityTypeAttribute)Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(typeof(MyClass), typeof(ActivityTypeAttribute));

  Debug.Assert( att.Name == "MyClass" );
}
...

Edit - Also, please read this

What's the simplest most elegant way to utilize a custom attribute

edited May 23, 2017 at 10:30

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Sep 14, 2010 at 19:21

asawyer

17.8k8 gold badges63 silver badges92 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Elisabeth Over a year ago

When I write this [ActivityType(Name="MyClass")] over MyClass it can not be resolved? Shouldn`t MyClass inherit from Attribute?

asawyer Over a year ago

No, the custom attribute class is the only one who needs to inherit from Attribute. Can you post an example of what your seeing?

Brad · Accepted Answer · 2010-09-14 19:00:11Z

0

ActivityType result =
  (ActivityType)Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(this.GetType(), typeof(ActivityType));

answered Sep 14, 2010 at 19:00

Brad

15.7k6 gold badges40 silver badges58 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Get the attribute name/string of a class with attribute

2 Answers 2

2 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

2 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related