Attribute.Equals Method
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This API supports the .NET Framework infrastructure and is not intended to be used directly from your code.
Returns a value that indicates whether this instance is equal to a specified object.
Namespace: System
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Syntax
'Declaration
Public Overrides Function Equals ( _
obj As Object _
) As Boolean
public override bool Equals(
Object obj
)
Parameters
- obj
Type: System.Object
An Object to compare with this instance or nulla null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic).
Return Value
Type: System.Boolean
true if obj equals the type and value of this instance; otherwise, false.
Examples
The following code example defines two custom parameter Attribute classes, then creates several objects of each class and shows the use of the Equals method to compare them.
' Example for the Attribute.Equals( Object ) method.
Imports System.Reflection
' Define a custom parameter attribute that takes a single message argument.
<AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Parameter)> _
Public Class ArgumentUsageAttribute
Inherits Attribute
' This is the attribute constructor.
Public Sub New(ByVal UsageMsg As String)
Me.usageMsg = UsageMsg
End Sub ' New
' usageMsg is storage for the attribute message.
Protected usageMsg As String
' Override ToString() to append the message to what the base generates.
Public Overrides Function ToString() As String
Return MyBase.ToString() + ":" + usageMsg
End Function ' ToString
End Class ' ArgumentUsageAttribute
' Define a custom parameter attribute that generates a GUID for each instance.
<AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Parameter)> _
Public Class ArgumentIDAttribute
Inherits Attribute
' This is the attribute constructor, which generates the GUID.
Public Sub New()
Me.GUIDinstance = Guid.NewGuid()
End Sub ' New
' instanceGUID is storage for the generated GUID.
Protected GUIDinstance As Guid
' Override ToString() to append the GUID to what the base generates.
Public Overrides Function ToString() As String
Return MyBase.ToString() + "." + GUIDinstance.ToString()
End Function ' ToString
End Class ' ArgumentIDAttribute
Public Class TestClass
' Assign an ArgumentID attribute to each parameter.
' Assign an ArgumentUsage attribute to each parameter.
Public Sub TestMethod( _
<ArgumentID(), ArgumentUsage("Must pass an array here.")> ByVal _
strArray() As String, _
<ArgumentID(), ArgumentUsage("Can pass param list or array here.")> ByVal _
ParamArray strList() As String)
End Sub ' TestMethod
End Class ' TestClass
Module Example
' Create Attribute objects and compare them.
Sub CompareAttributes(ByVal outputBlock As System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock)
' Get the class type, and then get the MethodInfo object
' for TestMethod to access its metadata.
Dim clsType As Type = GetType(TestClass)
Dim mInfo As MethodInfo = clsType.GetMethod("TestMethod")
' There will be two elements in pInfoArray, one for each parameter.
Dim pInfoArray As ParameterInfo() = mInfo.GetParameters()
If Not (pInfoArray Is Nothing) Then
' Create an instance of the argument usage attribute on strArray.
Dim arrayUsageAttr1 As ArgumentUsageAttribute = _
Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(pInfoArray(0), _
GetType(ArgumentUsageAttribute))
' Create another instance of the argument usage attribute
' on strArray.
Dim arrayUsageAttr2 As ArgumentUsageAttribute = _
Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(pInfoArray(0), _
GetType(ArgumentUsageAttribute))
' Create an instance of the argument usage attribute on strList.
Dim listUsageAttr As ArgumentUsageAttribute = _
Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(pInfoArray(1), _
GetType(ArgumentUsageAttribute))
' Create an instance of the argument ID attribute on strArray.
Dim arrayIDAttr1 As ArgumentIDAttribute = _
Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(pInfoArray(0), _
GetType(ArgumentIDAttribute))
' Create another instance of the argument ID attribute on strArray.
Dim arrayIDAttr2 As ArgumentIDAttribute = _
Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(pInfoArray(0), _
GetType(ArgumentIDAttribute))
' Create an instance of the argument ID attribute on strList.
Dim listIDAttr As ArgumentIDAttribute = _
Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(pInfoArray(1), _
GetType(ArgumentIDAttribute))
' Compare various pairs of attributes for equality.
outputBlock.Text &= vbCrLf & "Compare a usage attribute instance " & _
"to another instance of the same attribute:" & vbCrLf
outputBlock.Text &= String.Format(" ""{0}"" = " & vbCrLf & " ""{1}"" ? {2}", _
arrayUsageAttr1.ToString(), arrayUsageAttr2.ToString(), _
arrayUsageAttr1.Equals(arrayUsageAttr2)) & vbCrLf
outputBlock.Text &= String.Format(vbCrLf & _
"Compare a usage attribute to another usage attribute:") & vbCrLf
outputBlock.Text &= String.Format(" ""{0}"" = " & vbCrLf & " ""{1}"" ? {2}", _
arrayUsageAttr1.ToString(), listUsageAttr.ToString(), _
arrayUsageAttr1.Equals(listUsageAttr)) & vbCrLf
outputBlock.Text &= String.Format(vbCrLf & "Compare an ID attribute instance " & _
"to another instance of the same attribute:") & vbCrLf
outputBlock.Text &= String.Format(" ""{0}"" = " & vbCrLf & " ""{1}"" ? {2}", _
arrayIDAttr1.ToString(), arrayIDAttr2.ToString(), _
arrayIDAttr1.Equals(arrayIDAttr2)) & vbCrLf
outputBlock.Text &= String.Format(vbCrLf & _
"Compare an ID attribute to another ID attribute:") & vbCrLf
outputBlock.Text &= String.Format(" ""{0}"" = " & vbCrLf & " ""{1}"" ? {2}", _
arrayIDAttr1.ToString(), listIDAttr.ToString(), _
arrayIDAttr1.Equals(listIDAttr)) & vbCrLf
Else
outputBlock.Text &= String.Format("The parameters information could " & _
"not be retrieved for method {0}.", mInfo.Name) & vbCrLf
End If
End Sub
Public Sub Demo(ByVal outputBlock As System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock)
outputBlock.Text &= "This example of Attribute.Equals( Object ) " & _
"generates the following output." & vbCrLf
CompareAttributes(outputBlock)
End Sub
End Module
' This example of Attribute.Equals( Object ) generates the following output.
'
' Compare a usage attribute instance to another instance of the same attribute:
' "NDP_UE_VB.ArgumentUsageAttribute:Must pass an array here." =
' "NDP_UE_VB.ArgumentUsageAttribute:Must pass an array here." ? True
'
' Compare a usage attribute to another usage attribute:
' "NDP_UE_VB.ArgumentUsageAttribute:Must pass an array here." =
' "NDP_UE_VB.ArgumentUsageAttribute:Can pass param list or array here." ? False
'
' Compare an ID attribute instance to another instance of the same attribute:
' "NDP_UE_VB.ArgumentIDAttribute.aa2c2346-ca87-40d6-afb7-5e3bc1637351" =
' "NDP_UE_VB.ArgumentIDAttribute.4192c26c-9a7b-4a74-97fc-6c3dfbc2cdfe" ? False
'
' Compare an ID attribute to another ID attribute:
' "NDP_UE_VB.ArgumentIDAttribute.aa2c2346-ca87-40d6-afb7-5e3bc1637351" =
' "NDP_UE_VB.ArgumentIDAttribute.237a7337-15f1-469b-a5ce-7503def917b2" ? False
// Example for the Attribute.Equals( object ) method.
using System;
using System.Reflection;
// Define a custom parameter attribute that takes a single message argument.
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Parameter)]
public class ArgumentUsageAttribute : Attribute
{
// This is the attribute constructor.
public ArgumentUsageAttribute(string UsageMsg)
{
this.usageMsg = UsageMsg;
}
// usageMsg is storage for the attribute message.
protected string usageMsg;
// Override ToString() to append the message to what the base generates.
public override string ToString()
{
return base.ToString() + ":" + usageMsg;
}
}
// Define a custom parameter attribute that generates
// a GUID for each instance.
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Parameter)]
public class ArgumentIDAttribute : Attribute
{
// This is the attribute constructor, which generates the GUID.
public ArgumentIDAttribute()
{
this.instanceGUID = Guid.NewGuid();
}
// instanceGUID is storage for the generated GUID.
protected Guid instanceGUID;
// Override ToString() to append the GUID to what the base generates.
public override string ToString()
{
return base.ToString() + "." + instanceGUID.ToString();
}
}
public class TestClass
{
// Assign an ArgumentID attribute to each parameter.
// Assign an ArgumentUsage attribute to each parameter.
public void TestMethod(
[ArgumentID]
[ArgumentUsage("Must pass an array here.")]
String[] strArray,
[ArgumentID]
[ArgumentUsage("Can pass param list or array here.")]
params String[] strList)
{ }
}
class Example
{
// Create Attribute objects and compare them.
public static void Demo(System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock outputBlock)
{
outputBlock.Text += "This example of Attribute.Equals( object ) " +
"generates the following output." + "\n";
// Get the class type, and then get the MethodInfo object
// for TestMethod to access its metadata.
Type clsType = typeof(TestClass);
MethodInfo mInfo = clsType.GetMethod("TestMethod");
// There will be two elements in pInfoArray, one for each parameter.
ParameterInfo[] pInfoArray = mInfo.GetParameters();
if (pInfoArray != null)
{
// Create an instance of the argument usage attribute on strArray.
ArgumentUsageAttribute arrayUsageAttr1 = (ArgumentUsageAttribute)
Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(pInfoArray[0],
typeof(ArgumentUsageAttribute));
// Create another instance of the argument usage attribute
// on strArray.
ArgumentUsageAttribute arrayUsageAttr2 = (ArgumentUsageAttribute)
Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(pInfoArray[0],
typeof(ArgumentUsageAttribute));
// Create an instance of the argument usage attribute on strList.
ArgumentUsageAttribute listUsageAttr = (ArgumentUsageAttribute)
Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(pInfoArray[1],
typeof(ArgumentUsageAttribute));
// Create an instance of the argument ID attribute on strArray.
ArgumentIDAttribute arrayIDAttr1 = (ArgumentIDAttribute)
Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(pInfoArray[0],
typeof(ArgumentIDAttribute));
// Create another instance of the argument ID attribute on strArray.
ArgumentIDAttribute arrayIDAttr2 = (ArgumentIDAttribute)
Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(pInfoArray[0],
typeof(ArgumentIDAttribute));
// Create an instance of the argument ID attribute on strList.
ArgumentIDAttribute listIDAttr = (ArgumentIDAttribute)
Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(pInfoArray[1],
typeof(ArgumentIDAttribute));
// Compare various pairs of attributes for equality.
outputBlock.Text += "\nCompare a usage attribute instance to " +
"another instance of the same attribute:" + "\n";
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" \"{0}\" == \n \"{1}\" ? {2}",
arrayUsageAttr1.ToString(), arrayUsageAttr2.ToString(),
arrayUsageAttr1.Equals(arrayUsageAttr2)) + "\n";
outputBlock.Text += String.Format("\nCompare a usage attribute to " +
"another usage attribute:") + "\n";
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" \"{0}\" == \n \"{1}\" ? {2}",
arrayUsageAttr1.ToString(), listUsageAttr.ToString(),
arrayUsageAttr1.Equals(listUsageAttr)) + "\n";
outputBlock.Text += String.Format("\nCompare an ID attribute instance to " +
"another instance of the same attribute:") + "\n";
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" \"{0}\" == \n \"{1}\" ? {2}",
arrayIDAttr1.ToString(), arrayIDAttr2.ToString(),
arrayIDAttr1.Equals(arrayIDAttr2)) + "\n";
outputBlock.Text += "\nCompare an ID attribute to another ID attribute:" + "\n";
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" \"{0}\" == \n \"{1}\" ? {2}",
arrayIDAttr1.ToString(), listIDAttr.ToString(),
arrayIDAttr1.Equals(listIDAttr)) + "\n";
}
else
outputBlock.Text += String.Format("The parameters information could " +
"not be retrieved for method {0}.", mInfo.Name) + "\n";
}
}
/*
This example of Attribute.Equals( object ) generates the following output.
Compare a usage attribute instance to another instance of the same attribute:
"ArgumentUsageAttribute:Must pass an array here." ==
"ArgumentUsageAttribute:Must pass an array here." ? True
Compare a usage attribute to another usage attribute:
"ArgumentUsageAttribute:Must pass an array here." ==
"ArgumentUsageAttribute:Can pass param list or array here." ? False
Compare an ID attribute instance to another instance of the same attribute:
"ArgumentIDAttribute.06abf046-0c38-47ac-b215-09e1daa7f37d" ==
"ArgumentIDAttribute.cea23c39-f14b-4e95-bee2-9f661d8cd64b" ? False
Compare an ID attribute to another ID attribute:
"ArgumentIDAttribute.06abf046-0c38-47ac-b215-09e1daa7f37d" ==
"ArgumentIDAttribute.bdeb6f3e-18aa-410b-bef6-9788956b008c" ? False
*/
Version Information
Silverlight
Supported in: 5, 4, 3
Silverlight for Windows Phone
Supported in: Windows Phone OS 7.1, Windows Phone OS 7.0
XNA Framework
Supported in: Xbox 360, Windows Phone OS 7.0
Platforms
For a list of the operating systems and browsers that are supported by Silverlight, see Supported Operating Systems and Browsers.