Object.GetType Method

Return Value

Type: System.Type
The Type instance that represents the exact runtime type of the current instance.

' Example base class and derived class. Note that it
' is not necessary to derive from Object explicitly;
' a class with no Inherits statement implicitly 
' derives from Object.
'
Public Class MyBaseClass
   Inherits Object
End Class

Public Class MyDerivedClass
   Inherits MyBaseClass
End Class

Public Class Example

   Public Shared Sub Demo(ByVal outputBlock As System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock)

      Dim base As New MyBaseClass()
      Dim derived As New MyDerivedClass()
      Dim o As Object = derived
      Dim b As MyBaseClass = derived

      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("base.GetType returns {0}", base.GetType()) & vbCrLf
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("derived.GetType returns {0}", derived.GetType()) & vbCrLf
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Dim o As Object = derived; o.GetType returns {0}", o.GetType()) & vbCrLf
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Dim b As MyBaseClass = derived; b.Type returns {0}", b.GetType()) & vbCrLf

   End Sub
End Class

'This code example produces the following output:
'
'base.GetType returns MyBaseClass
'derived.GetType returns MyDerivedClass
'Dim o As Object = derived; o.GetType returns MyDerivedClass
'Dim b As MyBaseClass = derived; b.Type returns MyDerivedClass
'

using System;

public class MyBaseClass : Object
{
}

public class MyDerivedClass : MyBaseClass
{
}

public class Example
{

   public static void Demo(System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock outputBlock)
   {
      MyBaseClass myBase = new MyBaseClass();
      MyDerivedClass myDerived = new MyDerivedClass();
      object o = myDerived;
      MyBaseClass b = myDerived;

      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("mybase: Type is {0}", myBase.GetType()) + "\n";
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("myDerived: Type is {0}", myDerived.GetType()) + "\n";
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("object o = myDerived: Type is {0}", o.GetType()) + "\n";
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("MyBaseClass b = myDerived: Type is {0}", b.GetType()) + "\n";
   }
}


/*

This code produces the following output.

mybase: Type is MyBaseClass
myDerived: Type is MyDerivedClass
object o = myDerived: Type is MyDerivedClass
MyBaseClass b = myDerived: Type is MyDerivedClass 

*/