<TypeInstantiation> Element (.NET Native)

Applies runtime reflection policy to a constructed generic type.

Syntax

<TypeInstantiation Name="type_name"
                   Arguments="type_arguments"
                   Activate="policy_type"
                   Browse="policy_type"
                   Dynamic="policy_type"
                   Serialize="policy_type"
                   DataContractSerializer="policy_setting"
                   DataContractJsonSerializer="policy_setting"
                   XmlSerializer="policy_setting"
                   MarshalObject="policy_setting"
                   MarshalDelegate="policy_setting"
                   MarshalStructure="policy_setting" />

Attributes and Elements

The following sections describe attributes, child elements, and parent elements.

Attributes

Name attribute

Arguments attribute

All other attributes

Child Elements

Parent Elements

Remarks

The reflection, serialization, and interop attributes are all optional. However, at least one must be present.

If a <TypeInstantiation> element is the child of an <Assembly>, <Namespace>, or <Type>, element, it overrides the policy settings defined by the parent element. If a <Type> element defines a corresponding generic type definition, the <TypeInstantiation> element overrides runtime reflection policy only for instantiations of the specified constructed generic type.

Example

The following example uses reflection to retrieve the generic type definition from a constructed Dictionary<TKey,TValue> object. It also uses reflection to display information about Type objects that represent constructed generic types and generic type definitions. The variable b in the example is a TextBlock control.

   public static void GetGenericInfo()
   {
      // Get the type that represents the generic type definition and
      // display information about it.
      Type generic1 = typeof(Dictionary<,>);
      DisplayGenericType(generic1);

      // Get the type that represents a constructed generic type and its
      // generic type definition.
      Dictionary<string, Example> d1 = new Dictionary<string, Example>();
      Type constructed1 = d1.GetType();
      Type generic2 = constructed1.GetGenericTypeDefinition();

      // Display information for the generic type definition, and
      // for the constructed type Dictionary<String, Example>.
      DisplayGenericType(constructed1);
      DisplayGenericType(generic2);

      // Construct an array of type arguments.
      Type[] typeArgs = { typeof(string), typeof(Example) };
      // Construct the type Dictionary<String, Example>.
      Type constructed2 = generic1.MakeGenericType(typeArgs);

      DisplayGenericType(constructed2);

      object o = Activator.CreateInstance(constructed2);

      b.Text += "\r\nCompare types obtained by different methods:\n";
      b.Text += String.Format("   Are the constructed types equal? {0}\n",
                              (d1.GetType() == constructed2));
      b.Text += String.Format("   Are the generic definitions equal? {0}\n",
                              (generic1 == constructed2.GetGenericTypeDefinition()));

      // Demonstrate the DisplayGenericType and
      // DisplayGenericParameter methods with the Test class
      // defined above. This shows base, interface, and special
      // constraints.
      DisplayGenericType(typeof(TestGeneric<>));
   }

   // Display information about a generic type.
   private static void DisplayGenericType(Type t)
   {
      b.Text += String.Format("\n{0}\n", t);
      b.Text += String.Format("   Generic type? {0}\n",
                              t.GetTypeInfo().GenericTypeParameters.Length !=
                              t.GenericTypeArguments.Length);
      b.Text += String.Format("   Generic type definition? {0}\n",
                              ! t.IsConstructedGenericType);

      // Get the generic type parameters.
      Type[] typeParameters = t.GetTypeInfo().GenericTypeParameters;
      if (typeParameters.Length > 0)
      {
         b.Text += String.Format("   {0} type parameters:\n",
                                 typeParameters.Length);
         foreach (Type tParam in typeParameters)
            b.Text += String.Format("      Type parameter: {0} position {1}\n",
                     tParam.Name, tParam.GenericParameterPosition);
      }
      else
      {
         Type[] typeArgs = t.GenericTypeArguments;
         b.Text += String.Format("   {0} type arguments:\n",
                                 typeArgs.Length);
         foreach (var tArg in typeArgs)
               b.Text += String.Format("      Type argument: {0}\n",
                                       tArg);
      }
      b.Text += "\n-------------------------------\n";
   }
}

public interface ITestInterface { }

public class TestBase { }

public class TestGeneric<T> where T : TestBase, ITestInterface, new() { }

public class TestArgument : TestBase, ITestInterface
{
   public TestArgument()
   { }
}

After compilation with the .NET Native tool chain, the example throws a MissingMetadataException exception on the line that calls the Type.GetGenericTypeDefinition method. You can eliminate the exception and provide the necessary metadata by adding the following <TypeInstantiation> element to the runtime directives file:

<Directives xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/netfx/2013/01/metadata">
  <Application>
    <Assembly Name="*Application*" Dynamic="Required All" />
     <TypeInstantiation Name="System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary"
                        Arguments="System.String,GenericType.Example"
                        Dynamic="Required Public" />
  </Application>
</Directives>

See also

• Runtime Directives (rd.xml) Configuration File Reference
• Runtime Directive Elements
• Runtime Directive Policy Settings