ImportAttribute Class

Definition

Namespace:

System.ComponentModel.Composition

Assembly:

System.ComponentModel.Composition.dll

Package:

System.ComponentModel.Composition v9.0.0

Source:

ImportAttribute.cs

Specifies that a property, field, or parameter value should be provided by the CompositionContainer.object.

public ref class ImportAttribute : Attribute

[System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Field | System.AttributeTargets.Parameter | System.AttributeTargets.Property, AllowMultiple=false, Inherited=false)]
public class ImportAttribute : Attribute

[<System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Field | System.AttributeTargets.Parameter | System.AttributeTargets.Property, AllowMultiple=false, Inherited=false)>]
type ImportAttribute = class
    inherit Attribute

Public Class ImportAttribute
Inherits Attribute

Inheritance

Object

Attribute

ImportAttribute

Attributes

AttributeUsageAttribute

Examples

The following example shows three classes with members decorated with the ImportAttribute, and three exports that match them.

//Default export infers type and contract name from the
//exported type.  This is the preferred method.
[Export]
public class MyExport1
{
    public String data = "Test Data 1.";
}

public class MyImporter1
{
    [Import]
    public MyExport1 importedMember { get; set; }
}

public interface MyInterface
{
}

//Specifying the contract type may be important if
//you want to export a type other then the base type,
//such as an interface.
[Export(typeof(MyInterface))]
public class MyExport2 : MyInterface
{
    public String data = "Test Data 2.";
}

public class MyImporter2
{
    //The import must match the contract type!
    [Import(typeof(MyInterface))]
    public MyExport2 importedMember { get; set; }
}

//Specifying a contract name should only be
//needed in rare caes. Usually, using metadata
//is a better approach.
[Export("MyContractName", typeof(MyInterface))]
public class MyExport3 : MyInterface
{
    public String data = "Test Data 3.";
}

public class MyImporter3
{
    //Both contract name and type must match!
    [Import("MyContractName", typeof(MyInterface))]
    public MyExport3 importedMember { get; set; }
}

class Program
{

    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        AggregateCatalog catalog = new AggregateCatalog();
        catalog.Catalogs.Add(new AssemblyCatalog(typeof(MyExport1).Assembly));
        CompositionContainer _container = new CompositionContainer(catalog);
        MyImporter1 test1 = new MyImporter1();
        MyImporter2 test2 = new MyImporter2();
        MyImporter3 test3 = new MyImporter3();
        _container.SatisfyImportsOnce(test1);
        _container.SatisfyImportsOnce(test2);
        _container.SatisfyImportsOnce(test3);
        Console.WriteLine(test1.importedMember.data);
        Console.WriteLine(test2.importedMember.data);
        Console.WriteLine(test3.importedMember.data);
        Console.ReadLine();
    }
}

'Default export infers type and contract name from the
'exported type.  This is the preferred method.
<Export()>
Public Class MyExport1
    Public ReadOnly Property data As String
        Get
            Return "Test Data 1."
        End Get
    End Property
End Class

Public Class MyImporter1

    <Import()>
    Public Property ImportedMember As MyExport1

End Class

Public Interface MyInterface

End Interface

'Specifying the contract type may be important if
'you want to export a type other then the base type,
'such as an interface.
<Export(GetType(MyInterface))>
Public Class MyExport2
    Implements MyInterface
    Public ReadOnly Property data As String
        Get
            Return "Test Data 2."
        End Get
    End Property
End Class

Public Class MyImporter2
    'The import must match the contract type!
    <Import(GetType(MyInterface))>
    Public Property ImportedMember As MyExport2
End Class

'Specifying a contract name should only be 
'needed in rare caes. Usually, using metadata
'is a better approach.
<Export("MyContractName", GetType(MyInterface))>
Public Class MyExport3
    Implements MyInterface
    Public ReadOnly Property data As String
        Get
            Return "Test Data 3."
        End Get
    End Property
End Class

Public Class MyImporter3
    'Both contract name and type must match!
    <Import("MyContractName", GetType(MyInterface))>
    Public Property ImportedMember As MyExport3
End Class



Sub Main()
    Dim catalog As AggregateCatalog = New AggregateCatalog()
    catalog.Catalogs.Add(New AssemblyCatalog(GetType(MyExport1).Assembly))
    Dim container As CompositionContainer = New CompositionContainer(catalog)
    Dim test1 As MyImporter1 = New MyImporter1()
    Dim test2 As MyImporter2 = New MyImporter2()
    Dim test3 As MyImporter3 = New MyImporter3()
    container.SatisfyImportsOnce(test1)
    container.SatisfyImportsOnce(test2)
    container.SatisfyImportsOnce(test3)
    Console.WriteLine(test1.ImportedMember.data)
    Console.WriteLine(test2.ImportedMember.data)
    Console.WriteLine(test3.ImportedMember.data)
    Console.ReadLine()
End Sub

Remarks

In the Attributed Programming Model, the ImportAttribute is used to declare the imports, or dependencies, of a given part. It can decorate a property, a field, or a method. During composition, a part's imports will be filled by the CompositionContainer object to which that part belongs, by using the exports provided to that CompositionContainer object.

Whether an import matches a given export is determined primarily by comparing the contract name and the contract type. Ordinarily, you do not have to specify either of these when using the import attribute in code, and they will be automatically inferred from the type of the decorated member. If the import must match an export of a different type (for example, a subclass of the type of the decorated member, or an interface implemented by that member), then the contract type must be explicitly specified. The contract name can also be explicitly specified, for example to distinguish between multiple contracts with the same type, but it is usually better to do this through metadata. For more information about metadata, see PartMetadataAttribute.

Constructors

ImportAttribute()	Initializes a new instance of the ImportAttribute class, importing the export with the default contract name.
ImportAttribute(String, Type)	Initializes a new instance of the ImportAttribute class, importing the export with the specified contract name and type.
ImportAttribute(String)	Initializes a new instance of the ImportAttribute class, importing the export with the specified contract name.
ImportAttribute(Type)	Initializes a new instance of the ImportAttribute class, importing the export with the contract name derived from the specified type.

Properties

AllowDefault	Gets or sets a value that indicates whether the property, field, or parameter will be set to its type's default value when an export with the contract name is not present in the container.
AllowRecomposition	Gets or sets a value that indicates whether the property or field will be recomposed when exports with a matching contract have changed in the container.
ContractName	Gets the contract name of the export to import.
ContractType	Gets the type of the export to import.
RequiredCreationPolicy	Gets or sets a value that indicates that the importer requires a specific CreationPolicy for the exports used to satisfy this import.
Source	Gets or sets a value that specifies the scopes from which this import may be satisfied.
TypeId	When implemented in a derived class, gets a unique identifier for this Attribute. (Inherited from Attribute)

Methods

Equals(Object)	Returns a value that indicates whether this instance is equal to a specified object. (Inherited from Attribute)
GetHashCode()	Returns the hash code for this instance. (Inherited from Attribute)
GetType()	Gets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object)
IsDefaultAttribute()	When overridden in a derived class, indicates whether the value of this instance is the default value for the derived class. (Inherited from Attribute)
Match(Object)	When overridden in a derived class, returns a value that indicates whether this instance equals a specified object. (Inherited from Attribute)
MemberwiseClone()	Creates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object)
ToString()	Returns a string that represents the current object. (Inherited from Object)

See also

• ExportAttribute
• Attributed Programming Model Overview