Article
11/18/2011

GenericTypeParameterBuilder.MakeByRefType Method

Microsoft Silverlight will reach end of support after October 2021. Learn more.

Returns a Type object that represents the current generic type parameter when passed as a reference parameter.

Namespace: System.Reflection.Emit
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)

Syntax

'Declaration
Public Overrides Function MakeByRefType As Type

public override Type MakeByRefType()

Return Value

Type: System.Type
A Type object that represents the current generic type parameter when passed as a reference parameter.

Remarks

The MakeByRefType method provides a way to generate ref types (ByRef in Visual Basic) for parameter lists.

Examples

The following code example creates a dynamic module, an abstract generic type named Sample with one type parameter, T, and an abstract method named TestMethod. TestMethod takes a ref parameter (ByRef in Visual Basic) of type T, a pointer to type T, and an array of T. This method returns a two-dimensional array of T.

' Define a dynamic assembly to contain the sample type. 
'
Dim myDomain As AppDomain = AppDomain.CurrentDomain
Dim myAsmName As New AssemblyName("MakeXxxGenericTypeParameterExample")
Dim myAssembly As AssemblyBuilder = myDomain.DefineDynamicAssembly( _
    myAsmName, _
    AssemblyBuilderAccess.Run)
Dim myModule As ModuleBuilder = myAssembly.DefineDynamicModule( _
    myAsmName.Name)

' Define the sample type.
Dim myType As TypeBuilder = myModule.DefineType( _
    "Sample", _
    TypeAttributes.Public Or TypeAttributes.Abstract)

' Make the sample type a generic type, by defining a type
' parameter T. All type parameters are defined at the same
' time, by passing an array containing the type parameter
' names. 
Dim typeParamNames() As String = {"T"}
Dim typeParams() As GenericTypeParameterBuilder = _
    myType.DefineGenericParameters(typeParamNames)

' Define a method that takes a ByRef argument of type T, a
' pointer to type T, and one-dimensional array of type T. The
' method returns a two-dimensional array of type T.
'
' To create this method, you need Type objects that represent the
' parameter types and the return type. Use the MakeByRefType, 
' MakePointerType, and MakeArrayType methods to create the Type
' objects, using the generic type parameter T.
'
Dim byRefType As Type = typeParams(0).MakeByRefType
Dim pointerType As Type = typeParams(0).MakePointerType
Dim arrayType As Type = typeParams(0).MakeArrayType
Dim twoDimArrayType As Type = typeParams(0).MakeArrayType(2)

' Create the array of parameter types.
Dim parameterTypes() As Type = _
    {byRefType, pointerType, arrayType}

' Define the abstract Test method. 
'
Dim myMethodBuilder As MethodBuilder = myType.DefineMethod( _
    "TestMethod", _
    MethodAttributes.Abstract Or MethodAttributes.Virtual _
        Or MethodAttributes.Public, _
    twoDimArrayType, _
    parameterTypes)

' Create the type.
'
myType.CreateType()

// Define a dynamic assembly to contain the sample type. 
//
AppDomain myDomain = AppDomain.CurrentDomain;
AssemblyName myAsmName = new
    AssemblyName("MakeXxxGenericTypeParameterExample");
AssemblyBuilder myAssembly = myDomain.DefineDynamicAssembly(
    myAsmName, AssemblyBuilderAccess.Run);
ModuleBuilder myModule = myAssembly.DefineDynamicModule(
    myAsmName.Name);

// Define the sample type.
TypeBuilder myType = myModule.DefineType("Sample",
    TypeAttributes.Public | TypeAttributes.Abstract);

// Make the sample type a generic type, by defining a type
// parameter T. All type parameters are defined at the same
// time, by passing an array containing the type parameter
// names. 
string[] typeParamNames = { "T" };
GenericTypeParameterBuilder[] typeParams =
    myType.DefineGenericParameters(typeParamNames);

// Define a method that takes a ByRef argument of type T, a
// pointer to type T, and one-dimensional array of type T. The
// method returns a two-dimensional array of type T.
//
// To create this method, you need Type objects that represent the
// parameter types and the return type. Use the MakeByRefType, 
// MakePointerType, and MakeArrayType methods to create the Type
// objects, using the generic type parameter T.
//
Type byRefType = typeParams[0].MakeByRefType();
Type pointerType = typeParams[0].MakePointerType();
Type arrayType = typeParams[0].MakeArrayType();
Type twoDimArrayType = typeParams[0].MakeArrayType(2);

// Create the array of parameter types.
Type[] parameterTypes = { byRefType, pointerType, arrayType };

// Define the abstract Test method. 
//
MethodBuilder myMethodBuilder = myType.DefineMethod(
    "TestMethod",
    MethodAttributes.Abstract | MethodAttributes.Virtual
    | MethodAttributes.Public,
    twoDimArrayType,
    parameterTypes);

// Create the type.
//
myType.CreateType();

Version Information

Silverlight

Supported in: 5, 4, 3

Platforms

For a list of the operating systems and browsers that are supported by Silverlight, see Supported Operating Systems and Browsers.

Share via