ExportAttribute Class

Definition

Namespace:

System.ComponentModel.Composition

Assembly:

System.ComponentModel.Composition.dll

Package:

System.ComponentModel.Composition v9.0.0

Source:

ExportAttribute.cs

Specifies that a type, property, field, or method provides a particular export.

public ref class ExportAttribute : Attribute

[System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Class | System.AttributeTargets.Field | System.AttributeTargets.Method | System.AttributeTargets.Property, AllowMultiple=true, Inherited=false)]
public class ExportAttribute : Attribute

[<System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Class | System.AttributeTargets.Field | System.AttributeTargets.Method | System.AttributeTargets.Property, AllowMultiple=true, Inherited=false)>]
type ExportAttribute = class
    inherit Attribute

Public Class ExportAttribute
Inherits Attribute

Inheritance

Object

Attribute

ExportAttribute

Derived

System.ComponentModel.Composition.InheritedExportAttribute

Attributes

AttributeUsageAttribute

Examples

The following example shows three classes decorated with the ExportAttribute, and three imports 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 ExportAttribute declares that a part exports, or provides to the composition container, an object that fulfills a particular contract. During composition, parts with imports that have matching contracts will have those dependencies filled by the exported object.

The ExportAttribute can decorate either an entire class, or a property, field, or method of a class. If the entire class is decorated, an instance of the class is the exported object. If a member of a class is decorated, the exported object will be the value of the decorated member.

Whether or not a contract matches is determined primarily by the contract name and the contract type. For more information, see ImportAttribute.

Constructors

ExportAttribute()	Initializes a new instance of the ExportAttribute class, exporting the type or member marked with this attribute under the default contract name.
ExportAttribute(String, Type)	Initializes a new instance of the ExportAttribute class, exporting the specified type under the specified contract name.
ExportAttribute(String)	Initializes a new instance of the ExportAttribute class, exporting the type or member marked with this attribute under the specified contract name.
ExportAttribute(Type)	Initializes a new instance of the ExportAttribute class, exporting the type or member marked with this attribute under a contract name derived from the specified type.

Properties

ContractName	Gets the contract name that is used to export the type or member marked with this attribute.
ContractType	Gets the contract type that is exported by the member that this attribute is attached to.
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

• ImportAttribute
• Attributed Programming Model Overview