Determine if object derives from collection type
You can use Type.GetInterface() with the mangled name.
private bool IsTAnEnumerable<T>(T x)
{
return null != typeof(T).GetInterface("IEnumerable`1");
}
Personally I tend to use a method that I wrote myself, called TryGetInterfaceGenericParameters
, which I posted below. Here is how to use it in your case:
Example of use
object currentObj = ...; // get the object
Type[] typeArguments;
if (currentObj.GetType().TryGetInterfaceGenericParameters(typeof(IEnumerable<>), out typeArguments))
{
var innerType = typeArguments[0];
// currentObj implements IEnumerable<innerType>
}
else
{
// The type does not implement IEnumerable<T> for any T
}
It is important to note here that you pass in typeof(IEnumerable<>)
, not typeof(IEnumerable)
(which is an entirely different type) and also not typeof(IEnumerable<T>)
for any T
(if you already know the T
, you don’t need this method). Of course this works with any generic interface, e.g. you can use typeof(IDictionary<,>)
as well (but not typeof(IDictionary)
).
Method source
/// <summary>
/// Determines whether the current type is or implements the specified generic interface, and determines that
/// interface's generic type parameters.</summary>
/// <param name="type">
/// The current type.</param>
/// <param name="interface">
/// A generic type definition for an interface, e.g. typeof(ICollection<>) or typeof(IDictionary<,>).</param>
/// <param name="typeParameters">
/// Will receive an array containing the generic type parameters of the interface.</param>
/// <returns>
/// True if the current type is or implements the specified generic interface.</returns>
public static bool TryGetInterfaceGenericParameters(this Type type, Type @interface, out Type[] typeParameters)
{
typeParameters = null;
if (type.IsGenericType && type.GetGenericTypeDefinition() == @interface)
{
typeParameters = type.GetGenericArguments();
return true;
}
var implements = type.FindInterfaces((ty, obj) => ty.IsGenericType && ty.GetGenericTypeDefinition() == @interface, null).FirstOrDefault();
if (implements == null)
return false;
typeParameters = implements.GetGenericArguments();
return true;
}
This will be the simplest check..
if(Obj is ICollection)
{
//Derived from ICollection
}
else
{
//Not Derived from ICollection
}
In order to get the actual type of T at runtime, you can use the typeof(T) expression. From there the normal type comparison operators will do the trick
bool isEnumerable = typeof(IEnumerable<int>).IsAssignableFrom(typeof(T));
Full Code Sample:
static bool Foo<T>()
{
return typeof(IEnumerable<int>).IsAssignableFrom(typeof(T));
}
Foo<List<T>>(); // true
Foo<int>(); // false