Performing Reflection on Objects

Hey Everyone

What I'm trying to do is create a SQL read procedure that I can reuse. My initial idea was to create the procedure that gets passed an object.

ie. Private Sub SqlRead(ByRef Request As Object)

The reason I would need reflection is to analyze the object for members of type String whose name starts with DB.

ie. Public Class Employee
Public DBFirstName, DBLastName as String

When that object is passed to the procedure, the SQL command text would be created dynamically according what members are in the object. Do I require reflection for this or is there another way

Bascially by the end of it, I want the procedure to execute the command below if it were passed that object.j
Select (DBFirstName, DBLastName) from employee

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Performing Reflection on Objects

cipcip
Hopefully the enclosed will get you started.

This function takes any reference type and creates a sql select string for all properties that have a get section (compiler creates a get_XXX method behind the scenes) and starts with DB.

The table name is the type name ... ie pass a class called Employee into the procedure to get a Select From Employee statement)

Richard

Private Function SqlRead(Of T As Class)(ByVal Request As T) As String

Dim sql As String = "SELECT {0} FROM {1}"

Dim props As New System.Text.StringBuilder

For Each mi As Reflection.MemberInfo In Request.GetType.GetMembers

If mi.MemberType = Reflection.MemberTypes.Method Then

Dim name As String = mi.Name

If name.StartsWith("get_DB") Then

props.AppendFormat("{0}, ", name.Substring(4, name.Length - 4))

End If

End If

Next

If props.Length <= 0 Then Return Nothing

Dim propLst As String = props.ToString

sql = String.Format(sql, propLst.Substring(0, propLst.Length - 2), t.Name)

Return sql

End Function
Shameer A U
Thanks for your reply. Thats exactly what I needed Donny.

I had been reading up a bit on reflection but I couldn't figure out how to perform reflection on an object, only assemblies. Thanks alot.
Performing Reflection on Objects

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