Question

I have the following class:

public class foo
    {
        public Dictionary<string, string> data = new Dictionary<string, string>();

        public foo(params object[] args)
        {
            foreach (object arg in args)
            {
                data.Add(arg.ToString(), "..");
            }
        }
    }

I need get the value of dictionary using the dot operadotor it’s because the class that I set the class as arguments use the dynamic keyword to “walk” on the class.

for example:

 var args = new[] {"a","b","c"};
 var Foo = new foo(args);
 var baa = Foo.data.a;
 Console.Write(baa); // .. 

if exists an way to make dynamic variables, something like:

public foo(params object[] args) {
foreach (object arg in args) {
  var name = (string) arg;
  var value = "..";
  MakeVariable(name, value);  
}
}

makes an variable named of arg and the value .. as public member of foo class.

anyway differents to solve this is very appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

You can have Foo inherit from DynamicObject:

public class Foo : DynamicObject
{
    private Dictionary<string, string> data = new Dictionary<string, string>();

    public Foo(params object[] args)
    {
        foreach (object arg in args)
        {
            data.Add(arg.ToString(), "..");
        }
    }

    public override bool TryGetMember(GetMemberBinder binder, out object result)
    {
        if (data.ContainsKey(binder.Name))
        {
            result = data[binder.Name];
            return true;
        }
        return base.TryGetMember(binder, out result);
    }
}

To use it you can use dynamic to hold an instance of Foo:

var args= new[] { "a", "b", "c" };
dynamic foo = new Foo(args);
var myA = foo.a; //returns ".."

Keep in mind that you will lose type safety since you have to use dynamic – your use case should really justify this disadvantage – usually there is a better approach.