Question

I would like to create a strongly type list and decide the type in runtime. This is my code.I thought it should work, but it doesn’t 🙂

        Type elementType = Type.GetType(parts[0].Trim(),false,true);         var elementsBeingSet = new List<elementType>(); 

would you have any ideat how to create a strongly typed list whose type I will decide in runtime ?

Duplicate: here are other versions:

• Is it impossible to use Generics dynamically?
• Declare a generic type instance dynamically
• Calling generic method with a type argument known only at execution time

Answer 1

Use Type.MakeGenericType(type[]):

Type elementType = GetElementType(); // get this type at runtime Type listType = typeof(List<>); Type combinedType = listType.MakeGenericType(elementType); IList elements = (IList) Activator.CreateInstance(combinedType); 

You have to use IList to keep the result – because you don’t know the actual type that will be used at runtime.

For generic types with more than one type parameter you would use something like Dictionary<,>.

See also http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.type.makegenerictype.aspx