Question

in C# it is possible to write

typeof(IInterface<>).

Is there something similar in C++/CLI?

ISYMessageDispatcher<>::typeid

doesn’t compile because the compiler crashes.

Answer 1

When I test it (using Visual Studio 2010 SP1), this doesn’t crash the compiler, it’s simply a syntax error.

#using <System.dll>

int main(void)
{
    System::Console::WriteLine( (System::Collections::Generic::List<>::typeid)->ToString() );
    return 0;
}

Attempting to compile gives:

Microsoft (R) C/C++ Optimizing Compiler Version 16.00.40219.01
for Microsoft (R) .NET Framework version 4.00.30319.269
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

generictypeid.cpp
generictypeid.cpp(5) : error C2976: 'System::Collections::Generic::List' : too few generic arguments
        c:\windows\microsoft.net\framework\v4.0.30319\mscorlib.dll : see declaration of 'System::Collections::Generic::List'

For a workaround, see my answer to a related question “How to check a generic type in C++/CLI?”