Question

Using this code I get the property of some object by its name:

string propName = "Buttons"; // getting this runtime
Type t = container.GetType();
PropertyInfo p = t.GetProperty(propName);
object prop = p.GetValue(container, null);

the Type of property depends on property name, but all properties have implemented the IList interface and therefore all of them have Add() method. Now I want to be able to use this method to add elements to that property. But I can’t call this method on object type. I need somehow to cast it runtime, but before that I have to somehow use prop.Add(), which of course triggers a compile error now. Is there any way to call a method at runtime independently of the object type (of course being sure that object has that method).

P.S. if the question isn’t clear I can add more details.

Answer 1

Simply cast the result to an IList?

IList prop = (IList)p.GetValue(container, null);

You will then get access to IList members. Of course, this assumes you are correct in that they are always IList otherwise you will start to get InvalidCastExceptions.

---

Alternatively, but I wouldn’t advise this, you could always make the assumption that the Add method exists and duck-type it using dynamic:

dynamic prop = p.GetValue(container, null);
prop.Add("Foo");

The above will resolve at runtime using the DLR. It will try to find a public Add method that takes a single string parameter.