digitalMoto.net

Below is code loading and examining an assembly.

Problem:

You want to open an assembly to see what’s inside with as little effort as possible.

Solution:

I’m sure there are easier ways but this works…

Code:

public static class ExamineAssembly
{
    public static Assembly LoadAssembly(string assemblyPath)
    {
        Assembly assembly = null;
        if ( File.Exists(assemblyPath) )
        {
            if ( assemblyPath != Path.GetFullPath(assemblyPath) )
                assemblyPath = Path.GetFullPath(assemblyPath);
            assembly = Assembly.LoadFile(assemblyPath);
        }
        return assembly;
    }

    public static String GetAssemblyInfo(Assembly assembly)
    {
        if ( assembly == null )
            return null;
        StringBuilder msg = new StringBuilder();
        foreach ( Type type in assembly.GetTypes() )
        {
            msg.AppendLine("Type: " + type.ToString());
            msg.AppendLine("Name: " + type.Name);
            msg.AppendLine("Namespace: " + type.Namespace);
            msg.AppendLine(String.Empty.PadRight(72, '-'));
            msg.Append(GetAssemblyConstructors(type));
            msg.Append(GetAssemblyDefaultMembers(type));
            msg.Append(GetAssemblyEvents(type));
            msg.Append(GetAssemblyFields(type));
            msg.Append(GetAssemblyGenericArguments(type));
            msg.Append(GetAssemblyGenericParameterConstraints(type));
            msg.Append(GetAssemblyInterfaces(type));
            msg.Append(GetAssemblyMembers(type));
            msg.Append(GetAssemblyNestedTypes(type));
            msg.Append(GetAssemblyProperties(type));
            msg.AppendLine(String.Empty.PadRight(72, '-'));
            msg.AppendLine(Environment.NewLine);
        }
        return msg.ToString();
    }

    public static String GetAssemblyConstructors(Type type)
    {
        StringBuilder msg = new StringBuilder();
        if ( type.GetConstructors().Count() != 0 )
        {
            msg.AppendLine("\t" + "Constructors:");
            foreach ( var item in type.GetConstructors() )
            {
                msg.AppendLine("\t\t" + "Name:     " + item.Name);
            }
        }
        return msg.ToString();
    }

    public static String GetAssemblyDefaultMembers(Type type)
    {
        StringBuilder msg = new StringBuilder();
        if ( type.GetDefaultMembers().Count() != 0 )
        {
            msg.AppendLine("\t" + "GetDefaultMembers:");
            foreach ( var item in type.GetDefaultMembers() )
            {
                msg.AppendLine("\t\t" + "Name:     " + item.Name);
            }
        }
        return msg.ToString();
    }

    public static String GetAssemblyEvents(Type type)
    {
        StringBuilder msg = new StringBuilder();
        if ( type.GetEvents().Count() != 0 )
        {
            msg.AppendLine("\t" + "GetEvents:");
            foreach ( var item in type.GetEvents() )
            {
                msg.AppendLine("\t\t" + "Name:     " + item.Name);
            }
        }
        return msg.ToString();
    }

    public static String GetAssemblyFields(Type type)
    {
        StringBuilder msg = new StringBuilder();
        if ( type.GetFields().Count() != 0 )
        {
            msg.AppendLine("\t" + "GetFields:");
            foreach ( var item in type.GetFields() )
            {
                msg.AppendLine("\t\t" + "Name:     " + item.Name);
            }
        }
        return msg.ToString();
    }

    public static String GetAssemblyGenericArguments(Type type)
    {
        StringBuilder msg = new StringBuilder();
        if ( type.GetGenericArguments().Count() != 0 )
        {
            msg.AppendLine("\t" + "GetGenericArguments:");
            foreach ( var item in type.GetGenericArguments() )
            {
                msg.AppendLine("\t\t" + "Name:     " + item.Name);
            }
        }
        return msg.ToString();
    }

    public static String GetAssemblyGenericParameterConstraints(Type type
    {
        StringBuilder msg = new StringBuilder();
        if ( type.IsGenericParameter )
        {
            msg.AppendLine("\t" + "GetGenericParameterConstraints:");
            foreach ( var item in type.GetGenericParameterConstraints() )
            {
                msg.AppendLine("\t\t" + "Name:     " + item.Name);
            }
        }
        return msg.ToString();
    }

    ublic static String GetAssemblyInterfaces(Type type)
    {
        StringBuilder msg = new StringBuilder();
        if ( type.GetInterfaces().Count() != 0 )
        {
            msg.AppendLine("\t" + "GetInterfaces:");
            foreach ( var item in type.GetInterfaces() )
            {
                msg.AppendLine("\t\t" + "Name:     " + item.Name);
            }
        }
        return msg.ToString();
    }

    public static String GetAssemblyMembers(Type type)
    {
        StringBuilder msg = new StringBuilder();
        if ( type.GetMembers().Count() != 0 )
        {
            msg.AppendLine("\t" + "GetMembers:");
            foreach ( var item in type.GetMembers() )
            {
                msg.AppendLine("\t\t" + "Name:     " + item.Name);
            }
        }
        return msg.ToString();
    }

    public static String GetAssemblyNestedTypes(Type type)
    {
        StringBuilder msg = new StringBuilder();
        if ( type.GetNestedTypes().Count() != 0 )
        {
            msg.AppendLine("\t" + "GetNestedTypes:");
            foreach ( var item in type.GetNestedTypes() )
            {
                msg.AppendLine("\t\t" + "Name:     " + item.Name);
            }
        }
        return msg.ToString();
    }

    public static String GetAssemblyProperties(Type type)
    {
        StringBuilder msg = new StringBuilder();
        if ( type.GetProperties().Count() != 0 )
        {
            msg.AppendLine("\t" + "GetProperties:");
            foreach ( var item in type.GetProperties() )
            {
                msg.AppendLine("\t\t" + "Name:     " + item.Name);
            }
        }
        return msg.ToString();
    }

}

Usage:

    Assembly assembly = ExamineAssembly.LoadAssembly("AddInScanEngine.dll");
    String msg = ExamineAssembly.GetAssemblyInfo(assembly);
    tbxResults.Text += msg;  // textbox on UI.

Notes:

This class doesn’t have any try/catch blocks. You might want them. I didn’t need it because of how I am using the class for ‘research’ and not ‘production.’

I did the minimum for returning the contents of the assembly. If you want more info, dig into the specific method and extend as needed.