ImmediateType and TypeAccessor

Getting a type

The entry point of the library is the TypeAccessor.

See following examples:

ImmediateType type = TypeAccessor.Get(typeof(MySuperType));

// or

ImmediateType type = TypeAccessor.Get<MySuperType>();

Note that there are other access methods that allow to get an ImmediateType with non public member or by specifying BindingFlags.

ImmediateType type = TypeAccessor.Get<MySuperType>(includeNonPublicMembers: true);

// or

// Flags allow to get a type with member that fulfill requested flags
ImmediateType type = TypeAccessor.Get<MySuperType>(BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.Static);

Note: there is a built-in cache behind the TypeAccessor.

Instantiate a type

The ImmediateType allows to instantiate types via their default constructor if available. This feature is faster than making a traditional call to Activator.CreateInstance(Type).

Here is a quick example:

ImmediateType type = TypeAccessor.Get<MySuperType>();

// Create a new instance of MySuperType
object newInstance = type.New();

// You can also use the version that not throws in case of failure
bool succeed = type.TryNew(out object instance, out Exception _);

Copy an instance

The ImmediateType allows to create a copy of a given instance via a copy constructor if available. This feature is faster than making a traditional call to Activator.CreateInstance(Type, Instance).

Here is a quick example:

ImmediateType type = TypeAccessor.Get<MySuperType>();

MySuperType instance = new MySuperType
{
    TestProperty = 12
};

// Create a copy instance of MySuperType
object newInstance = type.Copy(instance);

// You can also use the version that not throws in case of failure
bool succeed = type.TryCopy(instance, out object newInstance, out Exception _);

Note also that a more easy way of using copy is available as extension directly when manipulating an instance.

MySuperType instance = new MySuperType
{
    TestProperty = 12
};

// Create a copy instance of MySuperType
MySuperType newInstance = instance.Copy();

Obviously in such situation you would have directly called the copy constructor of MySuperType, but we have to keep in mind that it is designed to be use when the instance we manipulate has not been created in such explicit way.