GetType returning null

[Marco]

Hi.

I am trying to get a type object using GetType. For this,
I use:

Type type = Type.GetType("System.Windows.Forms.TextBox");

But after this line, when I check, type is null.
What am I doing wrong ? How to do it right ?

Thank you and God bless.

_____
Marco

[Jon Skeet]

Marco <a@b.c> wrote:

I am trying to get a type object using GetType. For this,
I use:

Type type = Type.GetType("System.Windows.Forms.TextBox");

But after this line, when I check, type is null.
What am I doing wrong ? How to do it right ?

Type.GetType only looks in the currently executing assembly and
mscorlib.

For the above, you should use

Type type = typeof(System.Windows.Forms.TextBox);

If you need to dynamically get another type, you should work out what
assembly it should be part of, and call Assembly.GetType appropriately.

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

[Wiktor Zychla]

> Type type = Type.GetType("System.Windows.Forms.TextBox");

try use typeof(TextBox) instead. this should be more reliable.

[Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]]

Jon and Marco,

Jon's statement:

Type.GetType only looks in the currently executing assembly and mscorlib.

Isn't completely true. If the type name that is passed in unqualified
(which is indeed the form that the original caller was using), it will
search only the current assembly and mscorlib (there is an inconsistency in
the documentation that states that it will look in System.dll and in the
current assembly). However, the following will work:

Type.GetType("System.Windows.Forms.TextBox, System.Windows.Forms,
Version=1.0.5000.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089");

So, as a general rule, when doing dynamic discovery of types, make sure
to store the fully qualified name of the type (which means full namespace,
full assembly name with version, public key, etc, etc if they exist).

However, if you know that the type that you have to get is a TextBox,
then Jon's suggestion of using typeof is the more reliable solution.

Hope this helps.
--
- Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]
- ni**************@exisconsulting.com

"Jon Skeet" <sk***@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:MP************************@news.microsoft.com ...

Marco <a@b.c> wrote:

I am trying to get a type object using GetType. For this,
I use:

Type type = Type.GetType("System.Windows.Forms.TextBox");

But after this line, when I check, type is null.
What am I doing wrong ? How to do it right ?

Type.GetType only looks in the currently executing assembly and
mscorlib.

For the above, you should use

Type type = typeof(System.Windows.Forms.TextBox);

If you need to dynamically get another type, you should work out what
assembly it should be part of, and call Assembly.GetType appropriately.

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

[Marco]

Jon, typeof did what I needed.
Thank you very much and God bless.

_____
Marco

[Marco]

Jon, typeof did what I needed.
Thank you very much and God bless.

_____
Marco

[Jon Skeet]

Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP] <ni**************@exisconsulting.com>
wrote:

Type.GetType only looks in the currently executing assembly and mscorlib.

Isn't completely true. If the type name that is passed in unqualified
(which is indeed the form that the original caller was using), it will
search only the current assembly and mscorlib (there is an inconsistency in
the documentation that states that it will look in System.dll and in the
current assembly). However, the following will work:
<snip>

Apologies - yes indeed. Sorry for not being clear :(
Type.GetType("System.Windows.Forms.TextBox, System.Windows.Forms,
Version=1.0.5000.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089");

So, as a general rule, when doing dynamic discovery of types, make sure
to store the fully qualified name of the type (which means full namespace,
full assembly name with version, public key, etc, etc if they exist).

Or load the assembly separately and use Assembly.GetType.

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too