Printing full object graph using C# and reflection

Question

I have a compex object

class A
{
 int Field1;
 int field2;
 property ClassB ClassB;
 property classC classC;
 etc etc....

}

I want to print the complete object graph using reflection. Any good code out there?

Answer 1

I did something for debugging purpose some years ago. It's a recursive function that print all properties and sub object. The way you print is up to you. Just put the code you want in the print method. It's not "bullet proof" but it works pretty well :

private static void displayObject(object myObject, bool displaySubObject, Type objectType)
{
  print(objectType.FullName);
  if (myObject == null) 
  {
      print(STR_Null);
  }
  else 
  {
    //check for collection
    if (objectType.GetInterface("IEnumerable") != null) 
    {
      int itemNb = 0;
      foreach (object item in (IEnumerable)myObject) 
      {
        displayObject(item, displaySubObject, item.GetType);
        itemNb += 1;
      }
    }
    else 
    {
      ArrayList al = new ArrayList();
      Reflection.PropertyInfo pi = default(Reflection.PropertyInfo);
      Reflection.MemberInfo[] members = objectType.GetMembers();
      foreach (Reflection.MemberInfo mi in objectType.GetMembers()) 
      {
        if ((mi.MemberType & Reflection.MemberTypes.Constructor) != 0){//ignore constructor}
        else if (object.ReferenceEquals(mi.DeclaringType, typeof(object))) {//ignore inherited}
        else if (!al.Contains(mi.Name) & (mi.MemberType & Reflection.MemberTypes.Property) != 0) 
        {
          al.Add(mi.Name);
          pi = (Reflection.PropertyInfo)mi;
          if (!(displaySubObject) || (pi.PropertyType.IsValueType || pi.PropertyType.Equals(typeof(string)))) 
          {
            print(pi, myObject);
          }
          else 
          {
            //display sub objects
            displayObject(pi.GetValue(myObject, null), displaySubObject, i.PropertyType);
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Hope it helps

Answer 2

I'd use (and modify) a Reflector plugin.