Using Reflection.Emit to match existing constructor

Question

First, here is the C# code and the disassembled IL:

public class Program<T>
{
    private List<T> _items;

    public Program(T x, [Microsoft.Scripting.ParamDictionary] Microsoft.Scripting.IAttributesCollection col)
    {
        _items = new List<T>();
        _items.Add(x);
    }
}

Here is the IL of that constructor:

.method public hidebysig specialname rtspecialname 
        instance void  .ctor(!T x,
                             class [Microsoft.Scripting]Microsoft.Scripting.IAttributesCollection col) cil managed
{
  .param [2]
  .custom instance void [Microsoft.Scripting]Microsoft.Scripting.ParamDictionaryAttribute::.ctor() = ( 01 00 00 00 ) 
  // Code size       34 (0x22)
  .maxstack  8
  IL_0000:  ldarg.0
  IL_0001:  call       instance void [mscorlib]System.Object::.ctor()
  IL_0006:  nop
  IL_0007:  nop
  IL_0008:  ldarg.0
  IL_0009:  newobj     instance void class [mscorlib]System.Collections.Generic.List`1<!T>::.ctor()
  IL_000e:  stfld      class [mscorlib]System.Collections.Generic.List`1<!0> class Foo.Program`1<!T>::_items
  IL_0013:  ldarg.0
  IL_0014:  ldfld      class [mscorlib]System.Collections.Generic.List`1<!0> class Foo.Program`1<!T>::_items
  IL_0019:  ldarg.1
  IL_001a:  callvirt   instance void class [mscorlib]System.Collections.Generic.List`1<!T>::Add(!0)
  IL_001f:  nop
  IL_0020:  nop
  IL_0021:  ret
} // end of method Program`1::.ctor

I am trying to understand the IL code by emitting it myself. This is what I have managed to emit:

.method public hidebysig specialname rtspecialname 
        instance void  .ctor(!T A_1,
                             class [Microsoft.Scripting]Microsoft.Scripting.IAttributesCollection A_2) cil managed
{
  // Code size       34 (0x22)
  .maxstack  4
  IL_0000:  ldarg.0
  IL_0001:  call       instance void [mscorlib]System.Object::.ctor()
  IL_0006:  ldarg.0
  IL_0007:  newobj     instance void class [mscorlib]System.Collections.Generic.List`1<!T>::.ctor()
  IL_000c:  stfld      class [mscorlib]System.Collections.Generic.List`1<!0> class MyType<!T>::_items
  IL_0011:  ldarg.0
  IL_0012:  ldfld      class [mscorlib]System.Collections.Generic.List`1<!0> class MyType<!T>::_items
  IL_0017:  ldarg.s    A_1
  IL_0019:  nop
  IL_001a:  nop
  IL_001b:  nop
  IL_001c:  callvirt   instance void class [mscorlib]System.Collections.Generic.List`1<!T>::Add(!0)
  IL_0021:  ret
} // end of method MyType::.ctor

There are a few differences that I just can't figure out. I'm really close...

1. How do I take care of the parameter attribute (ParamDictionaryAttribute)? I can't find a 'custom' opcode.

2. Is the .param [2] important? How do I emit that?

3. Why is the C# code stack size 8, while my emitted version is 4? Is this important?

Answer 1

-> 1./2. Use DefineParameter() on the constructor builder (instead of defining them with the type[]), and then you can do a SetCustomAttribute() to apply the attribute to the parameter.

-> 3. That's not important I think. It basically specifies how much stack must be available for the method to be able to run.

Answer 2

.custom is not opcode, it is the way to apply custom attribute. It is part of declaration. It is tightly bound with .param. .param[2] tells that now we will speak about 2nd parameter. .custom applies specified parameter. Take a look at MSIL spec, page 225 and 201 and 199 (for .maxstack)

To set custom attribute on parameter call DefineParameter on ctor and you get ParameterBuilder call SetCustomAttribute() on it