views:

793

answers:

4

I definitely remember seeing somewhere an example of doing so using reflection or something. It was something that had to do with SqlParameterCollection which is not creatable by a user (if I'm not mistaken). Unfortunately cannot find it any longer.

Can anyone please share this trick here? Not that I consider it a valid approach in development, I'm just very interested in the possibility of doing this.

+2  A: 

If the class isn't one of yours, then it sounds like the API was deliberately written to prevent this, which means that it's possible your approach isn't what the API writers intended. Take a look at the docs and see if there's a recommended approach to using this class.

If you do have control over the class and want to implement this pattern, then it's typically implemented via a static method on a class. This is a key concept that makes up the Singleton pattern, too.

For example:

public PrivateCtorClass
{
    private PrivateCtorClass()
    {
    }

    public static PrivateCtorClass Create()
    {
        return new PrivateCtorClass();
    }
}

public SomeOtherClass
{
    public void SomeMethod()
    {
        var privateCtorClass = PrivateCtorClass.Create();
    }
}

The SqlCommandParameter stuff is a good example. They expect you to create parameters by calling things like this:

var command = IDbConnnection.CreateCommand(...);
command.Parameters.Add(command.CreateParameter(...));

My example isn't great code because it doesn't demonstrate setting command parameter properties or reuse of parameters/commands, but you get the idea.

Neil Barnwell
I actually meant if the author if the class (not me) made all constructors private or internal and I cannot modify the class, but really, really want to create an instance of it, then how can I get around this protection and create an instance?
User
Ahh I see what you mean. Well, it sounds like the API was deliberately written to prevent this, which means that it's possible your approach isn't what the API writers intended. Take a look at the docs and see if there's a recommended approach to using this class.
Neil Barnwell
+4  A: 

Is this the question you were after? http://stackoverflow.com/questions/440016/activator-createinstance-with-private-sealed-class

Jonathan Parker
Not that same question but very similarly looking answer. Thanks!
User
+3  A: 

You can use Activator.CreateInstance to do this. One of its overloads allows you to indicate you want to call a non public constructor:

For example:

    class Program
    {
     public static void Main(string[] args)
     {
      Type type=typeof(Foo);
      Foo f=(Foo)Activator.CreateInstance(type,true);
     }  
    }

    class Foo
    {
     private Foo()
     {
        }
    }
Sean
+3  A: 
// the types of the constructor parameters, in order
// use an empty Type[] array if the constructor takes no parameters
Type[] paramTypes = new Type[] { typeof(string), typeof(int) };

// the values of the constructor parameters, in order
// use an empty object[] array if the constructor takes no parameters
object[] paramValues = new object[] { "test", 42 };

TheTypeYouWantToInstantiate instance =
    Construct<TheTypeYouWantToInstantiate>(paramTypes, paramValues);

// ...

public static T Construct<T>(Type[] paramTypes, object[] paramValues)
{
    Type t = typeof(T);

    ConstructorInfo ci = t.GetConstructor(
        BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.NonPublic,
        null, paramTypes, null);

    return (T)ci.Invoke(paramValues);
}
LukeH