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.NET Framework Class Library
MemberInfo..::.IsDefined Method

When overridden in a derived class, indicates whether one or more attributes of the specified type or of its derived types is applied to this member.

Namespace: System.Reflection
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Syntax
Public MustOverride Function IsDefined ( _
	attributeType As Type, _
	inherit As Boolean _
) As Boolean
public abstract bool IsDefined(
	Type attributeType,
	bool inherit
)
public:
virtual bool IsDefined(
	Type^ attributeType, 
	bool inherit
) abstract
abstract IsDefined : 
        attributeType:Type * 
        inherit:bool -> bool 

Parameters

attributeType
Type: System..::.Type
The type of custom attribute to search for. The search includes derived types.
inherit
Type: System..::.Boolean
true to search this member's inheritance chain to find the attributes; otherwise, false. This parameter is ignored for properties and events; see Remarks.

Return Value

Type: System..::.Boolean
true if one or more instances of attributeType or any of its derived types is applied to this member; otherwise, false.

Implements

ICustomAttributeProvider..::.IsDefined(Type, Boolean)
_MemberInfo..::.IsDefined(Type, Boolean)
Remarks

This method ignores the inherit parameter for properties and events. To search the inheritance chain for attributes on properties and events, use the appropriate overloads of the Attribute..::.IsDefined method.

NoteNote

In the .NET Framework version 2.0, this method returns true if a type, method, or constructor has security attributes stored in the new metadata format. Assemblies compiled with version 2.0 use this format. Dynamic assemblies and assemblies compiled with earlier versions of the .NET Framework use the old XML format. See Emitting Declarative Security Attributes.

Examples

The following example determines whether the specified attribute is applied to the specified member.


Imports System
Imports System.Reflection
Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic

' Define a custom attribute with one named parameter.
<AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.All)> Public Class MyAttribute
    Inherits Attribute
    Private myName As String

    Public Sub New(ByVal name As String)
        myName = name
    End Sub 'New

    Public ReadOnly Property Name() As String
        Get
            Return myName
        End Get
    End Property
End Class 'MyAttribute

' Define a class that has the custom attribute associated with one of its members.
Public Class MyClass1

    <MyAttribute("This is an example attribute.")> Public Sub MyMethod(ByVal i As Integer)
        Return
    End Sub 'MyMethod
End Class 'MyClass1

Public Class MemberInfo_GetCustomAttributes_IsDefined

    Public Shared Sub Main()
        Try
            ' Get the type of MyClass1.
            Dim myType As Type = GetType(MyClass1)
            ' Get the members associated with MyClass1.
            Dim myMembers As MemberInfo() = myType.GetMembers()

            ' Display the attributes for each of the members of MyClass1.
            Dim i As Integer
            For i = 0 To myMembers.Length - 1
                ' Display the attribute if it is of type MyAttribute.
                If myMembers(i).IsDefined(GetType(MyAttribute), False) Then
                    Dim myAttributes As [Object]() = myMembers(i).GetCustomAttributes(GetType(MyAttribute), False)
                    Console.WriteLine(ControlChars.Cr + "The attributes of type MyAttribute for the member {0} are: " + ControlChars.Cr, myMembers(i))
                    Dim j As Integer
                    For j = 0 To myAttributes.Length - 1
                        ' Display the value associated with the attribute.
                        Console.WriteLine("The value of the attribute is : ""{0}""", CType(myAttributes(j), MyAttribute).Name)
                    Next j
                End If
            Next i
        Catch e As Exception
            Console.WriteLine("An exception occurred: {0}", e.Message)
        End Try
    End Sub 'Main
End Class 'MemberInfo_GetCustomAttributes_IsDefined



using System;
using System.Reflection;

// Define a custom attribute with one named parameter.
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.All)]
public class MyAttribute : Attribute
{
    private string myName;
    public MyAttribute(string name)
    {
        myName = name;
    }
    public string Name
    {
        get
        {
            return myName;
        }
    }
}

// Define a class that has the custom attribute associated with one of its members.
public class MyClass1
{
    [MyAttribute("This is an example attribute.")]
    public void MyMethod(int i)
    {
        return;
    }
}

public class MemberInfo_GetCustomAttributes_IsDefined
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        try
        {
            // Get the type of MyClass1.
            Type myType = typeof(MyClass1);
            // Get the members associated with MyClass1.
            MemberInfo[] myMembers = myType.GetMembers();

            // Display the attributes for each of the members of MyClass1.
            for(int i = 0; i < myMembers.Length; i++)
            {
                // Display the attribute if it is of type MyAttribute.
                if(myMembers[i].IsDefined(typeof(MyAttribute), false))
                {
                    Object[] myAttributes = myMembers[i].GetCustomAttributes(typeof(MyAttribute), false);
                    Console.WriteLine("\nThe attributes of type MyAttribute for the member {0} are: \n",
                        myMembers[i]);
                    for(int j = 0; j < myAttributes.Length; j++)
                        // Display the value associated with the attribute.
                        Console.WriteLine("The value of the attribute is : \"{0}\"",
                            ((MyAttribute)myAttributes[j]).Name);
                }
            }
        }
        catch(Exception e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("An exception occurred: {0}", e.Message);
        }
    }
}


using namespace System;
using namespace System::Reflection;

// Define a custom attribute with one named parameter.

[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets::All)]
public ref class MyAttribute: public Attribute
{
private:
   String^ myName;

public:
   MyAttribute( String^ name )
   {
      myName = name;
   }

   property String^ Name 
   {
      String^ get()
      {
         return myName;
      }
   }
};

// Define a class that has the custom attribute associated with one of its members.
public ref class MyClass1
{
public:

   [MyAttribute("This is an example attribute.")]
   void MyMethod( int i ){}
};

int main()
{
   try
   {
      // Get the type of MyClass1.
      Type^ myType = MyClass1::typeid;

      // Get the members associated with MyClass1.
      array<MemberInfo^>^myMembers = myType->GetMembers();

      // Display the attributes for each of the members of MyClass1.
      for ( int i = 0; i < myMembers->Length; i++ )
      {
         // Display the attribute if it is of type MyAttribute.
         if ( myMembers[ i ]->IsDefined( MyAttribute::typeid, false ) )
         {
            array<Object^>^myAttributes = myMembers[ i ]->GetCustomAttributes( MyAttribute::typeid, false );
            Console::WriteLine( "\nThe attributes of type MyAttribute for the member {0} are: \n", myMembers[ i ] );
            for ( int j = 0; j < myAttributes->Length; j++ )

               // Display the value associated with the attribute.
               Console::WriteLine( "The value of the attribute is : \"{0}\"",
                        (safe_cast<MyAttribute^>(myAttributes[ j ]))->Name );
         }
      }
   }
   catch ( Exception^ e ) 
   {
      Console::WriteLine( "An exception occurred: {0}", e->Message );
   }
}

Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 4, 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0

.NET Framework Client Profile

Supported in: 4, 3.5 SP1

Portable Class Library

Supported in: Portable Class Library
Platforms

Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows XP SP2 x64 Edition, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2

The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.
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