Skip to main content
.NET Framework Class Library
Type..::.GetElementType Method

When overridden in a derived class, returns the Type of the object encompassed or referred to by the current array, pointer or reference type.

Namespace: System
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Syntax
Public MustOverride Function GetElementType As Type
public abstract Type GetElementType()
public:
virtual Type^ GetElementType() abstract
abstract GetElementType : unit -> Type 

Return Value

Type: System..::.Type
The Type of the object encompassed or referred to by the current array, pointer, or reference type, or nullNothingnullptra null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic) if the current Type is not an array or a pointer, or is not passed by reference, or represents a generic type or a type parameter in the definition of a generic type or generic method.

Implements

_Type..::.GetElementType()()()
Remarks

This method returns nullNothingnullptra null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic) for the Array class.

Examples

The following example demonstrates using the GetElementType method.


Imports System

Class TestGetElementType

    Public Shared Sub Main()
        Dim array As Integer() = {1, 2, 3}
        Dim t As Type = array.GetType()
        Dim t2 As Type = t.GetElementType()
        Console.WriteLine("The element type of {0} is {1}.", array, t2.ToString())
        Dim newMe As New TestGetElementType()
        t = newMe.GetType()
        t2 = t.GetElementType()
        If t2 Is Nothing Then
            Console.WriteLine("The element type of {0} is {1}.", newMe, "null")
        Else
            Console.WriteLine("The element type of {0} is {1}.", newMe, t2.ToString())
        End If
    End Sub 'Main
End Class 'TestGetElementType

' This code produces the following output:
'
'The element type of System.Int32[] is System.Int32.
'The element type of TestGetElementType is null.


using System;
class TestGetElementType 
{
    public static void Main() 
    {
        int[] array = {1,2,3};
        Type t = array.GetType();
        Type t2 = t.GetElementType();
        Console.WriteLine("The element type of {0} is {1}.",array, t2.ToString());
        TestGetElementType newMe = new TestGetElementType();
        t = newMe.GetType();
        t2 = t.GetElementType();
        Console.WriteLine("The element type of {0} is {1}.", newMe, t2==null? "null" : t2.ToString());
    }
}

/* This code produces the following output:

The element type of System.Int32[] is System.Int32.
The element type of TestGetElementType is null.
 */


using namespace System;
public ref class TestGetElementType{};

int main()
{
   array<Int32>^array = {1,2,3};
   Type^ t = array->GetType();
   Type^ t2 = t->GetElementType();
   Console::WriteLine( "The element type of {0} is {1}.", array, t2 );
   TestGetElementType^ newMe = gcnew TestGetElementType;
   t = newMe->GetType();
   t2 = t->GetElementType();
   Console::WriteLine( "The element type of {0} is {1}.", newMe, t2 == nullptr ? "null" : t2->ToString() );
}

/* This code produces the following output:

The element type of System.Int32[] is System.Int32.
The element type of TestGetElementType is null.
 */

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.
Microsoft is conducting an online survey to understand your opinion of the MSDN Web site. If you choose to participate, the online survey will be presented to you when you leave the MSDN Web site.

Would you like to participate?