How to: Browse .NET Framework Metadata using "Quadrant"

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This is the second step in Walkthrough: Using the System_Runtime Domain. In the first step, How to: Import .NET Framework Metadata into Modeling Services using "Quadrant", you loaded metadata from two of the DinnersNow application assemblies. This topic uses Microsoft code name “Quadrant” to examine the loaded data. The next step is How to: Create Assembly Groups using BindingContexts.

Browsing .NET Framework metadata using “Quadrant”

  1. In the Assemblies workpad, you can see the name of the assembly along with the associated DinnersNowFolder folder and the assembly version number. Expand the tree view of assemblies. You can see the modules, types, and methods that are associated with each assembly.

    Shows the Assemblies tree view.

  2. In the Assemblies tree, expand DinnerNow.Data, expand Modules, and then expand the DinnerNow.Data.dll assembly. Expand Types, then DinnerNow.Data.Customer. Expand Methods and finally drag the circle icon next to the attach_Orders method onto the workspace to view the method.

    Shows the attach_Orders workpad.

    In the attach_Orders workpad, you can see the method viewer which is used by default when viewing type System_Runtime.Methods. The method viewer lets you explore methods for imported assemblies by dragging or double-clicking any part of the method signature to further explore your application. For example, note that the attach_Orders method has return type Void and a single parameter named entity of type Order; any part of the method signature can be double-clicked or dragged onto the workspace and viewed in a separate workpad. Try dragging the return type Order onto the workspace to see the type information for Order.

    Shows the attach_Orders and the Order workpads.

  3. Change the view of the attach_Orders method to Properties view, and expand the References section to see associated CalledMethods and other information.

    Shows the Properties view of the workpad.

    In this case, there is a single MethodDefinition (as expected), two CalledMethods, and a single Parameter associated with the attach_orders method. You can double-click the small square icon immediately to the left of any of the non-zero values to explore the related information.

    Shows the References section expanded.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Query .NET Framework Metadata using "Quadrant"
Walkthrough: Using the System_Runtime Domain