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.NET Framework 3.5
System Namespace
Type Class
Type Methods
 MakeByRefType Method

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This page is specific to
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008/.NET Framework 3.5

Other versions are also available for the following:
.NET Framework Class Library
Type..::.MakeByRefType Method

Returns a Type object that represents the current type when passed as a ref parameter (ByRef parameter in Visual Basic).

Namespace:  System
Assembly:  mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Visual Basic (Declaration)
Public Overridable Function MakeByRefType As Type
Visual Basic (Usage)
Dim instance As Type
Dim returnValue As Type

returnValue = instance.MakeByRefType()
C#
public virtual Type MakeByRefType()
Visual C++
public:
virtual Type^ MakeByRefType()
JScript
public function MakeByRefType() : Type

Return Value

Type: System..::.Type
A Type object that represents the current type when passed as a ref parameter (ByRef parameter in Visual Basic).
ExceptionCondition
NotSupportedException

The invoked method is not supported in the base class.

The MakeByRefType method provides a way to generate ref types (ByRef in Visual Basic) for parameter lists.

Using the syntax of Microsoft intermediate language (MSIL), if the current Type object represents Int32, this method returns a Type object representing Int32&.

The following code example creates array, ref (ByRef in Visual Basic), and pointer types for the Test class.

Visual Basic
Imports System
Imports System.Reflection
Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic

Public Class Example
    Public Shared Sub Main()
        ' Create a Type object that represents a one-dimensional
        ' array of Example objects.
        Dim t As Type = GetType(Example).MakeArrayType()
        Console.WriteLine(vbCrLf & "Array of Example: " & t.ToString())

        ' Create a Type object that represents a two-dimensional
        ' array of Example objects.
        t = GetType(Example).MakeArrayType(2)
        Console.WriteLine(vbCrLf & "Two-dimensional array of Example: " & t.ToString())

        ' Demonstrate an exception when an invalid array rank is
        ' specified.
        Try
            t = GetType(Example).MakeArrayType(-1)
        Catch ex As Exception
            Console.WriteLine(vbCrLf & ex.ToString())
        End Try

        ' Create a Type object that represents a ByRef parameter
        ' of type Example.
        t = GetType(Example).MakeByRefType()
        Console.WriteLine(vbCrLf & "ByRef Example: " & t.ToString())

        ' Get a Type object representing the Example class, a
        ' MethodInfo representing the "Test" method, a ParameterInfo
        ' representing the parameter of type Example, and finally
        ' a Type object representing the type of this ByRef parameter.
        ' Compare this Type object with the Type object created using
        ' MakeByRefType.
        Dim t2 As Type = GetType(Example)
        Dim mi As MethodInfo = t2.GetMethod("Test")
        Dim pi As ParameterInfo = mi.GetParameters()(0)
        Dim pt As Type = pi.ParameterType
        Console.WriteLine("Are the ByRef types equal? " & (t Is pt))

        ' Create a Type object that represents a pointer to an
        ' Example object.
        t = GetType(Example).MakePointerType()
        Console.WriteLine(vbCrLf & "Pointer to Example: " & t.ToString())
    End Sub

    ' A sample method with a ByRef parameter.
    '
    Public Sub Test(ByRef e As Example)
    End Sub
End Class

' This example produces output similar to the following:
'
'Array of Example: Example[]
'
'Two-dimensional array of Example: Example[,]
'
'System.IndexOutOfRangeException: Index was outside the bounds of the array.
'   at System.RuntimeType.MakeArrayType(Int32 rank) in c:\vbl\ndp\clr\src\BCL\System\RtType.cs:line 2999
'   at Example.Main()
'
'ByRef Example: Example&
'Are the ByRef types equal? True
'
'Pointer to Example: Example*

C#
using System;
using System.Reflection;

public class Example
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        // Create a Type object that represents a one-dimensional
        // array of Example objects.
        Type t = typeof(Example).MakeArrayType();
        Console.WriteLine("\r\nArray of Example: {0}", t);

        // Create a Type object that represents a two-dimensional
        // array of Example objects.
        t = typeof(Example).MakeArrayType(2);
        Console.WriteLine("\r\nTwo-dimensional array of Example: {0}", t);

        // Demonstrate an exception when an invalid array rank is
        // specified.
        try
        {
            t = typeof(Example).MakeArrayType(-1);
        }
        catch(Exception ex)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("\r\n{0}", ex);
        }

        // Create a Type object that represents a ByRef parameter
        // of type Example.
        t = typeof(Example).MakeByRefType();
        Console.WriteLine("\r\nByRef Example: {0}", t);

        // Get a Type object representing the Example class, a
        // MethodInfo representing the "Test" method, a ParameterInfo
        // representing the parameter of type Example, and finally
        // a Type object representing the type of this ByRef parameter.
        // Compare this Type object with the Type object created using
        // MakeByRefType.
        Type t2 = typeof(Example);
        MethodInfo mi = t2.GetMethod("Test");
        ParameterInfo pi = mi.GetParameters()[0];
        Type pt = pi.ParameterType;
        Console.WriteLine("Are the ByRef types equal? {0}", (t == pt));

        // Create a Type object that represents a pointer to an
        // Example object.
        t = typeof(Example).MakePointerType();
        Console.WriteLine("\r\nPointer to Example: {0}", t);
    }

    // A sample method with a ByRef parameter.
    //
    public void Test(ref Example e)
    {
    }
}

/* This example produces output similar to the following:

Array of Example: Example[]

Two-dimensional array of Example: Example[,]

System.IndexOutOfRangeException: Index was outside the bounds of the array.
   at System.RuntimeType.MakeArrayType(Int32 rank) in c:\vbl\ndp\clr\src\BCL\System\RtType.cs:line 2999
   at Example.Main()

ByRef Example: Example&
Are the ByRef types equal? True

Pointer to Example: Example*

 */

Visual C++
using namespace System;
using namespace System::Reflection;

public ref class Example
{
public:
   static void Main()
   {
      // Create a Type object that represents a one-dimensional
      // array of Example objects.
      Type^ t = Example::typeid->MakeArrayType();
      Console::WriteLine( L"\r\nArray of Example: {0}", t );

      // Create a Type object that represents a two-dimensional
      // array of Example objects.
      t = Example::typeid->MakeArrayType( 2 );
      Console::WriteLine( L"\r\nTwo-dimensional array of Example: {0}", t );

      // Demonstrate an exception when an invalid array rank is
      // specified.
      try
      {
         t = Example::typeid->MakeArrayType(  -1 );
      }
      catch ( Exception^ ex ) 
      {
         Console::WriteLine( L"\r\n{0}", ex );
      }

      // Create a Type object that represents a ByRef parameter
      // of type Example.
      t = Example::typeid->MakeByRefType();
      Console::WriteLine( L"\r\nByRef Example: {0}", t );

      // Get a Type object representing the Example class, a
      // MethodInfo representing the "Test" method, a ParameterInfo
      // representing the parameter of type Example, and finally
      // a Type object representing the type of this ByRef parameter.
      // Compare this Type object with the Type object created using
      // MakeByRefType.
      Type^ t2 = Example::typeid;
      MethodInfo^ mi = t2->GetMethod( L"Test" );
      ParameterInfo^ pi = mi->GetParameters()[ 0 ];
      Type^ pt = pi->ParameterType;
      Console::WriteLine( L"Are the ByRef types equal? {0}", (t == pt) );

      // Create a Type object that represents a pointer to an
      // Example object.
      t = Example::typeid->MakePointerType();
      Console::WriteLine( L"\r\nPointer to Example: {0}", t );
   }

   // A sample method with a ByRef parameter.
   //
   void Test( interior_ptr<Example^> /*e*/ )
   {
   }
};

int main()
{
   Example::Main();
}

/* This example produces output similar to the following:

Array of Example: Example[]

Two-dimensional array of Example: Example[,]

System.IndexOutOfRangeException: Index was outside the bounds of the array.
   at System.RuntimeType.MakeArrayType(Int32 rank) in c:\vbl\ndp\clr\src\BCL\System\RtType.cs:line 2999
   at Example.Main()

ByRef Example: Example&
Are the ByRef types equal? True

Pointer to Example: Example*

 */

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98

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

.NET Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 3.0, 2.0
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