Attribute.Match Method (Object)
When overridden in a derived class, returns a value that indicates whether this instance equals a specified object.
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Parameters
- obj
- Type: System.Object
This method determines if one Attribute equals another. Its default implementation is the same as Equals, which performs a value and reference comparison. Override this method to implement support for attribute values, such as flags or bit fields, that consist of components that are meaningful in themselves.
For example, consider an attribute whose value is a binary field divided into a bit field of flags. Two instances of this attribute have one flag in set in common while all the other flags differ. The Equals method cannot determine that the two instances have the same flag set, but the Match method can.
The following code example illustrates the use of Match in the context of Attribute.
Imports System.Reflection ' A custom attribute to allow 2 authors per method. <AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Method)> _ Public Class AuthorsAttribute : Inherits Attribute Protected _authorName1 As String Protected _authorName2 As String Public Sub New(name1 As String, name2 As String) _authorName1 = name1 _authorName2 = name2 End Sub Public Property AuthorName1() As String Get Return _authorName1 End Get Set _authorName1 = value End Set End Property Public Property AuthorName2() As String Get Return _authorName2 End Get Set _authorName2 = value End Set End Property Public Overrides Function Equals(obj As Object) As Boolean Dim auth As AuthorsAttribute = TryCast(obj, AuthorsAttribute) If auth Is Nothing Then Return False Return (_authorName1 = obj.AuthorName1 And _authorName2 = obj.AuthorName2) Or (_authorName1 = obj.AuthorName2 And _authorName2 = obj.AuthorName1) End Function ' Use the hash code of the string objects and xor them together. Public Overrides Function GetHashCode() As Integer Return _authorName1.GetHashCode() XOr _authorName2.GetHashCode() End Function ' Determine if the object is a match to this one. Public Overrides Function Match(ByVal obj As Object) As Boolean ' Obviously a match. If obj Is Me Then Return True End If ' Obviously we're not nothing, so no. If obj Is Nothing Then Return False End If Dim authObj As AuthorsAttribute = TryCast(obj, AuthorsAttribute) If authObj IsNot Nothing Then ' Check for identical order. If _authorName1 = authObj._authorName1 And _authorName2 = authObj._authorName2 Then Return True ' Check for reversed order. Else If _authorName1 = authObj._authorName2 And _authorName2 = authObj._authorName1 Then Return True Else Return False End If Else Return False End If End Function End Class ' Add some authors to methods of a class. Public Class TestClass1 <Authors("William Shakespeare", "Herman Melville")> _ Public Sub Method1() End Sub <Authors("Leo Tolstoy", "John Milton")> _ Public Sub Method2() End Sub End Class ' Add authors to a second class's methods. Public Class TestClass2 <Authors("William Shakespeare", "Herman Melville")> _ Public Sub Method1() End Sub <Authors("Leo Tolstoy", "John Milton")> _ Public Sub Method2() End Sub <Authors("Francis Bacon", "Miguel Cervantes")> _ Public Sub Method3() End Sub <Authors("John Milton", "Leo Tolstoy")> _ Public Sub Method4() End Sub End Class Public Module Example Sub Main() ' Get the Type object for both classes. Dim clsType1 As Type = GetType(TestClass1) Dim clsType2 As Type = GetType(TestClass2) ' Iterate through each method of the first class. For Each method In clsType1.GetMethods() ' Check each method for the Authors attribute. Dim attr1 As AuthorsAttribute = CType(Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(method, GetType(AuthorsAttribute)), AuthorsAttribute) If attr1 IsNot Nothing Then Dim authAttr1 As AuthorsAttribute = CType(attr1, AuthorsAttribute) ' Display the authors. Console.WriteLine("{0}.{1} was authored by {2} and {3}.", clsType1.Name, method.Name, authAttr1.AuthorName1, authAttr1.AuthorName2) ' Iterate through each method of the second class. For Each method2 In clsType2.GetMethods() ' Check each method for the Authors attribute. Dim attr2 As AuthorsAttribute = CType(Attribute.GetCustomAttribute( method2, GetType(AuthorsAttribute)), AuthorsAttribute) If attr2 IsNot Nothing Then Dim authAttr2 As AuthorsAttribute = _ CType(attr2, AuthorsAttribute) ' Compare with the authors in the first class. If authAttr2.Match(authAttr1) = True Then Console.WriteLine("{0}.{1} was also authored by the same team.", clsType2.Name, method2.Name) End If End If Next Console.WriteLine() End If Next End Sub End Module ' The example displays the following output: ' TestClass1.Method1 was authored by William Shakespeare and Herman Melville. ' TestClass2.Method1 was also authored by the same team. ' ' TestClass1.Method2 was authored by Leo Tolstoy and John Milton. ' TestClass2.Method2 was also authored by the same team. ' TestClass2.Method4 was also authored by the same team.
Available since 1.1
Silverlight
Available since 2.0
Windows Phone Silverlight
Available since 7.0