Type.IsNested Property

Definition

Gets a value indicating whether the current Type object represents a type whose definition is nested inside the definition of another type.

public:
 property bool IsNested { bool get(); };
public bool IsNested { get; }
member this.IsNested : bool
Public ReadOnly Property IsNested As Boolean

Property Value

true if the Type is nested inside another type; otherwise, false.

Examples

The following example creates an outer class with a number of nested classes that have various types of visibility. It then retrieves the value of a number of visibility-related Type properties for the parent type and each of its nested types.

using System;

// Create a class with a number of nested classes.
public class OuterClass
{
    private class PrivateClass
    {}

    protected class ProtectedClass
    {}

    internal class InternalClass
    {}

    protected internal class ProtectedInternalClass
    {}

    public class PublicClass
    {}

    public static void Main()
    {
        // Create an array of Type objects for all the classes.
        Type[] types = { typeof(OuterClass),
                         typeof(OuterClass.PublicClass),
                         typeof(OuterClass.PrivateClass),
                         typeof(OuterClass.ProtectedClass),
                         typeof(OuterClass.InternalClass),
                         typeof(OuterClass.ProtectedInternalClass) };
        // Display the property values of each nested class.
        foreach (var type in types) {
           Console.WriteLine("\n{0} property values:", type.Name);
           Console.WriteLine("   Public Class: {0}", type.IsPublic);
           Console.WriteLine("   Not a Public Class: {0}", type.IsNotPublic);
           Console.WriteLine("   Nested Class: {0}", type.IsNested);
           Console.WriteLine("   Nested Private Class: {0}", type.IsNestedPrivate);
           Console.WriteLine("   Nested Internal Class: {0}", type.IsNestedAssembly);
           Console.WriteLine("   Nested Protected Class: {0}", type.IsNestedFamily);
           Console.WriteLine("   Nested Family Or Assembly Class: {0}", type.IsNestedFamORAssem);
           Console.WriteLine("   Nested Family And Assembly Class: {0}", type.IsNestedFamANDAssem);
           Console.WriteLine("   Nested Public Class: {0}", type.IsNestedPublic);
        }
    }
}
// The example displays the following output:
//    OuterClass property values:
//       Public Class: True
//       Not a Public Class: False
//       Nested Class: False
//       Nested Private Class: False
//       Nested Internal Class: False
//       Nested Protected Class: False
//       Nested Family Or Assembly Class: False
//       Nested Family And Assembly Class: False
//       Nested Public Class: False
//
//    PublicClass property values:
//       Public Class: False
//       Not a Public Class: False
//       Nested Class: True
//       Nested Private Class: False
//       Nested Internal Class: False
//       Nested Protected Class: False
//       Nested Family Or Assembly Class: False
//       Nested Family And Assembly Class: False
//       Nested Public Class: True
//
//    PrivateClass property values:
//       Public Class: False
//       Not a Public Class: False
//       Nested Class: True
//       Nested Private Class: True
//       Nested Internal Class: False
//       Nested Protected Class: False
//       Nested Family Or Assembly Class: False
//       Nested Family And Assembly Class: False
//       Nested Public Class: False
//
//    ProtectedClass property values:
//       Public Class: False
//       Not a Public Class: False
//       Nested Class: True
//       Nested Private Class: False
//       Nested Internal Class: False
//       Nested Protected Class: True
//       Nested Family Or Assembly Class: False
//       Nested Family And Assembly Class: False
//       Nested Public Class: False
//
//    InternalClass property values:
//       Public Class: False
//       Not a Public Class: False
//       Nested Class: True
//       Nested Private Class: False
//       Nested Internal Class: True
//       Nested Protected Class: False
//       Nested Family Or Assembly Class: False
//       Nested Family And Assembly Class: False
//       Nested Public Class: False
//
//    ProtectedInternalClass property values:
//       Public Class: False
//       Not a Public Class: False
//       Nested Class: True
//       Nested Private Class: False
//       Nested Internal Class: False
//       Nested Protected Class: False
//       Nested Family Or Assembly Class: True
//       Nested Family And Assembly Class: False
//       Nested Public Class: False
' Create a Class with a number of nested Classes.
Public Class OuterClass
    Private Class PrivateClass
    End Class

    Protected Class ProtectedClass
    End Class

    Friend Class InternalClass
    End Class

    Protected Friend Class ProtectedInternalClass
    End Class

    Public Class PublicClass
    End Class

    Public Shared Sub Main()
        ' Create an array of Type objects for all the Classes.
        Dim types() As Type = { GetType(OuterClass),
                                GetType(OuterClass.PublicClass),
                                GetType(OuterClass.PrivateClass),
                                GetType(OuterClass.ProtectedClass),
                                GetType(OuterClass.InternalClass),
                                GetType(OuterClass.ProtectedInternalClass) }
        ' Display the property values of each nested Class.
        For Each type In types
           Console.WriteLine("{0} property values:", type.Name)
           Console.WriteLine("   Public Class: {0}", type.IsPublic)
           Console.WriteLine("   Not a Public Class: {0}", type.IsNotPublic)
           Console.WriteLine("   Nested Class: {0}", type.IsNested)
           Console.WriteLine("   Nested Private Class: {0}", type.IsNestedPrivate)
           Console.WriteLine("   Nested Internal Class: {0}", type.IsNestedAssembly)
           Console.WriteLine("   Nested Protected Class: {0}", type.IsNestedFamily)
           Console.WriteLine("   Nested Family Or Assembly Class: {0}", type.IsNestedFamORAssem)
           Console.WriteLine("   Nested Family And Assembly Class: {0}", type.IsNestedFamANDAssem)
           Console.WriteLine("   Nested Public Class: {0}", type.IsNestedPublic)
           Console.WriteLine()
        Next
    End Sub
End Class
' The example displays the following output:
'    OuterClass property values:
'       Public Class: True
'       Not a Public Class: False
'       Nested Class: False
'       Nested Private Class: False
'       Nested Internal Class: False
'       Nested Protected Class: False
'       Nested Family Or Assembly Class: False
'       Nested Family And Assembly Class: False
'       Nested Public Class: False
'
'    PublicClass property values:
'       Public Class: False
'       Not a Public Class: False
'       Nested Class: True
'       Nested Private Class: False
'       Nested Internal Class: False
'       Nested Protected Class: False
'       Nested Family Or Assembly Class: False
'       Nested Family And Assembly Class: False
'       Nested Public Class: True
'
'    PrivateClass property values:
'       Public Class: False
'       Not a Public Class: False
'       Nested Class: True
'       Nested Private Class: True
'       Nested Internal Class: False
'       Nested Protected Class: False
'       Nested Family Or Assembly Class: False
'       Nested Family And Assembly Class: False
'       Nested Public Class: False
'
'    ProtectedClass property values:
'       Public Class: False
'       Not a Public Class: False
'       Nested Class: True
'       Nested Private Class: False
'       Nested Internal Class: False
'       Nested Protected Class: True
'       Nested Family Or Assembly Class: False
'       Nested Family And Assembly Class: False
'       Nested Public Class: False
'
'    InternalClass property values:
'       Public Class: False
'       Not a Public Class: False
'       Nested Class: True
'       Nested Private Class: False
'       Nested Internal Class: True
'       Nested Protected Class: False
'       Nested Family Or Assembly Class: False
'       Nested Family And Assembly Class: False
'       Nested Public Class: False
'
'    ProtectedInternalClass property values:
'       Public Class: False
'       Not a Public Class: False
'       Nested Class: True
'       Nested Private Class: False
'       Nested Internal Class: False
'       Nested Protected Class: False
'       Nested Family Or Assembly Class: True
'       Nested Family And Assembly Class: False
'       Nested Public Class: False

Remarks

The IsNested property returns true for all nested types, regardless of visibility. To test for nesting and visibility at the same time, use the related properties IsNestedAssembly, IsNestedFamily, IsNestedFamANDAssem, IsNestedFamORAssem, IsNestedPrivate, or IsNestedPublic.

Note

The VisibilityMask enumeration member selects the visibility attributes for a type.

Applies to

See also