Type.ToString Method ()
Returns a String representing the name of the current Type.
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Implements
_Type.ToString()This method returns the fully qualified common language runtime namespace and name for all primitive types. For example, the C# instruction, (long)0.Type().ToString() returns "System.Int64" instead of merely "Int64".
If the current Type represents a generic type, the type and its type arguments are qualified by namespace and by nested type, but not by assembly. If the current Type represents a type parameter in the definition of a generic type or generic method, this method returns the unqualified name of the type parameter.
This following example demonstrates a use of the Namespace and Module properties and the ToString method of Type.
using System; namespace MyNamespace { class MyClass { } } public class Example { public static void Main() { Type myType = typeof(MyNamespace.MyClass); Console.WriteLine("Displaying information about {0}:", myType); // Get the namespace of the myClass class. Console.WriteLine(" Namespace: {0}.", myType.Namespace); // Get the name of the module. Console.WriteLine(" Module: {0}.", myType.Module); // Get the fully qualified type name. Console.WriteLine(" Fully qualified name: {0}.", myType.ToString()); } } // The example displays the following output: // Displaying information about MyNamespace.MyClass: // Namespace: MyNamespace. // Module: type_tostring.exe. // Fully qualified name: MyNamespace.MyClass.
The following example compares the strings returned by the ToString method and the Name, FullName, and AssemblyQualifiedName properties.
using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Globalization; public class Example { public static void Main() { Type t = typeof(String); ShowTypeInfo(t); t = typeof(System.Collections.Generic.List<>); ShowTypeInfo(t); var list = new List<String>(); t = list.GetType(); ShowTypeInfo(t); Object v = 12; t = v.GetType(); ShowTypeInfo(t); t = typeof(IFormatProvider); ShowTypeInfo(t); IFormatProvider ifmt = NumberFormatInfo.CurrentInfo; t = ifmt.GetType(); ShowTypeInfo(t); } private static void ShowTypeInfo(Type t) { Console.WriteLine("Name: {0}", t.Name); Console.WriteLine("Full Name: {0}", t.FullName); Console.WriteLine("ToString: {0}", t.ToString()); Console.WriteLine("Assembly Qualified Name: {0}", t.AssemblyQualifiedName); Console.WriteLine(); } } // The example displays output like the following: // Name: String // Full Name: System.String // ToString: System.String // Assembly Qualified Name: System.String, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutr // al, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089 // // Name: List`1 // Full Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1 // ToString: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[T] // Assembly Qualified Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1, mscorlib, Version=4. // 0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089 // // Name: List`1 // Full Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[[System.String, mscorlib, Version=4 // .0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089]] // ToString: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.String] // Assembly Qualified Name: System.Collections.Generic.List`1[[System.String, mscor // lib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089]], mscorl // ib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089 // // Name: Int32 // Full Name: System.Int32 // ToString: System.Int32 // Assembly Qualified Name: System.Int32, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutra // l, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089 // // Name: IFormatProvider // Full Name: System.IFormatProvider // ToString: System.IFormatProvider // Assembly Qualified Name: System.IFormatProvider, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Cult // ure=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089 // // Name: NumberFormatInfo // Full Name: System.Globalization.NumberFormatInfo // ToString: System.Globalization.NumberFormatInfo // Assembly Qualified Name: System.Globalization.NumberFormatInfo, mscorlib, Versio // n=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
Available since 8
.NET Framework
Available since 1.1
Portable Class Library
Supported in: portable .NET platforms
Silverlight
Available since 2.0
Windows Phone Silverlight
Available since 7.0
Windows Phone
Available since 8.1