"Display Name" Data Annotation for class using c#

Question

I have a class with [Display(Name ="name")] set in the properties, and [Table("tableName"] in the top of the class.

Now I'm using reflection to get some information of this class and I'm wondering if somehow I can add a [Display(Name ="name")] to the class itself.

It will be something like

[Table("MyObjectTable")]
[Display(Name ="My Class Name")]     <-------------- New Annotation
public class MyObject
{
   [Required]
   public int Id { get; set; }

   [Display(Name="My Property Name")]
   public string PropertyName{ get; set; }
}

Does this help? http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/sw480ze8.aspx just make sure to use `AttributeTargets.Class` — Chris Moutray, Jul 24 '13 at 05:40
For now I just need get a friendly name for the class, similar to what Display name does — estebane97, Jul 24 '13 at 05:48

score 8 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 24 '13 at 05:51

Based on that article I referenced heres a complete example

Declare Custom Attribute

[System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Class)]
public class Display : System.Attribute
{
    private string _name;

    public Display(string name)
    {
        _name = name;        
    }

    public string GetName()
    {
        return _name;
    }
}

Example of use

[Display("My Class Name")]
public class MyClass
{
    // ...
}

Example of reading attribute

public static string GetDisplayAttributeValue()
{
    System.Attribute[] attrs = 
            System.Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(typeof(MyClass)); 

    foreach (System.Attribute attr in attrs)
    {
        var displayAttribute as Display;
        if (displayAttribute == null)
            continue;
        return displayAttribute.GetName();   
    }

    // throw not found exception or just return string.Empty
}

I havent really used data annotations but it does surprise me that the existing DisplayAttribute cant be used at class level - this article might help though http://ryanhayes.net/blog/data-annotations-for-entity-framework-4-entities-as-an-mvc-model/ — Chris Moutray, Jul 24 '13 at 06:05

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 24 '13 at 06:29

5

There is already an attribute for that in .Net: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.componentmodel.displaynameattribute.aspx . And yes, you can use it on both: properties and classes (check an AttributeUsageAttribute in Syntax section)

answered Jul 24 '13 at 06:29

Nikita B

3,303
1
23
41

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 14 '14 at 20:09

Simply write a static function like this:

public static string GetDisplayName<TModel, TProperty>(this TModel model, Expression<Func<TModel, TProperty>> expression)
{
    return ModelMetadata.FromLambdaExpression<TModel, TProperty>(expression, new ViewDataDictionary<TModel>(model)).DisplayName;
}

And use that like this:

string name = GetDisplayName(Model, m => m.Prop);

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 15 '14 at 17:44

Based on @amirhossein-mehrvarzi I have used this function:

public static string GetDisplayName(this object model, string expression)
{
    return ModelMetadata.FromStringExpression(expression, new ViewDataDictionary(model)).DisplayName ?? expression;
}

And used that in this example:

var test = new MyObject();

foreach (var item in test.GetType().GetProperties())
{
        var temp = test.GetDisplayName(item.Name)
}

So many options :)

"Display Name" Data Annotation for class using c#

4 Answers4

Declare Custom Attribute

Example of use

Example of reading attribute

Linked